Reading Arrow Key Input

What I'm basically trying to do is control a robot by using the arrow keys on the keyboard. I'm already familiar with outputting commands via MATLAB my main problem is how to read what arrow keys I'm pressing. Ultimately I would like to press an arrow button and have it displayed on the command window.

I came across this bit of code online. It works great but I need the keystrokes to be store in a variable (possibly as a number instead of a string) so I can output it. There may be a simple solution but since I don't really understand the code my attempt to edit it didn't work.

h_fig = figure;
set(h_fig,'KeyPressFcn',@(h_obj,evt) disp(evt.Key));

Thank You

Sayyid Khan

Answer 1

[Matt Fig]

Here is an example of how to use the arrow keys in the keypressfcn.

function [] = move_fig()
% move figure with arrow keys.

S.fh = figure('units','pixels',...
              'position',[500 500 200 260],...
              'menubar','none',...
              'name','move_fig',...
              'numbertitle','off',...
              'resize','off',...
              'keypressfcn',@fh_kpfcn);
S.tx = uicontrol('style','text',...
                 'units','pixels',...
                 'position',[60 120 80 20],...
                 'fontweight','bold'); 
guidata(S.fh,S)             

function [] = fh_kpfcn(H,E)          
% Figure keypressfcn
S = guidata(H);
P = get(S.fh,'position');
set(S.tx,'string',E.Key)
switch E.Key
    case 'rightarrow'
        set(S.fh,'pos',P+[5 0 0 0])
    case 'leftarrow'
        set(S.fh,'pos',P+[-5 0 0 0])
    case 'uparrow'
        set(S.fh,'pos',P+[0 5 0 0])
    case 'downarrow'
        set(S.fh,'pos',P+[0 -5 0 0])
    otherwise  
end

%

%

%

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EDIT

% This assigns the string value of the key to a in the base workspace.
set(h_fig,'KeyPressFcn',@(H,E) assignin('base','a',E.Key));

[Matt Fig]

sayyid khan comments,

Thanks for the quick response. But is there a way I can use that original 2 lines of code and just have it save to a variable.

For example

Press right arrow > a = 'right arrow'; Press left arrow > a = 'left arrow'.

If it could give me the variable in terms of the ascii code that would be perfect.

Thank you

Sayyid Khan

[Matt Fig]

See my edit above.

Put comments on particular answers in the comments section, not as new 'answers'....