VKENTER

VKENTER is a term that appears in some programming contexts as an alias for the Enter key when referring to a virtual-key code. It is not an official Windows API constant; the canonical constant is VK_RETURN. In practice, many codebases and documentation define VK_ENTER to map to VK_RETURN to improve readability or cross-platform compatibility.

Technical details: In Windows APIs, the Enter key is represented by the virtual-key code 0x0D (decimal 13). Applications receive it via keyboard messages such as WM_KEYDOWN or WM_KEYUP with the wParam parameter set to VK_RETURN. When VK_ENTER is defined in a library, it typically expands to the same value, allowing condition checks like if (key == VK_ENTER) to function identically to VK_RETURN.

Cross-platform and library usage: Some libraries, such as SDL, Qt, or various .NET bindings, expose constants or enums where VK_ENTER serves as a descriptive alias. In these contexts VK_ENTER is effectively interchangeable with VK_RETURN, though developers should verify the specific library’s definitions.

Web and cross-origin contexts: In web browsers, keyboard input does not use Windows virtual-key codes; keyboard events use properties such as key or code, with values like 'Enter'. Therefore VKENTER is not used in standard web APIs. See also VK_RETURN, Enter key, Windows API, keyboard input.