A function callback every time a key is pressed (regardless of which window has focus)?

Question

I want to write a programme (in python) on Linux (Ubuntu Linux 9.10) that will keep track of how many key presses per second/minute I make. This includes normal letter keys, and control/shift/space/etc.

Is there some way to hook into X so that I can say "when a key is pressed call this function?". Since I want to have this running in the background while I work normally, this function call will have to be able to be aware of all key presses for all programmes. I suppose it's a bit like a keylogger.

This is only a personal thing, so I don't care about making it work on Windows/OSX, and I don't care about when people have fancy remote X sessions etc.

Answer 1

Take a look at what others have done already. You can take a look on how this pykeylogger code handles Linux in its backend, and see if that works for you.

Answer 2

I'd recommend that you look at the StackOverflow question: Is there a cross-platform python low-level API to capture or generate keyboard events?

You could also look at the Simple Python Keylogger.

While not written in Python, you could also look at the LKL Linux KeyLogger. WEB-NES-BAY has instructions for using the LKL Linux KeyLogger.