xcb_grab_button(3) XCB Requests xcb_grab_button(3)
NAME
xcb_grab_button - Grab pointer button(s)
SYNOPSIS
#include <xcb/xproto.h>
Request function
xcb_void_cookie_t xcb_grab_button(xcb_connection_t *conn,
uint8_t owner_events, xcb_window_t grab_window,
uint16_t event_mask, uint8_t pointer_mode, uint8_t keyboard_mode,
xcb_window_t confine_to, xcb_cursor_t cursor, uint8_t button,
uint16_t modifiers);
REQUEST ARGUMENTS
conn The XCB connection to X11.
owner_events
If 1, the grab_window will still get the pointer events. If 0,
events are not reported to the grab_window.
grab_window
Specifies the window on which the pointer should be grabbed.
event_mask
Specifies which pointer events are reported to the client.
TODO: which values?
pointer_mode
One of the following values:
XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC
The state of the keyboard appears to freeze: No fur-
ther keyboard events are generated by the server un-
til the grabbing client issues a releasing Allow-
Events request or until the keyboard grab is re-
leased.
XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC
Keyboard event processing continues normally.
keyboard_mode
One of the following values:
XCB_GRAB_MODE_SYNC
The state of the keyboard appears to freeze: No fur-
ther keyboard events are generated by the server un-
til the grabbing client issues a releasing Allow-
Events request or until the keyboard grab is re-
leased.
XCB_GRAB_MODE_ASYNC
Keyboard event processing continues normally.
confine_to
Specifies the window to confine the pointer in (the user will
not be able to move the pointer out of that window).
The special value XCB_NONE means don't confine the pointer.
cursor Specifies the cursor that should be displayed or XCB_NONE to
not change the cursor.
button One of the following values:
XCB_BUTTON_INDEX_ANY
Any of the following (or none):
XCB_BUTTON_INDEX_1
The left mouse button.
XCB_BUTTON_INDEX_2
The right mouse button.
XCB_BUTTON_INDEX_3
The middle mouse button.
XCB_BUTTON_INDEX_4
Scroll wheel. TODO: direction?
XCB_BUTTON_INDEX_5
Scroll wheel. TODO: direction?
modifiers The modifiers to grab.
Using the special value XCB_MOD_MASK_ANY means grab the point-
er with all possible modifier combinations.
DESCRIPTION
This request establishes a passive grab. The pointer is actively grabbed
as described in GrabPointer, the last-pointer-grab time is set to the
time at which the button was pressed (as transmitted in the ButtonPress
event), and the ButtonPress event is reported if all of the following
conditions are true:
The pointer is not grabbed and the specified button is logically pressed
when the specified modifier keys are logically down, and no other but-
tons or modifier keys are logically down.
The grab-window contains the pointer.
The confine-to window (if any) is viewable.
A passive grab on the same button/key combination does not exist on any
ancestor of grab-window.
The interpretation of the remaining arguments is the same as for Grab-
Pointer. The active grab is terminated automatically when the logical
state of the pointer has all buttons released, independent of the logi-
cal state of modifier keys. Note that the logical state of a device (as
seen by means of the protocol) may lag the physical state if device
event processing is frozen. This request overrides all previous passive
grabs by the same client on the same button/key combinations on the same
window. A modifier of AnyModifier is equivalent to issuing the request
for all possible modifier combinations (including the combination of no
modifiers). It is not required that all specified modifiers have cur-
rently assigned keycodes. A button of AnyButton is equivalent to issuing
the request for all possible buttons. Otherwise, it is not required that
the button specified currently be assigned to a physical button.
An Access error is generated if some other client has already issued a
GrabButton request with the same button/key combination on the same win-
dow. When using AnyModifier or AnyButton, the request fails completely
(no grabs are established), and an Access error is generated if there is
a conflicting grab for any combination. The request has no effect on an
active grab.
RETURN VALUE
Returns an xcb_void_cookie_t. Errors (if any) have to be handled in the
event loop.
If you want to handle errors directly with xcb_request_check instead,
use xcb_grab_button_checked. See xcb-requests(3) for details.
ERRORS
xcb_access_error_t
Another client has already issued a GrabButton with the same
button/key combination on the same window.
xcb_cursor_error_t
The specified cursor does not exist.
xcb_value_error_t
TODO: reasons?
xcb_window_error_t
The specified window does not exist.
SEE ALSO
xcb-requests(3)
AUTHOR
Generated from xproto.xml. Contact xcb@lists.freedesktop.org for correc-
tions and improvements.
X Version 11 libxcb 1.17.0 xcb_grab_button(3)
Generated by dwww version 1.16 on Sat Oct 3 09:31:36 CEST 2026.