Requeriments

You need the following components to run Xhotkeys:

- X-Window system (XFree86 or Xorg)
- Python 2.3
- Xlib and GTK2 Python libs

Setup

You have to configure your destkop environment to run Xhotkeys at startup. For example, with GNOME you will do:

- System-> Preferences -> Sessions
- StartUp Programs -> Add
- StartUp Command: xhotkeys (order: 50)

You will have to restart the session. Then open the graphical configurator running xhotkeys --config:

Here you can add new entries, delete them or edit the existing ones. Configuration will be saved on exit. On the Edit hotkey window you must fill the name and command entries (hotkey may remain disabled). While you are recording a key you can abort pressing Esc. To disable the hotkey for the entry, just press BackSpace.

You can also use mouse buttons. You will see that these special keys are recorded as @Button1@, @Button2@ or @Button3@..

Names and hotkeys cannot be repeated. Commands are run though the default shell (normally, bash), this means many useful things: you don't need to give the complete path (it uses the default environment), it's possible to pass arguments with it, and command expansion (`` or $()) are allowed.

Configuration file

Xhotkeys uses a configuration file for each user which is saved at $HOME/.xhotkeys. If you open it with a text editor, you'll see that it's simple to modify manually. Take a look on the example located at /usr/share/doc/xhotkeys/xhotkeys.conf.example.