mki - mouse-keyboard-input

Windows & Linux library for registring global input hooks and simulating keyboard and mouse events.

Features:

• Install a global key/mouse event handler without binding to individual keys.
• Install a per key/button event handlers.
• Bind action on key presses.
• Register hotkeys combinations such as CTRL+Q and have action invoked on them.

Sample:

Check examples/readme.rs for the example. Can be run with cargo run --example readme.

use mki::{bind_key, Action, InhibitEvent, Keyboard, Sequence};
use std::thread;
use std::time::Duration;

fn main() {
    Keyboard::A.bind(|_| {
        println!("A pressed, sending B");
        Keyboard::B.click();
    });
    mki::bind_any_key(Action::handle_kb(|key| {
        use Keyboard::*;
        if matches!(key, S | L | O | W | LeftShift | LeftControl | B) {
            // Ignore outputs from other commands for nicer output
        } else {
            println!("Some key pressed pressed: {:?}", key);
        }
    }));
    mki::bind_any_button(Action::handle_mouse(|button| {
        println!("Mouse button pressed {:?}", button);
    }));
    mki::register_hotkey(&[Keyboard::LeftControl, Keyboard::B], || {
        println!("Ctrl+B Pressed")
    });
    mki::bind_key(
        Keyboard::S,
        Action::sequencing_kb(|_| {
            Sequence::text("LLLLLow").unwrap().send();
            thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(1));
        }),
    );

    // This binds action to a W key,
    // that W press will not be sent to the following services ( only on windows )
    // whenever Caps Lock is toggled
    // Action will be executed on separate thread.
    bind_key(
        Keyboard::W,
        Action {
            callback: Box::new(|event, state| {
                println!("key: {:?} changed state now is: {:?}", event, state);
            }),
            inhibit: InhibitEvent::maybe(|| {
                if Keyboard::CapsLock.is_toggled() {
                    InhibitEvent::Yes
                } else {
                    InhibitEvent::No
                }
            }),
            sequencer: false,
            defer: true,
        },
    );

    thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(100));
}

Sample2: config file

Library supports loading hotkey scripting using a yaml configuration file. check using_config.rs example to see more elaborate example. Below is a minimal one that speaks for itself.

---
bind:
  - description: Whenever Ctrl+L is clicked click K as well
    key:
      - LeftControl
      - L
    action:
      click:
        key:
          - K

a Library provides a binary mki that can be used to load the script.

mki binary

Library providers a mki binary that takes 1 argument a path to a .yaml file, the File will be parsed, it will print kind of hotkeys it registers and listen infinitely for the input.

It is really a mini hotkey application.

Threading model

It is strongly advised to use a default bind which will spawn new thread for the bindings.
There is an option to sequence the events which will cause them to be invoked one after another in a separate thread.
An option to callback the event causes invocation of the detected thread.

Nomenclature used:

• handle -> spawns a new thread.
• sequence -> enqueues given event in a single thread that handles all the events one after another.
• callback -> callbacks on the same thread as the key was detected on, recommended not to block that thread nor schedule other key presses as it may result in handler being silently deregistered.

Linux

Note that running the app on Linux requires root.

Linux dependencies:

libxtst-dev

Linux caveats

Currently the linux implementation will sleep for 100ms upon first invocation of the library.
Otherwise some initial key strokes are missed.

cross development linux -> windows

cross.

to cross compile windows on linux:

cargo install cross
cross check --target x86_64-pc-windows-gnu

TODOs:

• Should are_pressed support Mouse? for now the Pressed in config ignores mouse.
• Get Mouse Position on linux and windows missing.

Future Eventual Considerations

• Ditch those static states that initialize god knows when, instead introduce a Context. However the callbacks from libraries will still require a global accessor, but it will defintiely be better.
• Should sequenced be removed and instead channel way be introduced?. By storing a Vec of TX could just propagate the events. This has the problem that it will be a bit awkward to send the mouse pos. Because of the State enum being separated from the event ones. Maybe the State should be deleted and instead the enums would have Up and down? That would make the keyboard enum a bit hectic though.

0.3 release plan:

• It would be nice to support multi screen on windows. atm I don't have multi screens so hard to test.
• Linux to support mouse live tracking callback
• Add a debug mode - --debug that prints whenever anything that has registered hotkey is clicked

Changelog

0.2.2

• Deps update, fixed some issues with linux #3

0.2 release:

• Mouse to support location.
• Windows to support mouse live tracking callback.
• Mouse to support sending key strokes at given coordinates - added click_at.
• Linux display usage is ultra ugly right now, just change it to a lambda.
• Various api breaking changes.

Support

If you want to show appreciation for the stuff this repo gave you - you can do so via https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fulara