FreeKey - Allows limited keyboard use on a locked desktop

Overview

Monitors key presses system-wide and runs custom commands in response to certain key presses.

This script was initially designed to allow the multimedia keys to still function despite the desktop being locked, since the default behavior in some Gnome configurations disable all special function keys when locked.

Installation

sudo apt-get install python-xlib
sudo pip install https://github.com/chrisspen/freekey/zipball/master
sudo freekey install

Usage

Modify /etc/freekey.conf to associate events with shell commands.

Each line is of the form <event> <command>, where <event> is either a key name or scan code, and <command> is an arbitrary shell command.

To find a key's name or code, run freekey echo and press the key.

To purge it from your system run:

sudo freekey uninstall
sudo pip uninstall freekey