From patchwork Tue Dec 14 21:21:10 2010 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Patchwork-Submitter: Chase Douglas X-Patchwork-Id: 411581 Received: from vger.kernel.org (vger.kernel.org [209.132.180.67]) by demeter1.kernel.org (8.14.4/8.14.3) with ESMTP id oBELNE8A031795 for ; Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:23:17 GMT Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1760167Ab0LNVW0 (ORCPT ); Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:22:26 -0500 Received: from adelie.canonical.com ([91.189.90.139]:32777 "EHLO adelie.canonical.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1760165Ab0LNVWY (ORCPT ); Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:22:24 -0500 Received: from hutte.canonical.com ([91.189.90.181]) by adelie.canonical.com with esmtp (Exim 4.69 #1 (Debian)) id 1PScKE-0007Wx-J5; Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:22:22 +0000 Received: from [64.168.229.50] (helo=canonical.com) by hutte.canonical.com with esmtpsa (TLS-1.0:DHE_RSA_AES_128_CBC_SHA1:16) (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1PScKD-000812-OU; Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:22:22 +0000 From: Chase Douglas To: Dmitry Torokhov , Henrik Rydberg Cc: Chris Bagwell , Peter Hutterer , linux-input@vger.kernel.org, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: [PATCH 2/4] Documentation: Add evdev type and code definitions Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:21:10 -0800 Message-Id: <1292361672-2581-3-git-send-email-chase.douglas@canonical.com> X-Mailer: git-send-email 1.7.1 In-Reply-To: <1292361672-2581-1-git-send-email-chase.douglas@canonical.com> References: <1292361672-2581-1-git-send-email-chase.douglas@canonical.com> Sender: linux-input-owner@vger.kernel.org Precedence: bulk List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-input@vger.kernel.org X-Greylist: IP, sender and recipient auto-whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-4.2.3 (demeter1.kernel.org [140.211.167.41]); Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:23:18 +0000 (UTC) diff --git a/Documentation/input/evdev-codes.txt b/Documentation/input/evdev-codes.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..69c810f --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/input/evdev-codes.txt @@ -0,0 +1,160 @@ +The evdev protocol uses a map of types and codes to express input device values +to userspace. This document describes the types and codes and how and when they +may be used. + +Types: +========== +Types are groupings of codes under a logical input construct. Each type has a +set of applicable codes to be used in generating events. See the Codes section +for details on valid codes for each type. + +* EV_SYN: + - Used as markers to separate events. Events may be separated in time or in + space, such as with the multitouch protocol. +* EV_KEY: + - Used to describe keyboard and other key-like input events. +* EV_REL: + - Used to describe relative input events, e.g. moving the mouse 5 units to the + left. +* EV_ABS: + - Used to describe absolute input events, e.g. describing the coordinates of a + touch on a touchscreen. +* EV_MSC: + - Used to describe miscellaneous input events that do not fit into other + types. +* EV_SW: + - Used to describe binary state input switches. +* EV_LED: + - Used to turn LEDs on devices on and off. +* EV_SND: + - Used to output sound to devices. +* EV_REP: + - Used for autorepeating devices. +* EV_FF: + - Used to send force feedback commands to an input device. +* EV_PWR: + - A special type for power button and switch input. +* EV_FF_STATUS: + - Used to receive force feedback device status. + +Codes: +========== +Codes define the precise type of event. + +EV_SYN Codes: +---------- +EV_SYN event values are undefined. Their usage is +defined only by when they are sent in the evdev event stream. + +* SYN_REPORT: + - Used to synchronize and separate events in time. For example, motion of a + mouse may set the REL_X and REL_Y values for one motion, then emit a + SYN_REPORT. The next motion will emit more REL_X and REL_Y values and send + another SYN_REPORT. +* SYN_CONFIG: + - TBD +* SYN_MT_REPORT: + - Used to synchronize and separate touch events. See the + multi-touch-protocol.txt document for more information. + +EV_KEY: +---------- +EV_KEY events take the form KEY_ or BTN_. For example, KEY_A is used +to represent the 'A' key on a keyboard. When a key is depressed, an event with +the key's code is emitted with value 1. When the key is depressed, an event is +emitted with value 0. In general, KEY_ is used for keyboard keys, and +BTN_ is used for other types of momentary switch events. + +A few EV_KEY codes have special meanings: + +* BTN_TOOL_, BTN_TOUCH: + - These codes are used in conjunction with input trackpads, tablets, and + touchscreens. These devices may be used with fingers, pens, or other tools. + When an event occurs and a tool is used, the corresponding BTN_TOOL_ + code should be set to a value of 1. When the tool is no longer interacting + with the input device, the BTN_TOOL_ code should be reset to 0. All + trackpads, tablets, and touchscreens should use at least one BTN_TOOL_ + code when events are generated. For non-tablet devices, the tool is usually + BTN_TOUCH. + +* BTN_TOOL_FINGER, BTN_TOOL_DOUBLETAP, BTN_TOOL_TRIPLETAP, BTN_TOOL_QUADTAP: + - These codes denote one, two, three, and four finger interaction on a + trackpad or touchscreen. For example, if the user uses two fingers and moves + them on the touchpad in an effort to scroll content on screen, + BTN_TOOL_DOUBLETAP should be set to value 1 for the duration of the motion. + Note that these codes and the BTN_TOOL_ and BTN_TOUCH codes are + orthogonal in purpose. A trackpad event generated by finger touches should + generate events for one code from each group. + +* KEY_SUSPEND, KEY_POWER: + - These codes are reserved for the EV_PWR type. + +EV_REL: +---------- +EV_REL events describe relative changes in a property. For example, a mouse may +move to the left by a certain number of units, but its absolute position in +space is unknown. If the absolute position is known, EV_ABS codes should be used +instead of EV_REL codes. + +A few EV_REL codes have special meanings: + +* REL_WHEEL, REL_HWHEEL: + - These codes are used for vertical and horizontal scroll wheels, + respectively. + +EV_ABS: +---------- +EV_ABS events describe absolute changes in a property. For example, a touchpad +may emit coordinates for a touch location. + +A few EV_ABS codes have special meanings: + +* ABS_PRESSURE: + - Used to describe the pressure of a touch interaction on an input device. +* ABS_DISTANCE: + - Used to describe the distance of a tool from an interaction surface. This + should only be used while the tool is in close proximity of the device. If + the input device may be used freely in three dimensions, consider ABS_Z + instead. +* ABS_MT_: + - Used to describe multitouch input events. Please see + multi-touch-protocol.txt for details. + +EV_SW: +---------- +EV_SW events describe stateful binary switches. For example, the SW_LID code is +used to denote when a laptop lid is closed. + +EV_MSC: +---------- +EV_MSC events are used for input and output events that do not fall under other +categories. + +EV_LED: +---------- +EV_LED events are used for input and output to set and query the state of +various LEDs on devices. + +EV_REP: +---------- +EV_REP events are used for specifying autorepeating events. + +EV_SND: +---------- +EV_SND events are used for sending sound commands to simple sound output +devices. + +EV_FF: +---------- +EV_FF events are used to initialize a force feedback capable device and to cause +such device to feedback. + +EV_PWR: +---------- +EV_PWR events are a special type of key event used specifically for monitoring +power buttons and switches. The two codes in use are: + +* KEY_POWER: + - Used to denote a power button event. +* KEY_SUSPEND: + - Used to denote a suspend button event.