Java (low-level) System Hook provides a very light-weight global keyboard and mouse listener for Java. Generally keyboard and mouse events in Java only work, if the registered component is in focus. For example, in case any window looses its focus (e.g. when minimized), it stops receiving any more keyboard or mouse events. Through a low-level system-wide hook the global keyboard / mouse hook is able to deliver those events regardless.
The Java (low-level) System Hook comes bundled with native libraries (for Windows 32 & 64 bit) to register the hooks via the Java Native Interface (JNI). The libraries are load dynamically depending on the version and architecture of your operating system. The libraries to track the keyboard and mouse events can be loaded and used separately.
Using the GlobalKeyboardHook
class a GlobalKeyListener
or the adapter class GlobalKeyAdapter
can be registered to listen to keyPressed
and keyReleased
events like so:
import java.util.Map.Entry;
import lc.kra.system.keyboard.GlobalKeyboardHook;
import lc.kra.system.keyboard.event.GlobalKeyAdapter;
import lc.kra.system.keyboard.event.GlobalKeyEvent;
public class GlobalKeyboardExample {
private static boolean run = true;
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Might throw a UnsatisfiedLinkError if the native library fails to load or a RuntimeException if hooking fails
GlobalKeyboardHook keyboardHook = new GlobalKeyboardHook(true); // Use false here to switch to hook instead of raw input
System.out.println("Global keyboard hook successfully started, press [escape] key to shutdown. Connected keyboards:");
for (Entry<Long, String> keyboard : GlobalKeyboardHook.listKeyboards().entrySet()) {
System.out.format("%d: %s\n", keyboard.getKey(), keyboard.getValue());
}
keyboardHook.addKeyListener(new GlobalKeyAdapter() {
@Override
public void keyPressed(GlobalKeyEvent event) {
System.out.println(event);
if (event.getVirtualKeyCode() == GlobalKeyEvent.VK_ESCAPE) {
run = false;
}
}
@Override
public void keyReleased(GlobalKeyEvent event) {
System.out.println(event);
}
});
try {
while(run) {
Thread.sleep(128);
}
} catch(InterruptedException e) {
//Do nothing
} finally {
keyboardHook.shutdownHook();
}
}
}
Using the GlobalMouseHook
class a GlobalMouseListener
or the adapter class GlobalMouseAdapter
can be registered to listen to mousePressed
, mouseReleased
, mouseMoved
and mouseWheel
events like so:
import java.util.Map.Entry;
import lc.kra.system.mouse.GlobalMouseHook;
import lc.kra.system.mouse.event.GlobalMouseAdapter;
import lc.kra.system.mouse.event.GlobalMouseEvent;
public class GlobalMouseExample {
private static boolean run = true;
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Might throw a UnsatisfiedLinkError if the native library fails to load or a RuntimeException if hooking fails
GlobalMouseHook mouseHook = new GlobalMouseHook(); // Add true to the constructor, to switch to raw input mode
System.out.println("Global mouse hook successfully started, press [middle] mouse button to shutdown. Connected mice:");
for (Entry<Long,String> mouse:GlobalMouseHook.listMice().entrySet()) {
System.out.format("%d: %s\n", mouse.getKey(), mouse.getValue());
}
mouseHook.addMouseListener(new GlobalMouseAdapter() {
@Override
public void mousePressed(GlobalMouseEvent event) {
System.out.println(event);
if ((event.getButtons() & GlobalMouseEvent.BUTTON_LEFT) != GlobalMouseEvent.BUTTON_NO
&& (event.getButtons() & GlobalMouseEvent.BUTTON_RIGHT) != GlobalMouseEvent.BUTTON_NO) {
System.out.println("Both mouse buttons are currently pressed!");
}
if (event.getButton()==GlobalMouseEvent.BUTTON_MIDDLE) {
run = false;
}
}
@Override
public void mouseReleased(GlobalMouseEvent event) {
System.out.println(event);
}
@Override
public void mouseMoved(GlobalMouseEvent event) {
System.out.println(event);
}
@Override
public void mouseWheel(GlobalMouseEvent event) {
System.out.println(event);
}
});
try {
while(run) {
Thread.sleep(128);
}
} catch(InterruptedException e) {
//Do nothing
} finally {
mouseHook.shutdownHook();
}
}
}
Please find some background information about this framework on my blog.
Usage
Feel free to use the classes lc.kra.system.keyboard.GobalKeyboardHook
and lc.kra.system.mouse.GlobalMouseHook
by coping the .java
files to your project. Alternatively check the releases section for pre-bundled Java archives (JAR).
The LibraryLoader
will first attempt to load the native libraries from the java.library.path
and fall back checking the archives /lc/kra/system/lib
package, if no libraries where found.
Maven Dependency
You can include system-hook
as a dependency from Maven Central by adding it to your pom.xml
:
<dependency>
<groupId>lc.kra.system</groupId>
<artifactId>system-hook</artifactId>
<version>3.8</version>
</dependency>
Build
To build system-hook
on your machine, checkout the repository, cd
into it, and call:
mvn clean install
(A C99
compatible compiler / linker bundle is required to build the native libraries, see MSYS2)
License
The code is available under the terms of the MIT License.