XEV(1) User Commands XEV(1)

NAME

xev - print contents of X events

SYNOPSIS

xev [-display displayname] [-geometry geom] [-bw pixels] [-bs
{NotUseful,WhenMapped,Always}] [-id windowid] [-root] [-s] [-name
string] [-rv] [-version] [-event event_mask [-event event_mask ...]]

DESCRIPTION

Xev creates a window and then asks the X server to send it events
whenever anything happens to the window (such as it being moved,
resized, typed in, clicked in, etc.). You can also attach it to an
existing window. It is useful for seeing what causes events to occur
and to display the information that they contain; it is essentially a
debugging and development tool, and should not be needed in normal
usage.

OPTIONS

-display display
This option specifies the X server to contact.

-geometry geom
This option specifies the size and/or location of the window,
if a window is to be created.

-bw pixels
This option specifies the border width for the window.

-bs {NotUseful,WhenMapped,Always}
This option specifies what kind of backing store to give the
window. The default is NotUseful. Backing store refers to
the the pixels saved off-screen when the X server maintains
the contents of a window; NotUseful means that the xev
process will redraw its contents itself, as necessary.

-id windowid
This option specifies that the window with the given id
should be monitored, instead of creating a new window.

-root This option specifies that the root window should be
monitored, instead of creating a new window.

-s This option specifies that save-unders should be enabled on
the window. Save unders are similar to backing store, but
they refer rather to the saving of pixels off-screen when the
current window obscures other windows. Save unders are only
advisory, and are normally set for popup dialogs and other
transient windows.

-name string
This option specifies the name to assign to the created
window.

-rv This option specifies that the window should be in reverse
video.

-event event_mask
Select which events to display. The -event option can be
specified multiple times to select multiple types of events.
When not specified, all events are selected. Available event
masks: keyboard mouse expose visibility structure
substructure focus property colormap owner_grab_button randr
button

-version
This option prints the program version and exits.

SEE ALSO

X(7), xwininfo(1), xdpyinfo(1), Xlib Programmers Manual, X Protocol
Specification

AUTHOR

Jim Fulton, MIT X Consortium

X Version 11 xev 1.2.6 XEV(1)