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I am wondering if there is any way to detect system wide events under linux such as:

  • user un/locked session
  • user logs in/out
  • machine sent to suspend
  • screensaver goes on
  • and the monitor switches off due inactivity

I need this for a Qt project where i programmatically react to such events, but i am uncertain how and where to start. Maybe there is an api that i dont know yet.

Any hints? I would appreciate any help!

user3305036
  • 41

2 Answers2

2
gnome-screensaver-command

will give you information about the screen lock events

gnome-screensaver-command -q | grep "is active"

if the command returns any result, then the screen is locked. You can lock the screen with gnome-screensaver-command -l

Dont have any info abt suspend state

RahulArackal
  • 121
2

You can use the dbus API to track this information.

See some examples which use the dbus-monitor command are here: Way to measure computer usage via screensaver active/not active time? - Ask Ubuntu.

E.g.:

dbus-monitor 'path=/org/gnome/ScreenSaver, member=ActiveChanged'

This can also be done directly from c++, in a python program, etc., using the dbus API directly.

Community
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nealmcb
  • 3,715