Hello list,

I am writing a simple bash script to launch an image viewing application in full screen mode - and keep this open window updated interactively via keystrokes. Once this viewing application is launched, the shell script loses focus and can´t receive keystroke data. Can the shell script somehow respond to keystrokes even when another process has focus?

Cheers,

Iain

One idea :
Communication between two independant processes can be done with the help of IPC. In the case of shell script, the simplest is to use FIFOs (names pipe).
So, whenever the viewing application receives keystroke data, it can send the relevant information to the shell script via the FIFO.

At http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/...pes-fifos-bash, you have an example of a FIFO used for establishing a communication between two shell scripts :
the first one which creates the FIFO and reads whatever is written within (for you : your shell script) ; the second one which writes whatever is useful in the FIFO (for you : your viewing application).

Thanks very much. I understand the way the scripts are operating in the link you sent - but with my problem, how can I channel the incoming keystrokes from the open viewing application to the pipe?

At the moment the viewer is launched from the main script with:

/usr/bin/geeqie -f -o fotos/preto.jpg&

sorry if i´m missing something obvious.

cheers,

Iain

Well, if the viewing application is not an application you have written (that is that you can customize), what I suggested cannot work...

The only solution I can see is then to use (or write/adapt) a keylogger but :
- a standard keylogger needs to be launched by root
- it will catch too many things
beside potential ethical questions.

Thanks aysheaia. I found a way around the problem using a second monitor which i just borrowed - and actually my application involves a laptop coupled with a projector (it´s for a theatre show with actors projecting photos of themselves taken from the laptop) - so with the two screens there´s no problem with a lack of focus on the image-display screen. I´d be interested to know though if there is a way to launch an app and have it´s keyboard input routed to another - but yes, i can see there might be some privacy issues if misused.
cheers, iain