XEV(1) General Commands Manual XEV(1)
NAME
xev - print contents of X events
SYNOPSIS
xev [-display displayname] [-geometry geom] [-bw pixels] [-bs {NotUse-
ful,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 when-
ever 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 debug-
ging 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 re-
fer 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 win-
dows.
-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 spec-
ified 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
See X(7) for a full statement of rights and permissions.
AUTHOR
Jim Fulton, MIT X Consortium
X Version 11 xev 1.2.3 XEV(1)