System Hotkey

Multi platform system wide hotkeys for python 3,

Currently no mac or python2 support :(

Installation

the old

pip3 install system_hotkey

should do the trick

Windows

install pywin32

Linux

For x11 you should use xcffib (bsd license),

If for some reason you have to use the python xlib bindings (gpl license), a few fixes need be added first. See here

Usage

Input Keysyms

System hotkeys uses the keysym names from xlib for everything besides modifiers.(although case insensitive) grep for vk_codes for a list of available chars. If you are unable to bind to a certain key please let us know.

You can bind directly to symbols such as ["',. etc Numpad keys can be binded by prefixing with kp_.

Supported modifiers include:

• control
• shift
• super (windows key)
• alt

InvalidKeyError will be raised if a key was not understood

from system_hotkey import SystemHotkey
hk = SystemHotkeys()
hk.register(('control', 'shift', 'h'), callback=lambda:print("Easy!"))

A SystemRegisterError will be raised if a hotkey is already in use.

To unregister a hotkey

hk.unregister(('control', 'shift', 'h'))

A KeyError will be raised if the combination is not already grabbed.

A UnregisterError will be raised if unregistering failed for any other reason.

If you want you can pass in a custom consumer:

def some_func(self, event, hotkey, args):
    pass

hk = SystemHotkeys(consumer=some_func)
hk.register(hotkey, arg1, arg2, arg3)

So you have a master function that receives all hotkey presses and can delegate as desired.

Note Modifier keys are independent of order i.e control + alt + del is the same as alt + control + del

Features

• Support for up to 3 modifiers and a key

Limitations

• I have only mapped most common keys, i have not experimented with Unicode/Japanese characters etc. It's only a matter of mapping a name to the keysym on Linux and virtual key code on windows.
• binding to kp_left (key pad left) will also bind to kp_4, there is a flag (unite_kp) to toggle this behaviour but it is experimental
• Requires an xserver (x11)...