The Python X Library: 5.3 Event Types

This section describes all event types by listing their fields and basic information on when they are generated. All events are defined in the module Xlib.protocol.event. All event types have the following two attributes:

Instance Variable of Event: type: Stores the X type code of this event. Type codes are integers in the range 2-127, and are defined with symbolic names in Xlib.X. The symbolic names are the same as the event class names, except for the special event AnyEvent.

Instance Variable of Event: send_event: This attribute is normally 0, meaning that the event was generated by the X server. It is set to 1 if this event was instead sent from another client.

Event object can be created by instantiating the corresponding event class, providing all the attributes described for the event as keyword arguments.

Event: KeyPress

Event: KeyRelease

Event: ButtonPress

Event: ButtonRelease

Event: MotionNotify

These events are generated when a key or a button logically changes state, or when the pointer logically moves. In the discussion below, the source window is the window that the event occured in. The event may be generated on some other window than the source window, see XKeyEvent(3X11) for details. The same man page also describes MotionNotify.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: time: The server X time when this event was generated.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: root: The root window which the source window is an inferior of.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: window: The window the event is reported on.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: same_screen: Set to 1 if window is on the same screen as root, 0 otherwise.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: child: If the source window is an inferior of window, child is set to the child of window that is the ancestor of (or is) the source window. Otherwise it is set to X.NONE.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: root_x
Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: root_y: The pointer coordinates at the time of the event, relative to the root window.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: event_x
Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: event_y: The pointer coordinates at the time of the event, relative to window. If window is not on the same screen as root, these are set to 0.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: state: The logical state of the button and modifier keys just before the event.

Instance Variable of KeyButtonPointerEvent: detail

For KeyPress and KeyRelease, this is the keycode of the event key.

For ButtonPress and ButtonRelease, this is the button of the event.

For MotionNotify, this is either X.NotifyNormal or X.NotifyHint.

Event: EnterNotify

Event: LeaveNotify

If pointer motion or window hierarchy change causes the pointer to be in another window than before, these events are generated instead of a MotionNotify event.

The semantics are quite complex, see XCrossingEvent(3X11) for details.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: time: The server X time when this event was generated.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: root: The root window of the pointer at the end of this event.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: window: The window the event is reported for.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: child: In a LeaveNotify event, if a child of window contains the initial pointer position, this is set to that child window. In a EnterNotify event, if a child of window contains the final pointer position, this is set to that child window. Otherwise this is set to X.NONE.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: root_x
Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: root_y: The final pointer position relative to root.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: event_x
Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: event_y: The final pointer position relative to window.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: state: The modifier and button state at the time of the event.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: mode: One of X.NotifyNormal, X.NotifyGrab or X.NotifyUngrab.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: detail: One of X.NotifyAncestor, X.NotifyVirtual, X.NotifyInferior, X.NotifyNonlinear, or X.NotifyNonlinearVirtual.

Instance Variable of EnterLeaveEvent: flags: If bit 0 is set, window is the focus window or an inferior of it. If bit 1 is set, window is on the same screen as root.

Event: FocusIn

Event: FocusOut

These events are generated when the focus changes. This is also very complex events, see XFocusChangeEvent(3X11) for details.

Instance Variable of FocusEvent: window: The window the event is generated for.

Instance Variable of FocusEvent: mode: One of X.NotifyNormal, X.NotifyWhileGrabbed, X.NotifyGrab, or X.NotifyUngrab.

Instance Variable of FocusEvent: detail: One of X.NotifyAncestor, X.NotifyVirtual, X.NotifyInferior, X.NotifyNonlinear, X.NotifyNonlinearVirtual, X.NotifyPointer, X.NotifyPointerRoot, or X.NONE.

Event: KeymapNotify

This event is generated immediately after every EnterNotify and FocusIn.

Instance Variable of KeymapNotify: data: A list of 31 eight-bit integers, as returned by query_keymap.

Event: Expose

This event is generated when regions of a window has to be redrawn. The regions are decomposed into a set of rectangles, and an Expose event is generated for each rectangle.

Instance Variable of Expose: window: The window containing regions to redraw.

Instance Variable of Expose: x
Instance Variable of Expose: y
Instance Variable of Expose: width
Instance Variable of Expose: height: The coordinates of the rectangle to redraw.

Instance Variable of Expose: count

At least this many more Expose events will immediately follow for this window. If this is the last event, count is set to 0.

This allows a simple application to ignore all Expose events with a non-zero count, and then redraw the entire window when the zero event is received.

Event: GraphicsExpose

Event: NoExpose

These events may be generated for drawables when a graphics context with graphics_exposures selected is used. See XGraphicsExposeEvent(3X11) for details.

Both events have these attributes:

Instance Variable of GraphicsExpose: drawable: The drawable of the event.

Instance Variable of GraphicsExpose: major_event
Instance Variable of GraphicsExpose: minor_event: The major and minor number of the request that generated this event. For the core protocol major_event is always 62 (CopyArea) or 63 (CopyPlane), and minor_event is always 0.

GraphicsExpose have these additional attributes:

Instance Variable of GraphicsExpose: x
Instance Variable of GraphicsExpose: y
Instance Variable of GraphicsExpose: width
Instance Variable of GraphicsExpose: height: The coordinates of the event region.

Instance Variable of GraphicsExpose: count: At least this many more GraphicsExposure events follows. The last one has count set to 0.

Event: VisibilityNotify

These events are generated when the visibility of a viewable window is changed. See XVisibilityNotifyEvent(3X11).

Instance Variable of VisibiltyNotify: window: The window of the event.

Instance Variable of VisibiltyNotify: state: One of X.VisibilityUnobscured, X.VisibilityPartiallyObscured, or X.VisibilityFullyObscured.

Event: CreateNotify

This event is generated when a window is created. X.SubstructureNotifyMask must be selected on the parent of the new window to receive this event.

Instance Variable of CreateNotify: parent: The parent of the new window.

Instance Variable of CreateNotify: window: The new window.

Instance Variable of CreateNotify: x
Instance Variable of CreateNotify: y
Instance Variable of CreateNotify: width
Instance Variable of CreateNotify: height
Instance Variable of CreateNotify: border_width
Instance Variable of CreateNotify: override: These values are fetched from the create_window call.

Event: DestroyNotify

This event is generated when a window is destroyed.

Instance Variable of DestroyNotify: event: The window that the event is generated for.

Instance Variable of DestroyNotify: window: The window that was destroyed.

Event: UnmapNotify

This event is generated when a window is unmapped.

Instance Variable of UnmapNotify: event: The window that the event is generated for.

Instance Variable of UnmapNotify: window: The window that was unmapped.

Instance Variable of Event: from_configure: This is true if window was unmapped because its parent was resized and window had win-gravity X.UnmapGravity.

Event: MapNotify

This event is generated when a window is mapped.

Instance Variable of MapNotify: event: The window that the event is generated for.

Instance Variable of MapNotify: window: The window that was mapped.

Instance Variable of Event: override: This is set from the corresponding window attribute.

Event: MapRequest

This event is reported to the client that has set X.SubstructureRedirectMask on a window, and an unmapped child of that window attempts to be mapped by some other client, unless the child has override-redirect set.

Instance Variable of MapRequest: parent: The parent window.

Instance Variable of MapRequest: window: The child window that attempts to be mapped.

Event: ReparentNotify

This event is reported to clients selecting X.SubstructureNotifyMask on either the old or the new parent and to clients selecting X.StructureNotifyMask on the reparented window.

Instance Variable of ReparentNotify: event: The window the event is generated for.

Instance Variable of ReparentNotify: window: The reparented window.

Instance Variable of ReparentNotify: parent: The new parent window.

Instance Variable of ReparentNotify: x
Instance Variable of ReparentNotify: y: The coordinates of the upper-left outer corner of window in parent.

Instance Variable of ReparentNotify: override: This is set from the corresponding attribute on window.

Event: ConfigureNotify

This event is generated when a configure request actually changes the state of the window.

Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: event: The window that the event is generated for.

Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: window: The window that has been changed.

Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: x
Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: y
Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: width
Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: height
Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: border_width: The new coordinate and geometry of window.

Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: above_sibling: This is X.NONE if this window is at the bottom of the window stack. Otherwise it is the sibling window that window is immediately above.

Instance Variable of ConfigureNotify: override: This is set from the corresponding attribute on window.

Event: ConfigureRequest

This event is reported to the client that has set X.SubstructureRedirectMask on the parent of a window that another client attempts to configure, unless the window has override-redirect set.

Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: parent: The parent of the window being configured.

Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: window: The window being configured.

Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: value_mask: A bitmask indicating which values that the caller tries to change.

Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: x
Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: y
Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: width
Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: height
Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: border_width: The window geometry in the configure call. If X.CWX, X.CWY, X.CWWidth, X.CWHeight, or X.CWBorderWidth is set in value_mask, the corresponding attributes contains the new value as given in the configure call, otherwise the current value is used.

Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: stack_mode: If X.CWStackMode is set in value_mask, this is the stack mode specified in the configure call, one of X.Above, X.Below, X.TopIf, X.BottomIf, or X.Opposite. If the flag is not set, this is set to X.Above.

Instance Variable of ConfigureRequest: sibling: If X.CWSibling is set in value_mask, this is the sibling window specified in the configure call. If the flag is not set, this is set to X.NONE.

Event: GravityNotify

This event is generated when a window is moved because its parent’s size has changed.

Instance Variable of GravityNotify: event: The window the event is generated for.

Instance Variable of GravityNotify: window: The window that moved.

Instance Variable of GravityNotify: x
Instance Variable of GravityNotify: y: The new coordinates of the upper-left outer corner of window.

Event: ResizeRequest

This is reported to the client selecting X.ResizeRedirectMask on a window, and another client attempts to resize it.

Instance Variable of ResizeRedirect: window: The window that was attempted to be resized.

Instance Variable of ResizeRedirect: width
Instance Variable of ResizeRedirect: height: The requested size of the window, excluding the border.

Event: CirculateNotify

This event is generated when a window is restacked caused by a circulate call.

Instance Variable of Event: event: The window the event is reported on.

Instance Variable of Event: window: The window that has been restacked.

Instance Variable of Event: place: Either X.PlaceOnTop or X.PlaceOnBottom.

Event: CirculateRequest

This event is reported to the client that has set X.SubstructureRedirectMask on the parent of a window that needs to be restacked as a result of a circulate call on the parent.

Instance Variable of CirculateRequest: parent: The parent window.

Instance Variable of CirculateRequest: window: The window that should be restacked.

Instance Variable of CirculateRequest: place: Where window should be placed, either X.PlaceOnTop or X.PlaceOnBottom.

Event: PropertyNotify

This event is generated when a property on a window is changed.

Instance Variable of Event: window: The window which the property is or was set on.

Instance Variable of Event: atom: The atom identifying the property.

Instance Variable of Event: time: The server X time when the property was changed.

Instance Variable of Event: state: What was changed, either X.PropertyNewValue or X.PropertyDelete.

Event: SelectionClear

This event is reported to the owner of a selection when it has gotten a new owner.

Instance Variable of SelectionClear: window: The owner window of the selection.

Instance Variable of SelectionClear: atom: The selection atom.

Instance Variable of SelectionClear: time: The server X time when the selection was last changed.

Event: SelectionRequest

This event is reported to the owner of a selection when a client requests it by calling convert_selection.

Instance Variable of SelectionRequest: owner: The owner window of the selection.

Instance Variable of SelectionRequest: requestor
Instance Variable of SelectionRequest: selection
Instance Variable of SelectionRequest: target
Instance Variable of SelectionRequest: property
Instance Variable of SelectionRequest: time: These attributes are fetched from the convert_selection call.

Event: SelectionNotify

This event is generated by the server if there are no owner of a selection when convert_selection is called. If there is an owner, it should send this event to the requestor when the selection has been converted.

Instance Variable of SelectionNotify: requestor
Instance Variable of SelectionNotify: selection
Instance Variable of SelectionNotify: target
Instance Variable of SelectionNotify: property
Instance Variable of SelectionNotify: time: See XSelectionEvent(3X11).

Event: ColormapNotify

This event is generated when the colormap attribute of a window is set, or when a window’s colormap is installed or uninstalled.

Instance Variable of ColormapNotify: window: The affected window.

Instance Variable of ColormapNotify: colormap: The colormap of the window, or X.NONE.

Instance Variable of ColormapNotify: new: Set to 1 if the colormap attribute has been set, 0 when the colormap is installed or uninstalled.

Instance Variable of ColormapNotify: state: Indicates whether the colormap is installed or not, either X.ColormapInstalled or X.ColormapUninstalled.

Event: MappingNotify

This event is sent to all clients, without any event mask having to be set. It is sent when the keyboard or pointer mapping is changed.

Instance Variable of MappingNotify: request: The mapping that has changed, one of X.MappingModifier, X.MappingKeyboard or X.Pointer.

Instance Variable of MappingNotify: first_keycode
Instance Variable of MappingNotify: count: If the keyboard mapping has changed, this is the range of modified keycodes.

Event: ClientMessage

This event is only generated by clients using send_event.

Instance Variable of ClientMessage: window: The destination window of the event.

Instance Variable of ClientMessage: client_type: The type of message, an atom.

Instance Variable of ClientMessage: data

The message data as a tuple: (format, mdata)

Format must be one of 8, 16, or 32. mdata must either be a string of exactly 20 characters, or a list of exactly 20, 10 or 5 integers depending of the format.

Event: AnyEvent

This event is represents an event the Xlib does not recognise. These should never be returned by Display.next_event(), but they might be useful for sending special events to other clients.

Instance Variable of AnyEvent: detail: An eight-bit integer.

Instance Variable of AnyEvent: data: A string of exactly 28 characters.

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