SDL2 cannot capture console keyboard events? - c++

Question

TL;DR
I am trying to capture keyboard events (more specifically, the Ctrl+c command) in my own C++ program. I am attempting this through generic keyboard presses in SDL2.
END TL;DR
I have found links on SO and the internet that cover the subject of handling keyboard events with SDL2. I have a few of them listed here.
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/28105533/sdl2-joystick-dont-capture-pressed-event
https://lazyfoo.net/tutorials/SDL/04_key_presses/index.php
http://www.cplusplus.com/forum/windows/182214/
http://gigi.nullneuron.net/gigilabs/handling-keyboard-and-mouse-events-in-sdl2/
The major issue I think is causing the problem is that I am also using an Xbox-style joystick at the same time. I have had no issues whatsoever with capturing joystick events. I have been doing that for a long time now. I am having issues trying to get anything with the keyboard to throw an event. I have tried if(event.type == SDL_KEYDOWN) and then checking which key it was, but that appears to return nothing. I feel like there is some macro that I need to define to allow this since I keep finding the same solutions on the internet.
I have included the entire script that I am running at the moment.
#include <boost/thread.hpp>
// Time library
#include <chrono>
// vector data structure
#include <vector>
// Thread-safe base variables
#include <atomic>
// std::cout
#include <iostream>
// Joystick library
#include <SDL2/SDL.h>
// Counters for printing
std::atomic_int printcounter{ 0 };
// This is every 3 * 1000 milliseconds
const int printer = 300;
// If an event is found, allow for printing.
std::atomic_bool eventupdate{ false };
// This function converts the raw joystick axis from the SDL library to proper double precision floating-point values.
double intToDouble(int input)
{
return (double) input / 32767.0 ;
}
// Prevent joystick values from going outside the physical limit
double clamp(double input)
{
return (input < -1.0) ? -1.0 : ( (input > 1.0) ? 1.0 : input);
}
// SDL library joystick deadband
const int JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE = 5000;
// These are the raw read in values from the joystick in XInput (XBox) mode.
//Normalized direction
int leftX = 0;
int leftY = 0;
int rightX = 0;
int rightY = 0;
int leftTrigger = -32768;
int rightTrigger = -32768;
// Button array
uint buttons[11] = { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
// Tbe pov hat is only 4 bits - 1, 2, 4, 8
int povhat = 0;
// These are the rectified joystick values
double leftstickx = 0;
double leftsticky = 0;
double rightstickx = 0;
double rightsticky = 0;
double lefttrigger = 0;
double righttrigger = 0;
// These are the rectified boolean buttons
bool leftstickbut = false;
bool rightstickbut = false;
bool xbutton = false;
bool ybutton = false;
bool abutton = false;
bool bbutton = false;
bool rightbut = false;
bool leftbut = false;
bool startbut = false;
bool backbut = false;
bool centbut = false;
// This is the boolean that controls running the robot.
std::atomic_bool quitrobot{false};
// Joystick values
static double joyvalues[6] = { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
static bool joybuttons[11] = { false };
// Sleep function
void wait(int milliseconds)
{
boost::this_thread::sleep_for(boost::chrono::milliseconds{milliseconds});
}
// Now the main code
int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
// Now the robot goes through the looping code until a quit flag is set to true
while ( ! quitrobot)
{
// Now we look for an Xbox-style joystick
std::cout << "Looking for gamepad..." << std::endl;
while(true)
{
// Now the program waits until an Xbox-style joystick is plugged in.
// resetting SDL makes things more stable
SDL_Quit();
// restart SDL with the expectation that a jostick is required.
SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK);
// SDL_HINT_GRAB_KEYBOARD
// check for a joystick
int res = SDL_NumJoysticks();
if (res > 0) { break; } // Here a joystick has been detected.
if (res < 0)
{
std::cout << "Joystick detection error: " << std::to_string(res) << std::endl;
}
// we don't want the program running super fast when detecting hardware.
wait(20);
}
// Now we check to make sure that the joystick is valid.
// Open the joystick for reading and store its handle in the joy variable
SDL_Joystick *joy = SDL_JoystickOpen(0);
if (joy == NULL) {
/* back to top of while loop */
continue;
}
// Get information about the joystick
const char *name = SDL_JoystickName(joy);
const int num_axes = SDL_JoystickNumAxes(joy);
const int num_buttons = SDL_JoystickNumButtons(joy);
const int num_hats = SDL_JoystickNumHats(joy);
printf("Now reading from joystick '%s' with:\n"
"%d axes\n"
"%d buttons\n"
"%d hats\n\n",
name,
num_axes,
num_buttons,
num_hats);
/* I'm using a logitech F350 wireless in X mode.
If num axis is 4, then gamepad is in D mode, so neutral drive and wait for X mode.
[SAFETY] This means 'D' becomes our robot-disable button.
This can be removed if that's not the goal. */
if (num_axes < 5) {
/* back to top of while loop */
continue;
}
// This is the read joystick and drive robot loop.
while(true)
{
// poll for disconnects or bad things
SDL_Event e;
if (SDL_PollEvent(&e)) {
// SDL generated quit command
if (e.type == SDL_QUIT) { break; }
// Checking for Ctrl+c on the keyboard
// SDL_Keymod modstates = SDL_GetModState();
// if (modstates & KMOD_CTRL)
// {
// One of the Ctrl keys are being held down
// std::cout << "Pressed Ctrl key." << std::endl;
// }
if(e.key.keysym.scancode == SDLK_RCTRL || e.key.keysym.scancode == SDLK_LCTRL || SDL_SCANCODE_RCTRL == e.key.keysym.scancode || e.key.keysym.scancode == SDL_SCANCODE_LCTRL)
{
std::cout << "Pressed QQQQ." << std::endl;
}
if (e.type == SDL_KEYDOWN)
{
switch(e.key.keysym.sym){
case SDLK_UP:
std::cout << "Pressed up." << std::endl;
break;
case SDLK_RCTRL:
std::cout << "Pressed up." << std::endl;
break;
case SDLK_LCTRL:
std::cout << "Pressed up." << std::endl;
break;
}
// Select surfaces based on key press
switch( e.key.keysym.sym )
{
case SDLK_UP:
std::cout << "Pressed Up." << std::endl;
break;
case SDLK_DOWN:
std::cout << "Pressed Up." << std::endl;
break;
case SDLK_LEFT:
std::cout << "Pressed Up." << std::endl;
break;
case SDLK_RIGHT:
std::cout << "Pressed Up." << std::endl;
break;
}
std::cout << "Pressed blah di blah blah please print me." << std::endl;
}
// Checking which joystick event occured
if (e.jdevice.type == SDL_JOYDEVICEREMOVED) { break; }
// Since joystick is not erroring out, we can
else if( e.type == SDL_JOYAXISMOTION )
{
//Motion on controller 0
if( e.jaxis.which == 0 )
{
// event happened
eventupdate = true;
// Left X axis
if( e.jaxis.axis == 0 )
{
// dead zone check
if( e.jaxis.value > -JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE && e.jaxis.value < JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE)
{
leftX = 0;
}
else
{
leftX = e.jaxis.value;
}
}
// Right Y axis
else if( e.jaxis.axis == 1 )
{
// dead zone check
if( e.jaxis.value > -JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE && e.jaxis.value < JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE)
{
leftY = 0;
}
else
{
leftY = e.jaxis.value;
}
}
// Left trigger
else if ( e.jaxis.axis == 2 )
{
// dead zone check
if( e.jaxis.value > -JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE && e.jaxis.value < JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE)
{
leftTrigger = 0;
}
else
{
leftTrigger = e.jaxis.value;
}
}
// Right X axis
else if( e.jaxis.axis == 3 )
{
// dead zone check
if( e.jaxis.value > -JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE && e.jaxis.value < JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE)
{
rightX = 0;
}
else
{
rightX = e.jaxis.value;
}
}
// Right Y axis
else if( e.jaxis.axis == 4 )
{
// dead zone check
if( e.jaxis.value > -JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE && e.jaxis.value < JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE)
{
rightY = 0;
}
else
{
rightY = e.jaxis.value;
}
}
// Right trigger
else if( e.jaxis.axis == 5 )
{
// dead zone check
if( e.jaxis.value > -JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE && e.jaxis.value < JOYSTICK_DEAD_ZONE)
{
rightTrigger = 0;
}
else
{
rightTrigger = e.jaxis.value;
}
}
}
}
else if ( e.type == SDL_JOYBUTTONUP || e.type == SDL_JOYBUTTONDOWN )
{
// now we are looking for button events.
if (e.jbutton.which == 0)
{
// event happened
eventupdate = true;
// buttons[e.jbutton.button] = e.jbutton.state;
if (e.jbutton.button == 0)
{
buttons[0] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 1)
{
buttons[1] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 2)
{
buttons[2] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 3)
{
buttons[3] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 4)
{
buttons[4] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 5)
{
buttons[5] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 6)
{
buttons[6] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 7)
{
buttons[7] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 8)
{
buttons[8] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 9)
{
buttons[9] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 10)
{
buttons[10] = e.jbutton.state;
}
if (e.jbutton.button == 11)
{
buttons[11] = e.jbutton.state;
}
}
}
else if ( e.type == SDL_JOYHATMOTION)
{
if (e.jhat.which == 0)
{
// event happened
eventupdate = true;
povhat = e.jhat.value;
}
}
}
// Now that we have read in the values directly from the joystick we need top convert the values properly.
leftstickx = clamp(intToDouble(leftX));
leftsticky = clamp(intToDouble(leftY));
rightstickx = clamp(intToDouble(rightX));
rightsticky = clamp(intToDouble(rightY));
lefttrigger = clamp(intToDouble(leftTrigger));
righttrigger = clamp(intToDouble(rightTrigger));
// rectify the buttons to become boolean values instead of integers.
abutton = buttons[0] > 0;
bbutton = buttons[1] > 0;
xbutton = buttons[2] > 0;
ybutton = buttons[3] > 0;
//
rightbut = buttons[4] > 0;
leftbut = buttons[5] > 0;
//
centbut = buttons[8] > 0;
startbut = buttons[7] > 0;
backbut = buttons[6] > 0;
//
leftstickbut = buttons[9] > 0;
rightstickbut = buttons[10] > 0;
// Transfer axis to the array.
joyvalues[0] = leftstickx;
joyvalues[1] = leftsticky;
joyvalues[2] = rightstickx;
joyvalues[3] = rightsticky;
joyvalues[4] = lefttrigger;
joyvalues[5] = righttrigger;
// We are using the "B" button to quit the program
if (bbutton)
{
quitrobot = true;
std::cout << "Shutting down program." << std::endl;
break;
}
if (eventupdate)
{
// This section of code is meant for running code that happens when SDL has detected an event.
// This code section can be used for something else as well.
if (e.key.keysym.sym == SDL_SCANCODE_RCTRL || e.key.keysym.sym == SDL_SCANCODE_LCTRL || e.key.keysym.sym == SDLK_LCTRL || e.key.keysym.sym == SDLK_RCTRL)
{
std::cout << "SDL Event: Ctrl pressed.\n" << std::endl;
}
// Simply print the event
eventupdate = false;
} else {}
if ( ! (printcounter = ((printcounter + 1) % printer)))
{
// const Uint8 *state = SDL_GetKeyboardState(NULL);
// if (state[SDL_SCANCODE_RETURN]) {
// printf("<RETURN> is pressed.\n");
// }
}
// Sleep the program for a short bit
wait(5);
}
// Reset SDL since the robot is no longer being actuated.
SDL_JoystickClose(joy);
// We get here only if the joystick has been disconnected.
std::cout << "Gamepad disconnected.\n" << std::endl;
}
// The program then completes.
return 0;
}
The most important part of that huge block of code is lines 129 to 179. I was doing more fooling around trying to get key capture to work but I could not get a response. Everywhere else is logic for the joystick reading (which has worked for me flawlessly). I have been referring to this link for all of the macros available to the programmer. I have not been able to capture the left control button or the right control button. I have also been trying the arrow keys for kicks as well and those are not working either. I know there are remnants of other code snippets thrown in there as I was testing. Given all of my testing, I am just not sure how to capture any keyboard keys, let alone Ctrl+c. None of my desired print statements print.
I am able to run the code on Ubuntu 1804 LTS with the stock GUI manager and window manager. I have a feeling the problem might also have something to do with the operating system not letting SDL2 capture the keyboard, but I don't know what to do to allow only the keyboard or certain keys to be consumed by SDL2.
I am trying to not use platform-specific code since I already have successfully used platform-specific signal interrupts. My goal is to simply make a certain combination of depressed keys result in a program terminating. I figured that, since SDL2 can access all keys on a keyboard, that I should be able to simply

Answer 1

Unless you want to read keyboard input from stdin you need to open a window and focus it to get key events in SDL. Here's an example (note the call to SDL_Init uses SDL_INIT_VIDEO and there's some code in there for rendering a background and handling resize events).
#include <iostream>
#include <SDL2/SDL.h>
int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) < 0) { // also initialises the events subsystem
std::cout << "Failed to init SDL.\n";
return -1;
}
SDL_Window *window = SDL_CreateWindow(
"Window", SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED,
680, 480, SDL_WINDOW_SHOWN | SDL_WINDOW_RESIZABLE);
if(!window) {
std::cout << "Failed to create window.\n";
return -1;
}
// Create renderer and select the color for drawing.
SDL_Renderer* renderer = SDL_CreateRenderer(window, -1, 0);
SDL_SetRenderDrawColor(renderer, 200, 200, 200, 255);
while(true)
{
// Clear the entire screen and present.
SDL_RenderClear(renderer);
SDL_RenderPresent(renderer);
SDL_Event event;
while (SDL_PollEvent(&event))
{
if (event.type == SDL_QUIT) {
SDL_Quit();
return 0;
}
if(event.type == SDL_WINDOWEVENT) {
if (event.window.event == SDL_WINDOWEVENT_SIZE_CHANGED) {
int width = event.window.data1;
int height = event.window.data2;
std::cout << "resize event: " << width << "," << height << std::endl;
}
}
if (event.type == SDL_KEYDOWN) {
int key = event.key.keysym.sym;
if (key == SDLK_ESCAPE) {
SDL_Quit();
return 0;
}
std::cout << "key event: " << key << std::endl;
}
}
}
return 0;
}
Key events are sent to the currently focused window and SDL uses the underlying OS to handle this. E.g. In Linux this means SDL calls X11 functions.
edit:
As detailed in this question it appears you can also get a snapshot of the state of the keys. In either case I think a window needs to be opened to receive events even though I've edited this multiple times to come to that conclusion (apologies if that caused any confusion). Your OS may provide functions for polling the state of the keyboard without using events or windows, such as GetAsyncKeyState in Windows.