How to make text move continuously by pressing a button on CodeSkulptor (Python)?

Question

I'm trying to make the text move continuously by pressing a button but right now it only moves an interval each time it is pressed.

def move():
    global y
    global checkmove
    checkmove = True
    if y > 280:
        y = 0
    else:
        y += 2

Answer 1

There is no built-in way to tell if a button is being held down. However, there is a button_up handler as well as a button_down handler. If you use timers, you can tell how long a key has been held down. Here is a sample of code that can tell which keys are held down. Multiple keys can be held down at once. If you want to change the timing, you can change the length of the timers at the bottom of the code. Changing the value of timer 1 will change how long the key has to be held before simulating keypresses, changing the length of timer 2 changes how quickly the keys are pressed once held down. You can also see the code here: https://py3.codeskulptor.org/#user303_gtJ15kIGNV_0.py

def timer_handler():
    #start timer 2 if it is off
    if not timer_on:
        timer2.start()
    #stop timer 1
    timer.stop()

def timer2_handler():
    #simulates repeated keypresses if the key is held down
    global timer_on
    timer_on=True
    if len(held_keys)==0:
        timer2.stop()
        timer_on=False
    else:
        for item in held_keys:
            action(item)

def action(key):
    #this is where all the code to make something happen goes
    if key==upkey:
        #do something
        print('up key pressed')
    elif key==downkey:
        #do something else
        print('down key pressed')

def key_handler(key):
    #handles user keypresses
    #add key to held keys
    global held_keys
    held_keys.append(key)
    #do something with key
    action(key)
    #start timer 1 if timer 2 is off
    if not timer_on:
        timer.start()

def release_handler(key):
    #handles key releases
    #remove the key from the list
    global held_keys
    if key in held_keys:
        held_keys.remove(key)
    #if no keys are held, stop both timers
    global timer_on
    if len(held_keys)==0:
        timer.stop()
        timer2.stop()
        timer_on=False

import simplegui

timer_on=False
held_keys=[]

#starts timer 2
timer = simplegui.create_timer(300, timer_handler)
#automatic keypress
timer2 = simplegui.create_timer(100, timer2_handler)

#map whatever keys you need
spacekey=simplegui.KEY_MAP['space']
leftkey=simplegui.KEY_MAP['left']
rightkey=simplegui.KEY_MAP['right']
upkey=simplegui.KEY_MAP['up']
downkey=simplegui.KEY_MAP['down']

#create a frame and set key down/up handlers
frame=simplegui.create_frame('Click the box, then use arrow keys to move', 100, 100)
frame.set_keydown_handler(key_handler)
frame.set_keyup_handler(release_handler)
frame.start()