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Anandu M Das
Asked: 2015-03-17 23:13:04 +0800 CST

Bash shell scripting: how to detect Alt+N keystroke?

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I want to write a script that always listens in the background and executes a particular command when the user hits a specific key combination such as Alt + N. How this can be done?

command-line

1 Answers

  1. Download the following python module: showkey.py

    Then create a python script (let's call it test.py):

    #!/usr/bin/env python

from showkey import ShowKey

def alt_n(arg):
    print "Alt N was pressed"

sk = ShowKey()
sk.addKeyAction([49, 56], alt_n)    # adds handler for Alt-N comb.
sk.run()

    Put showkey.py in your PYTHONPATH or put both test.py and showkey.py in the same folder.

    Run your python script this way:

    sudo ./test.py

    The alt_n() callback will be triggered when the user hits the Alt + N combination. Adapt the handler content for your needs.

    To know the keycodes (the same codes used by the showkey command) to use with showkey.py, just run it as a script again with sudo. All keypress events will be printed in your terminal.

    $ sudo ./showkey.py 
Current terminal mode: OFF
Key pressed - keycode: 28
Key pressed - keycode: 56
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