XCHANGEKEYBOARDDEVIC(3)

💖 XCHANGEKEYBOARDDEVIC 💖

okay bestie, so this one is from section 3 of the manual — XChangeKeyboardDevice(3) — and it's literally the glow-up button for your keyboard situation. ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

XChangeKeyboardDevice — change which device is used as the X keyboard. no cap, that's the whole job. 💅

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <X11/extensions/XInput.h>

Status XChangeKeyboardDevice( Display *display,
                              XDevice *device);

• display — the connection to the X server. it's giving "hey bestie, i'm calling from this socket." 🫶
• device — the device you want to be the X keyboard. main character appointment fr fr. 👑

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

The XChangeKeyboardDevice request causes the server to use the specified device as the X keyboard. like, actually promoting it. 🎀

The device must have been previously opened by the requesting client via XOpenDevice, or a BadDevice error will result. so if you didn't open it first, it's not beating the allegations. 😭

The device must support input class Keys, or a BadMatch error will result. a keyboard with no keys? not on this server's watch. 💀

If the server implementation does not support using the requested device as the X keyboard, a BadDevice error will result. some servers just don't have that range, and that's a them problem. 🙈

If the specified device is grabbed by another client, AlreadyGrabbed is returned. If the specified device is frozen by a grab on another device, GrabFrozen is returned. If the request is successful, Success is returned. so basically: grabbed → already taken, frozen → on ice, success → slay. 🧊✨

If the request succeeds, a ChangeDeviceNotify event is sent to all clients that have selected that event. A MappingNotify event with request = MappingKeyboard is sent to all clients. The specified device becomes the X keyboard and the old X keyboard becomes accessible through the input extension protocol requests. the old keyboard isn't fired, bestie — it just moved departments. 👑➡️🌈

XChangeKeyboardDevice can generate a BadDevice or a BadMatch error. that's just the vibe check. 🫶

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💅 DIAGNOSTICS 💅

• BadDevice — An invalid device was specified. The specified device does not exist, has not been opened by this client via XOpenInputDevice, or is already one of the core X device (pointer or keyboard). This error may also occur if the server implementation does not support using the specified device as the X keyboard. it's giving "who even are you" energy. 💀
• BadMatch — This error may occur if an XChangeKeyboardDevice request was made specifying a device that has no keys. zero keys. not a single one. the audacity honestly. 😭

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• XChangePointerDevice(3) — the pointer edition, for when you also need to relocate the vibes. 🖱️✨

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okay that's the whole page, you ate that 🍓💖

this was brought to you by the 05/18/2026 release of the XCHANGEKEYBOARDDEVIC(3) manual page — periodt. 💅🎀✨