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Context

Modern desktop environment include features to adjust sound volume, interact with media players, and so on.

Here is an incomplete list:

  • XF86AudioLowerVolume
  • XF86AudioRaiseVolume
  • XF86Battery
  • XF86Calculator
  • XF86Display
  • XF86Explorer
  • XF86HomePage
  • XF86KbdBrightnessDown
  • XF86KbdBrightnessUp
  • XF86Mail
  • XF86Messenger
  • XF86MonBrightnessDown
  • XF86MonBrightnessUp
  • XF86PowerOff
  • XF86Sleep
  • XF86Suspend
  • XF86TouchpadToggle

Need

Sometimes a program already grabs some keys, which prevents proper operation of another. To fix this situation, one has to know which program already grabs the key, and adjust or disable them.

Each desktop environment provides a way to handle key shortcuts, but only theirs, not all keys that are grabbed by any random program connected to the X session.

How can I get a complete list of those grabbed keys on Ubuntu 18.04?

Search before ask

These pages provide hints:

The problem is: xdotool key XF86LogGrabInfo does not list all keys.

For example, I was in an instance where xfce pulseaudio-plugin grabbed at least 4 media keys, but on XF86LogGrabInfo, Xorg log would only list 3 (example log, does not show XF86AudioPlay, XF86AudioRaiseVolume, XF86AudioLowerVolume,).

Stéphane Gourichon
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  • Also, the links date back to 2013, and Xorg log is different from described: not "Printing all currently **active device** grabs:" but "Printing all **registered** grabs". Also, the trick in the other link with `sleep 1` does not change output at all. So, information on these links seems outdated, confirming need for some fresher information. – Stéphane Gourichon May 29 '18 at 17:26
  • Other people having similar problems: [gnome - Unable to set a shortcut to grab screenshot area - Ask Ubuntu](https://askubuntu.com/questions/406543/unable-to-set-a-shortcut-to-grab-screenshot-area "gnome - Unable to set a shortcut to grab screenshot area - Ask Ubuntu"), [xorg - Keyboard shortcuts stop working intermittently - Ask Ubuntu](https://askubuntu.com/questions/925732/keyboard-shortcuts-stop-working-intermittently "xorg - Keyboard shortcuts stop working intermittently - Ask Ubuntu") – Stéphane Gourichon May 29 '18 at 17:40
  • Active grabs are logged in `journalctl -f` (at least on my Ubuntu 18.04). – danadam Jul 05 '19 at 20:22

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