Question

Where in the Android source code does Android call onKeyDown() when it receives notification from the hardware that a key was pressed?

Answer 1

In KeyEvent.java

 /**
     * Deliver this key event to a {@link Callback} interface.  If this is
     * an ACTION_MULTIPLE event and it is not handled, then an attempt will
     * be made to deliver a single normal event.
     *
     * @param receiver The Callback that will be given the event.
     * @param state State information retained across events.
     * @param target The target of the dispatch, for use in tracking.
     *
     * @return The return value from the Callback method that was called.
     */
    public final boolean dispatch(Callback receiver, DispatcherState state,
            Object target) {
        switch (mAction) {
            case ACTION_DOWN: {
                mFlags &= ~FLAG_START_TRACKING;
                if (DEBUG) Log.v(TAG, "Key down to " + target + " in " + state
                        + ": " + this);
                boolean res = receiver.onKeyDown(mKeyCode, this);
                if (state != null) {
                    if (res && mRepeatCount == 0 && (mFlags&FLAG_START_TRACKING) != 0) {
                        if (DEBUG) Log.v(TAG, "  Start tracking!");
                        state.startTracking(this, target);
                    } else if (isLongPress() && state.isTracking(this)) {
                        try {
                            if (receiver.onKeyLongPress(mKeyCode, this)) {
                                if (DEBUG) Log.v(TAG, "  Clear from long press!");
                                state.performedLongPress(this);
                                res = true;
                            }
                        } catch (AbstractMethodError e) {
                        }
                    }
                }
                return res;
            }