https://github.com/oldnomad/udotool
udotool is a tool to emulate input events in Linux. It uses kernel uinput driver, which allows userspace program to emulate an input device.
https://github.com/oldnomad/udotool
automation jim-tcl linux scripting tcl xdotool
Last synced: 5 months ago
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udotool is a tool to emulate input events in Linux. It uses kernel uinput driver, which allows userspace program to emulate an input device.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/oldnomad/udotool
- Owner: oldnomad
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2024-07-26T18:22:27.000Z (12 months ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2025-02-09T01:11:32.000Z (5 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-02-09T02:23:06.358Z (5 months ago)
- Topics: automation, jim-tcl, linux, scripting, tcl, xdotool
- Language: C
- Homepage: https://gitlab.com/oldnomad/udotool
- Size: 319 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# UDOTOOL: Simulate input events in Linux
**udotool** is a tool to emulate input events in Linux. It uses
kernel `uinput` driver, which allows userspace program to emulate
an input device.
Since the program uses a kernel feature, it works in any environment:
X11, Wayland, even console. It can emulate keyboard input,
mouse/trackball/touchpad movement and clicks, various gamepads, etc.
**udotool** also supports reading commands from files or standard
input, so it can be used to create input-emulating scripts:
```
#!/usr/bin/udotool -i
puts "Move mouse around and double-click"
sleep 5
position 10 12.5
loop i 20 {
move +16 +16
key -repeat 2 BTN_LEFT
}
```
Script language used in **udotool** is [Jim Tcl](http://jim.tcl.tk/),
with some additional commands.
## Building and installing
Build-time dependencies are:
- `gcc(1)`, `glibc(7)`, `make(1)`, `install(1)`, and some common POSIX
commands are used in the build process.
- `xxd(1)` is needed for building.
- `pandoc(1)` is needed for building the manpage.
- Package `debhelper` is needed to build a Debian package.
- `git(1)` and `envsubst(1)` (package `gettext-base` in Debian) are used to
determine program version and generate file `src/config.h`.
- Linux kernel headers (package `linux-libc-dev` in Debian) are needed for
`uinput` constants.
- [Jim Tcl](http://jim.tcl.tk/) headers and library (packages `libjim-dev`
and `libjim0.81` in Debian) are needed for building. The library is also
used at run time.
Building just the binary and the manpage, and installing them:
```sh
make all
sudo make prefix=/usr/local install
```
Building Debian package:
```sh
make package
```
## Emulation quirks
Some details of input emulation are controlled by flags called "quirks".
They can be switched on or off by specifying command line option `--quirk`,
or by setting environment variable `UDOTOOL_QUIRKS`.
Following quirks are defined at the moment:
- `libinput` (on by default): for reasons related to how `libinput` guesses
input device type, buttons with values `0x140` to `0x14f` (`BTN_TOOL_PEN`
to `BTN_TOOL_QUADTAP`), which are used by tablets (digitizers) and
touchscreens, are disabled. See [separate document](doc/QUIRK-LIBINPUT.md).
## Compatibility notes
- This program uses `/dev/uinput` device, available only in Linux. It's
not intended to be useful on other OSes.
- While it's declared that this program is compatible with Linux kernels
from 4.5 onwards, it never was actually tested on old kernels. If it
breaks on your kernel, please file a bug.
- The program is built with Jim Tcl version 0.81, however, it should
probably work with later versions too.
## Acknowledgements and thanks
- This tool was inspired by [xdotool](https://github.com/jordansissel/xdotool)
by [Jordan Sissel](https://github.com/jordansissel).
- This tool uses [Jim Tcl](http://jim.tcl.tk/), an opensource small-footprint
implementation of the Tcl programming language, originally written by
[Salvatore antirez Sanfilippo](http://www.invece.org/) and currently
supported by [Steve Bennett](mailto:[email protected]).