QuartztEvent Taps

quartz_event_taps

import Quartz
from AppKit import NSKeyUp, NSSystemDefined, NSEvent

def keyboardTapCallback(proxy, type_, event, refcon):
    # Convert the Quartz CGEvent into something more useful
    if type_ < 0 or type_ > 0x7fffffff:
        print "----- Timed out -----"
        print NSEvent.eventWithCGEvent_(event)
        return event
    keyEvent = NSEvent.eventWithCGEvent_(event)
    print keyEvent

# Set up a tap, with type of tap, location, options and event mask
eventMask = 239078654
tap = Quartz.CGEventTapCreate(
    Quartz.kCGSessionEventTap, # Session level is enough for our needs
    Quartz.kCGHeadInsertEventTap, # Insert wherever, we do not filter
    Quartz.kCGEventTapOptionListenOnly, # Listening is enough
    eventMask, # NSSystemDefined for media keys
    keyboardTapCallback,
    None
)

runLoopSource = Quartz.CFMachPortCreateRunLoopSource(None, tap, 0)
Quartz.CFRunLoopAddSource(
    Quartz.CFRunLoopGetCurrent(),
    runLoopSource,
    Quartz.kCFRunLoopDefaultMode
)
# Enable the tap
Quartz.CGEventTapEnable(tap, True)
# and run! This won't return until we exit or are terminated.
Quartz.CFRunLoopRun()