USBHIDACTION(1)         NetBSD General Commands Manual         USBHIDACTION(1)

NAME
     usbhidaction -- perform actions according to USB HID controls

SYNOPSIS
     usbhidaction -c config-file [-d] [-i] -f device [-t table] [-v] [arg ...]

DESCRIPTION
     usbhidaction can be used to execute commands when certain values appear
     on HID controls.  The normal operation for this program is to read the
     configuration file and then become a daemon and execute commands as the
     HID items specify.  If a read from the HID device fails the program dies;
     this will make it die when the USB device is unplugged.

     The options are as follows:

     -c config-file
             Specify a path name for the config file.  When running as a dae-
             mon this needs to be an absolute path for the HUP signal to work.

     -d      Toggle the daemon flag.

     -i      Ignore HID items in the config file that do not exist in the
             device.

     -f device
             Specify a path name for the device to operate on.  If device is
             numeric, it is taken to be the USB HID device number.  If it is a
             relative path, it is taken to be the name of the device under
             /dev.  An absolute path is taken to be the literal device path-
             name.

     -t table
             Specify a path name for the HID usage table file.

     -v      Be verbose, and do not become a daemon.

     The config file will be re-read if the process gets a HUP signal.

CONFIGURATION
     The configuration file has a very simple format.  Each line describes an
     action; if a line begins with a whitespace it is considered a continua-
     tion of the previous line.  Lines beginning with `#' are considered as
     comments.

     Each line has three parts: a name of a USB HID item, a value for that
     item, and an action.  There must be whitespace between the parts.

     The item names are similar to those used by usbhidctl(1), but each part
     must be prefixed by its page name (use the -v flag to usbhidctl(1) to see
     the page name).  Replace spaces in the item name by underscores.

     The value is simply a numeric value.  When the item reports this value
     the action will be performed.  If the value is `*' it will match any
     value.

     The action is a normal command that is executed with system(3).  Before
     it is executed some substitution will occur: `$n' will be replaced by the
     nth argument on the command line, `$V' will be replaced by the numeric
     value of the HID item, `$N' will be replaced by the name of the control,
     and `$H' will be replaced by the name of the HID device.

FILES
     /usr/share/misc/usb_hid_usages The HID usage table.

EXAMPLES
     The following configuration file can be used to control a pair of Philips
     USB speakers with the HID controls on the speakers.

           # Configuration for various Philips USB speakers
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Volume_Up                       1
                   mixerctl -f $1 -n -w outputs.master++
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Volume_Down                     1
                   mixerctl -f $1 -n -w outputs.master--
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Mute                            1
                   mixerctl -f $1 -n -w outputs.mute++
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Channel_Top.Microsoft:Base_Up   1
                   mixerctl -f $1 -n -w outputs.bass++
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Channel_Top.Microsoft:Base_Down 1
                   mixerctl -f $1 -n -w outputs.bass--

     A sample invocation using this configuration would be

           usbhidaction -f /dev/uhid1 -c conf /dev/mixer1

     This configuration file can be used for various keyboards with extra
     keys:

           # Configuration for extra keyboard keys
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Volume_Up                    1
                   mixerctl -n -w outputs.master++
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Volume_Down                  1
                   mixerctl -n -w outputs.master--
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Mute                         1
                   mixerctl -n -w outputs.mute++
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Pause/Play                   1
                   xmms -p
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Stop                         1
                   xmms -s
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Scan_Previous_Track          1
                   xmms -r
           Consumer:Consumer_Control.Consumer:Scan_Next_Track              1
                   xmms -f

     And this configuration can be used with, e.g.,

           usbhidaction -f /dev/uhid0 -c conf -i

SEE ALSO
     usbhidctl(1), usbhid(3), uhid(4), usb(4)

HISTORY
     The usbhidaction command first appeared in NetBSD 1.6.

NetBSD 5.0_STABLE              October 20, 2004              NetBSD 5.0_STABLE
