iohook

Node.js global native keyboard and mouse listener.
This module can handle keyboard and mouse events via native hooks.

If you like this module or interesting for updates, follow me in Twiller https://twitter.com/wilixlead

OS Support

Already tested in:

• Ubuntu 16.04
• macOS Sierra 10.12
• Windows (NOT TESTED YET)

Installation

This module use native library libuiohook and require some installed packages.
I really hope find way for use build systems for online build or download prebuild packages.

npm install iohook --save

Ubuntu 16

• sudo apt install libx11-dev libxtst-dev libxt-dev libx11-xcb-dev
• sudo apt install libxkbcommon-dev libxkbcommon-x11-dev
• npm install iohook --save

macOS

• brew install cmake automake libtool pkg-config
• npm install iohook --save

Electron users

Before install this module, you need specify build runtime.
Just add following to your package.json file (if you use two-package-json structure, add to app's package.json, not to build).

"cmake-js": {
  "runtime": "electron",
  "runtimeVersion": "1.4.7"
}

NOTE: Please don't forget type your version of electron

Usage

Module is pretty simple for use. There is example:

'use strict';
const ioHook = require('iohook');

ioHook.on("mousemove", event => {
  console.log(event);
  /* You get object like this
    {
      type: 'mousemove',
      x: 700,
      y: 400
    }
   */
});

//Register and start hook
ioHook.start();

If type ioHook.start(true); you can enable debug logger in native lib. Use it if you have troubles with this module

Available events

keypress

Calls when user press and release a key. Event contain next object:
{keychar: 'f', keycode: 19, rawcode: 15, type: 'keypress'}

keydown

Calls when user press a key. Event contain next object:
{ keychar: 'd', keycode: 46, rawcode: 8, type: 'keydown' }

keyup

Calls when user release a key. Event contain next object:
{keychar: 'f', keycode: 19, rawcode: 15, type: 'keup'}

mouseclick

Calls when user click mouse button. Event contain next object:
{ button: 1, clicks: 1, x: 545, y: 696, type: 'mouseclick' }

mousedown

Calls when user press and release a key. Event contain next object:
{ button: 1, clicks: 1, x: 545, y: 696, type: 'mousedown' }

mouseup

Calls when user press and release a key. Event contain next object:
{ button: 1, clicks: 1, x: 545, y: 696, type: 'mouseup' }

mousemove

Calls when user press and release a key. Event contain next object:
{ button: 0, clicks: 0, x: 521, y: 737, type: 'mousemove' }

mousedrag

Calls when user press and release a key. Event contain next object:
{ button: 0, clicks: 0, x: 373, y: 683, type: 'mousedrag' }

mousewheel

Calls when user press and release a key. Event contain next object:
{ amount: 3, clicks: 1, direction: 3, rotation: 1, type: 'mousewheel', x: 466, y: 683 }

Known issues

In some cases, most often when you make mouse moves or keyboard events very fast, module crash with "Segmentation fault: 11". Looks like it is problem in my native implementation, but I still can't find a problem. Will be happy if somebody helps with it.

Credits

Thanks for libuiohook project!