Cocoa: Simulate Macbook upper keys & Multimedia keys

Question

I am trying to simulate the upper Macbook keys to any active app using

CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent (NULL, (CGKeyCode)keycode, true);
CGEventCreateKeyboardEven         


        

Answer 1

As of 2017/2018 some of the APIs have changed. Try this snippet in Swift:

// Simulate illumination up
let code = NX_KEYTYPE_ILLUMINATION_UP
let event1 = NSEvent.otherEvent(with: .systemDefined, location: NSPoint.zero, modifierFlags: NSEventModifierFlags(rawValue: 0xa00), timestamp: 0, windowNumber: 0, context: nil, subtype: 8, data1: (Int((code << 16 as Int32) | (0xa << 8 as Int32))), data2: -1)
event1?.cgEvent?.post(tap: .cghidEventTap)
let event2 = NSEvent.otherEvent(with: .systemDefined, location: NSPoint.zero, modifierFlags: NSEventModifierFlags(rawValue: 0xb00), timestamp: 0, windowNumber: 0, context: nil, subtype: 8, data1: (Int((code << 16 as Int32) | (0xb << 8 as Int32))), data2: -1)
event2?.cgEvent?.post(tap: .cghidEventTap)



// Simulate illumination down
let code = NX_KEYTYPE_ILLUMINATION_DOWN
let event1 = NSEvent.otherEvent(with: .systemDefined, location: NSPoint.zero, modifierFlags: NSEventModifierFlags(rawValue: 0xa00), timestamp: 0, windowNumber: 0, context: nil, subtype: 8, data1: (Int((code << 16 as Int32) | (0xa << 8 as Int32))), data2: -1)
event1?.cgEvent?.post(tap: .cghidEventTap)
let event2 = NSEvent.otherEvent(with: .systemDefined, location: NSPoint.zero, modifierFlags: NSEventModifierFlags(rawValue: 0xb00), timestamp: 0, windowNumber: 0, context: nil, subtype: 8, data1: (Int((code << 16 as Int32) | (0xb << 8 as Int32))), data2: -1)
event2?.cgEvent?.post(tap: .cghidEventTap)

(credit goes to @Alex293)

This is from our discussion on ways to programmatically control the keyboard brightness with: https://github.com/pirate/mac-keyboard-brightness

Also this SO answer: How to simulate mac media keys in cocoa

Answer 2

Media keys are not treated as normal keyboard events, for some reason. This post shows what the events look like.