XLookupKeysym(3) XLIB FUNCTIONS XLookupKeysym(3)

# [NAME](#NAME)

XLookupKeysym, XRefreshKeyboardMapping, XLookupString, XRebindKeysym - handle keyboard input events in Latin-1

# [SYNTAX](#SYNTAX)

KeySym XLookupKeysym(XKeyEvent \**key\_event*, int *index*);

int XRefreshKeyboardMapping(XMappingEvent \**event\_map*);

int XLookupString(XKeyEvent \**event\_struct*, char \**buffer\_return*, int *bytes\_buffer*, KeySym \**keysym\_return*, XComposeStatus \**status\_in\_out*);

int XRebindKeysym(Display \**display*, KeySym *keysym*, KeySym *list*\[], int *mod\_count*, \_Xconst unsigned char \**string*, int *num\_bytes*);

# [ARGUMENTS](#ARGUMENTS)

[*buffer\_return*](#buffer_return)

Returns the translated characters.

[*bytes\_buffer*](#bytes_buffer)

Specifies the length of the buffer. No more than bytes\_buffer of translation are returned.

[*num\_bytes*](#num_bytes)

Specifies the number of bytes in the string argument.

[*display*](#display)

Specifies the connection to the X server.

[*event\_map*](#event_map)

Specifies the mapping event that is to be used.

[*event\_struct*](#event_struct)

Specifies the key event structure to be used. You can pass **XKeyPressedEvent** or **XKeyReleasedEvent**.

[*index*](#index)

Specifies the index into the KeySyms list for the event's KeyCode.

[*key\_event*](#key_event)

Specifies the **KeyPress** or **KeyRelease** event.

[*keysym*](#keysym)

Specifies the KeySym that is to be returned.

[*keysym\_return*](#keysym_return)

Returns the KeySym computed from the event if this argument is not NULL.

[*list*](#list)

Specifies the KeySyms to be used as modifiers.

[*mod\_count*](#mod_count)

Specifies the number of modifiers in the modifier list.

[*status\_in\_out*](#status_in_out)

Specifies or returns the **XComposeStatus** structure or NULL.

[*string*](#string)

Specifies the string that is copied and will be returned by **XLookupString**.

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

The **XLookupKeysym** function uses a given keyboard event and the index you specified to return the KeySym from the list that corresponds to the KeyCode member in the **XKeyPressedEvent** or **XKeyReleasedEvent** structure. If no KeySym is defined for the KeyCode of the event, **XLookupKeysym** returns **NoSymbol**.

The **XRefreshKeyboardMapping** function refreshes the stored modifier and keymap information. You usually call this function when a **MappingNotify** event with a request member of **MappingKeyboard** or **MappingModifier** occurs. The result is to update Xlib's knowledge of the keyboard.

The **XLookupString** function translates a key event to a KeySym and a string. The KeySym is obtained by using the standard interpretation of the **Shift**, **Lock**, group, and numlock modifiers as defined in the X Protocol specification. If the KeySym has been rebound (see **XRebindKeysym**), the bound string will be stored in the buffer. Otherwise, the KeySym is mapped, if possible, to an ISO Latin-1 character or (if the Control modifier is on) to an ASCII control character, and that character is stored in the buffer. **XLookupString** returns the number of characters that are stored in the buffer.

If present (non-NULL), the **XComposeStatus** structure records the state, which is private to Xlib, that needs preservation across calls to **XLookupString** to implement compose processing. The creation of **XComposeStatus** structures is implementation-dependent; a portable program must pass NULL for this argument.

The **XRebindKeysym** function can be used to rebind the meaning of a KeySym for the client. It does not redefine any key in the X server but merely provides an easy way for long strings to be attached to keys. **XLookupString** returns this string when the appropriate set of modifier keys are pressed and when the KeySym would have been used for the translation. No text conversions are performed; the client is responsible for supplying appropriately encoded strings. Note that you can rebind a KeySym that may not exist.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**XButtonEvent**(3)](/man/os/libx11/XButtonEvent.3), [**XMapEvent**(3)](/man/os/libx11/XMapEvent.3), [**XStringToKeysym**(3)](/man/os/libx11/XStringToKeysym.3), [**XkbLookupKeySym**(3)](/man/os/libx11/XkbLookupKeySym.3), [**XkbRefreshKeyboardMapping**(3)](/man/os/libx11/XkbRefreshKeyboardMapping.3), [**XmbLookupString**(3)](/man/os/libx11/XmbLookupString.3), [**XwcLookupString**(3)](/man/os/libx11/XwcLookupString.3), [**Xutf8LookupString**(3)](/man/os/libx11/Xutf8LookupString.3), [**Compose**(5)](/man/os/libx11/Compose.5)  
*Xlib - C Language X Interface*

libX11 1.8.14 X Version 11

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Document: XLookupString(3) from libx11 1.8.14-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/lib/libx11.git