Data Structures | Typedefs | Enumerations | Functions
Initialization and manipulation of libinput contexts

## Data Structures
struct | libinput
| A handle for accessing libinput. More...
struct | libinput_interface
| libinput does not open file descriptors to devices directly, instead open_restricted() and close_restricted() are called for each path that must be opened. More...

## Typedefs
typedef void(* | libinput_log_handler) (struct libinput *libinput, enum libinput_log_priority priority, const char *format, va_list args) LIBINPUT_ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF(3
| Log handler type for custom logging. More...
typedef void(*) voi | libinput_log_set_handler) (struct libinput *libinput, libinput_log_handler log_handler)
| Set the context's log handler. More...

## Enumerations
enum | libinput_log_priority { LIBINPUT_LOG_PRIORITY_DEBUG, LIBINPUT_LOG_PRIORITY_INFO, LIBINPUT_LOG_PRIORITY_ERROR }
| Log priority for internal logging messages. More...
enum | libinput_event_type { LIBINPUT_EVENT_NONE, LIBINPUT_EVENT_DEVICE_ADDED, LIBINPUT_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED, LIBINPUT_EVENT_KEYBOARD_KEY, LIBINPUT_EVENT_POINTER_MOTION, LIBINPUT_EVENT_POINTER_MOTION_ABSOLUTE, LIBINPUT_EVENT_POINTER_BUTTON, LIBINPUT_EVENT_POINTER_AXIS, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_DOWN, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_UP, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_MOTION, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_CANCEL, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_FRAME, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_PROXIMITY, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_TIP, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_BUTTON, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_PAD_BUTTON, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_PAD_RING, LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_PAD_STRIP, LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_SWIPE_BEGIN, LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_SWIPE_UPDATE, LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_SWIPE_END, LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_PINCH_BEGIN, LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_PINCH_UPDATE, LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_PINCH_END, LIBINPUT_EVENT_SWITCH_TOGGLE }
| Event type for events returned by libinput_get_event(). More...

## Functions
struct libinput * | libinput_udev_create_context (const struct libinput_interface *interface, void *user_data, struct udev *udev)
| Create a new libinput context from udev. More...
int | libinput_udev_assign_seat (struct libinput *libinput, const char *seat_id)
| Assign a seat to this libinput context. More...
struct libinput * | libinput_path_create_context (const struct libinput_interface *interface, void *user_data)
| Create a new libinput context that requires the caller to manually add or remove devices with libinput_path_add_device() and libinput_path_remove_device(). More...
struct libinput_device * | libinput_path_add_device (struct libinput *libinput, const char *path)
| Add a device to a libinput context initialized with libinput_path_create_context(). More...
void | libinput_path_remove_device (struct libinput_device *device)
| Remove a device from a libinput context initialized with libinput_path_create_context() or added to such a context with libinput_path_add_device(). More...
int | libinput_get_fd (struct libinput *libinput)
| libinput keeps a single file descriptor for all events. More...
int | libinput_dispatch (struct libinput *libinput)
| Main event dispatchment function. More...
struct libinput_event * | libinput_get_event (struct libinput *libinput)
| Retrieve the next event from libinput's internal event queue. More...
enum libinput_event_type | libinput_next_event_type (struct libinput *libinput)
| Return the type of the next event in the internal queue. More...
void | libinput_set_user_data (struct libinput *libinput, void *user_data)
| Set caller-specific data associated with this context. More...
void * | libinput_get_user_data (struct libinput *libinput)
| Get the caller-specific data associated with this context, if any. More...
int | libinput_resume (struct libinput *libinput)
| Resume a suspended libinput context. More...
void | libinput_suspend (struct libinput *libinput)
| Suspend monitoring for new devices and close existing devices. More...
struct libinput * | libinput_ref (struct libinput *libinput)
| Add a reference to the context. More...
struct libinput * | libinput_unref (struct libinput *libinput)
| Dereference the libinput context. More...
void | libinput_log_set_priority (struct libinput *libinput, enum libinput_log_priority priority)
| Set the log priority for the libinput context. More...
enum libinput_log_priority | libinput_log_get_priority (const struct libinput *libinput)
| Get the context's log priority. More...

## Detailed Description

## Typedef Documentation

## ◆ libinput_log_handler

typedef void(* libinput_log_handler) (struct libinput *libinput, enum libinput_log_priority priority, const char *format, va_list args) LIBINPUT_ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF(3

Log handler type for custom logging.

Parameters

  libinput | The libinput context
  priority | The priority of the current message
  format | Message format in printf-style
  args | Message arguments

See also
  libinput_log_set_priority
  libinput_log_get_priority
  libinput_log_set_handler

## ◆ libinput_log_set_handler

typedef void(*) voi libinput_log_set_handler) (struct libinput *libinput, libinput_log_handler log_handler)

Set the context's log handler.

Messages with priorities equal to or higher than the context's log priority will be passed to the given log handler.

The default log handler prints to stderr.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context
  log_handler | The log handler for library messages.

See also
  libinput_log_set_priority
  libinput_log_get_priority

## Enumeration Type Documentation

## ◆ libinput_event_type

enum libinput_event_type

Event type for events returned by libinput_get_event().

Enumerator
LIBINPUT_EVENT_NONE | This is not a real event type, and is only used to tell the user that no new event is available in the queue. See libinput_next_event_type().
LIBINPUT_EVENT_DEVICE_ADDED | Signals that a device has been added to the context. The device will not be read until the next time the user calls libinput_dispatch() and data is available. This allows setting up initial device configuration before any events are created.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED | Signals that a device has been removed. No more events from the associated device will be in the queue or be queued after this event.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_KEYBOARD_KEY |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_POINTER_MOTION |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_POINTER_MOTION_ABSOLUTE |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_POINTER_BUTTON |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_POINTER_AXIS |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_DOWN |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_UP |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_MOTION |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_CANCEL |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TOUCH_FRAME | Signals the end of a set of touchpoints at one device sample time. This event has no coordinate information attached.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS | One or more axes have changed state on a device with the LIBINPUT_DEVICE_CAP_TABLET_TOOL capability. This event is only sent when the tool is in proximity, see LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_PROXIMITY for details. The proximity event contains the initial state of the axis as the tool comes into proximity. An event of type LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS is only sent when an axis value changes from this initial state. It is possible for a tool to enter and leave proximity without sending an event of type LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS. An event of type LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS is sent when the tip state does not change. See the documentation for LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_TIP for more details.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_PROXIMITY | Signals that a tool has come in or out of proximity of a device with the LIBINPUT_DEVICE_CAP_TABLET_TOOL capability. Proximity events contain each of the current values for each axis, and these values may be extracted from them in the same way they are with LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS events. Some tools may always be in proximity. For these tools, events of type LIBINPUT_TABLET_TOOL_PROXIMITY_STATE_IN are sent only once after LIBINPUT_EVENT_DEVICE_ADDED, and events of type LIBINPUT_TABLET_TOOL_PROXIMITY_STATE_OUT are sent only once before LIBINPUT_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED. If the tool that comes into proximity supports x/y coordinates, libinput guarantees that both x and y are set in the proximity event. When a tool goes out of proximity, the value of every axis should be assumed to have an undefined state and any buttons that are currently held down on the stylus are marked as released. Button release events for each button that was held down on the stylus are sent before the proximity out event.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_TIP | Signals that a tool has come in contact with the surface of a device with the LIBINPUT_DEVICE_CAP_TABLET_TOOL capability. On devices without distance proximity detection, the LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_TIP is sent immediately after LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_PROXIMITY for the tip down event, and immediately before for the tip up event. The decision when a tip touches the surface is device-dependent and may be derived from pressure data or other means. If the tip state is changed by axes changing state, the LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_TIP event includes the changed axes and no additional axis event is sent for this state change. In other words, a caller must look at both LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS and LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_TIP events to know the current state of the axes. If a button state change occurs at the same time as a tip state change, the order of events is device-dependent.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_BUTTON | Signals that a tool has changed a logical button state on a device with the LIBINPUT_DEVICE_CAP_TABLET_TOOL capability. Button state changes occur on their own and do not include axis state changes. If button and axis state changes occur within the same logical hardware event, the order of the LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_BUTTON and LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS event is device-specific. This event is not to be confused with the button events emitted by the tablet pad. See LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_PAD_BUTTON. See also LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_BUTTON
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_PAD_BUTTON | A button pressed on a device with the LIBINPUT_DEVICE_CAP_TABLET_PAD capability. This event is not to be confused with the button events emitted by tools on a tablet. See LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_TOOL_BUTTON.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_PAD_RING | A status change on a tablet ring with the LIBINPUT_DEVICE_CAP_TABLET_PAD capability.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_TABLET_PAD_STRIP | A status change on a strip on a device with the LIBINPUT_DEVICE_CAP_TABLET_PAD capability.
LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_SWIPE_BEGIN |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_SWIPE_UPDATE |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_SWIPE_END |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_PINCH_BEGIN |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_PINCH_UPDATE |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_GESTURE_PINCH_END |
LIBINPUT_EVENT_SWITCH_TOGGLE |

## ◆ libinput_log_priority

enum libinput_log_priority

Log priority for internal logging messages.

Enumerator
LIBINPUT_LOG_PRIORITY_DEBUG |
LIBINPUT_LOG_PRIORITY_INFO |
LIBINPUT_LOG_PRIORITY_ERROR |

## Function Documentation

## ◆ libinput_dispatch()

int libinput_dispatch | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Main event dispatchment function.

Reads events of the file descriptors and processes them internally. Use libinput_get_event() to retrieve the events.

Dispatching does not necessarily queue libinput events. This function should be called immediately once data is available on the file descriptor returned by libinput_get_fd(). libinput has a number of timing-sensitive features (e.g. tap-to-click), any delay in calling libinput_dispatch() may prevent these features from working correctly.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context

Returns
  0 on success, or a negative errno on failure

## ◆ libinput_get_event()

struct libinput_event* libinput_get_event | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Retrieve the next event from libinput's internal event queue.

After handling the retrieved event, the caller must destroy it using libinput_event_destroy().

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context

Returns
  The next available event, or NULL if no event is available.

## ◆ libinput_get_fd()

int libinput_get_fd | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

libinput keeps a single file descriptor for all events.

Call into libinput_dispatch() if any events become available on this fd.

Returns
  The file descriptor used to notify of pending events.

## ◆ libinput_get_user_data()

void* libinput_get_user_data | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Get the caller-specific data associated with this context, if any.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context

Returns
  The caller-specific data previously assigned in libinput_create_udev().

## ◆ libinput_log_get_priority()

enum libinput_log_priority libinput_log_get_priority | ( | const struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Get the context's log priority.

Messages with priorities equal to or higher than the argument will be printed to the current log handler.

The default log priority is LIBINPUT_LOG_PRIORITY_ERROR.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context

Returns
  The minimum priority of log messages to print.

See also
  libinput_log_set_handler
  libinput_log_set_priority

## ◆ libinput_log_set_priority()

void libinput_log_set_priority | ( | struct libinput * | libinput,
|  | enum libinput_log_priority | priority
| ) |  |

Set the log priority for the libinput context.

Messages with priorities equal to or higher than the argument will be printed to the context's log handler.

The default log priority is LIBINPUT_LOG_PRIORITY_ERROR.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context
  priority | The minimum priority of log messages to print.

See also
  libinput_log_set_handler
  libinput_log_get_priority

## ◆ libinput_next_event_type()

enum libinput_event_type libinput_next_event_type | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Return the type of the next event in the internal queue.

This function does not pop the event off the queue and the next call to libinput_get_event() returns that event.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context

Returns
  The event type of the next available event or LIBINPUT_EVENT_NONE if no event is available.

## ◆ libinput_path_add_device()

struct libinput_device* libinput_path_add_device | ( | struct libinput * | libinput,
|  | const char * | path
| ) |  |

Add a device to a libinput context initialized with libinput_path_create_context().

If successful, the device will be added to the internal list and re-opened on libinput_resume(). The device can be removed with libinput_path_remove_device().

If the device was successfully initialized, it is returned in the device argument. The lifetime of the returned device pointer is limited until the next libinput_dispatch(), use libinput_device_ref() to keep a permanent reference.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context
  path | Path to an input device

Returns
  The newly initiated device on success, or NULL on failure.

Note
  It is an application bug to call this function on a libinput context initialized with libinput_udev_create_context().

## ◆ libinput_path_create_context()

struct libinput* libinput_path_create_context | ( | const struct libinput_interface * | interface,
|  | void * | user_data
| ) |  |

Create a new libinput context that requires the caller to manually add or remove devices with libinput_path_add_device() and libinput_path_remove_device().

The context is fully initialized but will not generate events until at least one device has been added.

The reference count of the context is initialized to 1. See libinput_unref.

Parameters

  interface | The callback interface
  user_data | Caller-specific data passed to the various callback interfaces.

Returns
  An initialized, empty libinput context.

## ◆ libinput_path_remove_device()

void libinput_path_remove_device | ( | struct libinput_device * | device | ) |

Remove a device from a libinput context initialized with libinput_path_create_context() or added to such a context with libinput_path_add_device().

Events already processed from this input device are kept in the queue, the LIBINPUT_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED event marks the end of events for this device.

If no matching device exists, this function does nothing.

Parameters

  device | A libinput device

Note
  It is an application bug to call this function on a libinput context initialized with libinput_udev_create_context().

## ◆ libinput_ref()

struct libinput* libinput_ref | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Add a reference to the context.

A context is destroyed whenever the reference count reaches 0. See libinput_unref.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized valid libinput context

Returns
  The passed libinput context

## ◆ libinput_resume()

int libinput_resume | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Resume a suspended libinput context.

This re-enables device monitoring and adds existing devices.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context

See also
  libinput_suspend

Returns
  0 on success or -1 on failure

## ◆ libinput_set_user_data()

void libinput_set_user_data | ( | struct libinput * | libinput,
|  | void * | user_data
| ) |  |

Set caller-specific data associated with this context.

libinput does not manage, look at, or modify this data. The caller must ensure the data is valid.

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context
  user_data | Caller-specific data passed to the various callback interfaces.

## ◆ libinput_suspend()

void libinput_suspend | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Suspend monitoring for new devices and close existing devices.

This all but terminates libinput but does keep the context valid to be resumed with libinput_resume().

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context

## ◆ libinput_udev_assign_seat()

int libinput_udev_assign_seat | ( | struct libinput * | libinput,
|  | const char * | seat_id
| ) |  |

Assign a seat to this libinput context.

New devices or the removal of existing devices will appear as events during libinput_dispatch().

libinput_udev_assign_seat() succeeds even if no input devices are currently available on this seat, or if devices are available but fail to open in libinput_interface::open_restricted. Devices that do not have the minimum capabilities to be recognized as pointer, keyboard or touch device are ignored. Such devices and those that failed to open ignored until the next call to libinput_resume().

This function may only be called once per context.

Parameters

  libinput | A libinput context initialized with libinput_udev_create_context()
  seat_id | A seat identifier. This string must not be NULL.

Returns
  0 on success or -1 on failure.

## ◆ libinput_udev_create_context()

struct libinput* libinput_udev_create_context | ( | const struct libinput_interface * | interface,
|  | void * | user_data,
|  | struct udev * | udev
| ) |  |

Create a new libinput context from udev.

This context is inactive until assigned a seat ID with libinput_udev_assign_seat().

Parameters

  interface | The callback interface
  user_data | Caller-specific data passed to the various callback interfaces.
  udev | An already initialized udev context

Returns
  An initialized, but inactive libinput context or NULL on error

## ◆ libinput_unref()

struct libinput* libinput_unref | ( | struct libinput * | libinput | ) |

Dereference the libinput context.

After this, the context may have been destroyed, if the last reference was dereferenced. If so, the context is invalid and may not be interacted with.

Bug:
  When the refcount reaches zero, libinput_unref() releases resources even if a caller still holds refcounted references to related resources (e.g. a libinput_device). When libinput_unref() returns NULL, the caller must consider any resources related to that context invalid. See https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=91872.

Example code:

li = libinput_path_create_context(&interface, NULL);
device = libinput_path_add_device(li, "/dev/input/event0");
// get extra reference to device
libinput_device_ref(device);
// refcount reaches 0, so *all* resources are cleaned up,
// including device
libinput_unref(li);
// INCORRECT: device has been cleaned up and must not be used
// li = libinput_device_get_context(device);

Parameters

  libinput | A previously initialized libinput context

Returns
  NULL if context was destroyed otherwise the passed context