Window server event taps

Abstract

Methods, devices and an associated application programming interface are described that permits a user to register event tap routines (“ETRs”) with an application such as, for example, a window server application. Event tap routines permit events such as human interface device events to be processed at multiple points and in a manner not provided during normal window server operations. Event tap routines may effect passive or active event responses. Passive ETRs may merely record the occurrence of an event or the time between successive events without modifying or altering the event's processing sequence within a window server. Active ETRs, on the other hand, effect some programmatic response to an event. For example, active ETRs may modify the state of an event, delete the event, create one or more additional events or cause the event to be processed “out of sequence” by the window server application.

1 .- 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a window server application, a user-interface event associated with an application;   determining, by the window server application, the user-interface event is associated with an event processing routine, wherein the event processing routing is registered at one or more tap locations within a processing scheme of the window server application;   invoking, by the window server application, execution of the associated event processing routine using the user interface event;   receiving, by the window server application, a result event from the event processing routine; and   delivering, by the window server application, the result event to the application.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the registered event processing routine comprises at least one of a passive callback function or an active callback function. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the registered event processing routine comprises an active callback function including a set of functions, and the method further comprising modifying the user-interface event using the set of functions. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to change a type attribute associated with the user-interface event. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to delete the user-interface event. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to create one or more additional events associated with the user-interface event. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the user-interface event comprises at least one of a human interface device event, a session event, an annotated session event, or a connection event. 
     
     
         65 . A device, including:
 memory that stores an event processing routing; and   one or more processors configured to:
 receive, by a window server application, a user-interface event associated with an application; 
 determine, by the window server application, the user-interface event is associated with the event processing routine, wherein the event processing routing is registered at one or more tap locations within a processing scheme of the window server application; 
 invoke, by the window server application, execution of the associated event processing routine using the user interface event; 
 receive, by the window server application, a result event from the event processing routine; and 
 deliver, by the window server application, the result event to the application. 
   
     
     
         66 . The device of  claim 65 , wherein the registered event processing routine comprises at least one of a passive callback function or an active callback function. 
     
     
         67 . The device of  claim 66 , wherein the registered event processing routine comprises an active callback function including a set of functions, and the processers further comprising modify the user-interface event using the set of functions. 
     
     
         68 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to change a type attribute associated with the user-interface event. 
     
     
         69 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to delete the user-interface event. 
     
     
         70 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to create one or more additional events associated with the user-interface event. 
     
     
         71 . The device of  claim 65 , wherein the user-interface event comprises at least one of a human interface device event, a session event, an annotated session event, or a connection event. 
     
     
         72 . A computer program product encoded on non-transitory medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by a window server application, a user-interface event associated with an application;   determining, by the window server application, the user-interface event is associated with an event processing routine, wherein the event processing routing is registered at one or more tap locations within a processing scheme of the window server application;   invoking, by the window server application, execution of the associated event processing routine using the user interface event;   receiving, by the window server application, a result event from the event processing routine; and   delivering, by the window server application, the result event to the application.   
     
     
         73 . The computer program product of  claim 72 , wherein the registered event processing routine comprises at least one of a passive callback function or an active callback function. 
     
     
         74 . The computer program product of  claim 73 , wherein the registered event processing routine comprises an active callback function including a set of functions, and the instructions further comprising modifying the user-interface event using the set of functions. 
     
     
         75 . The computer program product of  claim 74 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to change a type attribute associated with the user-interface event. 
     
     
         76 . The computer program product of  claim 74 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to delete the user-interface event. 
     
     
         77 . The computer program product of  claim 74 , wherein the set of functions to modify comprise functions to create one or more additional events associated with the user-interface event. 
     
     
         78 . The computer program product of  claim 72 , wherein the user-interface event comprises at least one of a human interface device event, a session event, an annotated session event, or a connection event.