Reference

sshkeyboard

sshkeyboard.listen_keyboard(on_press=None, on_release=None, until='esc', sequential=False, delay_second_char=0.75, delay_other_chars=0.05, lower=True, debug=False, max_thread_pool_workers=None, sleep=0.01)

Listen for keyboard events and fire on_press and on_release callback functions

Supports asynchronous callbacks also.

Blocks the thread until the key in until parameter has been pressed, an error has been raised or stop_listening() has been called.

Simple example with asynchronous and regular callbacks:

from sshkeyboard import listen_keyboard

async def press(key):
    print(f"'{key}' pressed")

def release(key):
    print(f"'{key}' released")

listen_keyboard(
    on_press=press,
    on_release=release,
)

Parameters

• on_press (Optional[Callable[[str], Any]]) – Function that gets called when a key is pressed. The function takes the pressed key as parameter. Defaults to None.

• on_release (Optional[Callable[[str], Any]]) – Function that gets called when a key is released. The function takes the released key as parameter. Defaults to None.

• until (Optional[str]) – A key that will end keyboard listening. None means that listening will stop only when stop_listening() has been called or an error has been raised. Defaults to “esc”.

• sequential (bool) – If enabled, callbacks will be forced to happen one by one instead of concurrently or asynchronously. Defaults to False.

• delay_second_char (float) – The timeout between first and second character when holding down a key. Depends on terminal and is used for parsing the input. Defaults to 0.75.

• delay_other_chars (float) – The timeout between all other characters when holding down a key. Depends on terminal and is used for parsing the input. Defaults to 0.05.

• lower (bool) – If enabled, the callback ‘key’ parameter gets turned into lower case key even if it was upper case, for example “A” -> “a”. Defaults to True.

• debug (bool) – Print debug messages. Defaults to False.

• max_thread_pool_workers (Optional[int]) – Define the number of workers in ThreadPoolExecutor, None means that a default value will get used. Will get ignored if sequential=True. Defaults to None.

• sleep (float) – asyncio.sleep() amount between attempted keyboard input reads. Defaults to 0.01.

Return type

None

async sshkeyboard.listen_keyboard_manual(on_press=None, on_release=None, until='esc', sequential=False, delay_second_char=0.75, delay_other_chars=0.05, lower=True, debug=False, max_thread_pool_workers=None, sleep=0.01)

The same as listen_keyboard(), but now the awaiting must be handled by the caller

from sshkeyboard import listen_keyboard_manual
# ...
asyncio.run(listen_keyboard_manual(...))

is the same as

from sshkeyboard import listen_keyboard
# ...
listen_keyboard(...)

(Python version 3.6 which does not have asyncio.run is handled differently internally)

Has the same parameters as listen_keyboard()

Return type

None

sshkeyboard.stop_listening()

Stops the ongoing keyboard listeners

Can be called inside the callbacks or from outside. Does not do anything if listener is not running.

Example to stop after some condition is met, (“z” pressed in this case):

from sshkeyboard import listen_keyboard, stop_listening

def press(key):
    print(f"'{key}' pressed")
    if key == "z":
        stop_listening()

listen_keyboard(on_press=press)

Return type

None