ADB Shell Input Events

AndroidAdb

Android Problem Overview

What is the basic difference between adb shell input keyevent and adb shell sendevent? Which one should I use for inputting a character? Are the keycodes the same that we pass to both the commands?

Android Solutions

Solution 1 - Android

By adb shell input keyevent, either an event_code or a string will be sent to the device.

usage: input [text|keyevent]
  input text <string>
  input keyevent <event_code>

Some possible values for event_code are:

0 -->  "KEYCODE_UNKNOWN" 
1 -->  "KEYCODE_MENU" 
2 -->  "KEYCODE_SOFT_RIGHT" 
3 -->  "KEYCODE_HOME" 
4 -->  "KEYCODE_BACK" 
5 -->  "KEYCODE_CALL" 
6 -->  "KEYCODE_ENDCALL" 
7 -->  "KEYCODE_0" 
8 -->  "KEYCODE_1" 
9 -->  "KEYCODE_2" 
10 -->  "KEYCODE_3" 
11 -->  "KEYCODE_4" 
12 -->  "KEYCODE_5" 
13 -->  "KEYCODE_6" 
14 -->  "KEYCODE_7" 
15 -->  "KEYCODE_8" 
16 -->  "KEYCODE_9" 
17 -->  "KEYCODE_STAR" 
18 -->  "KEYCODE_POUND" 
19 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_UP" 
20 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN" 
21 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_LEFT" 
22 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_RIGHT" 
23 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_CENTER" 
24 -->  "KEYCODE_VOLUME_UP" 
25 -->  "KEYCODE_VOLUME_DOWN" 
26 -->  "KEYCODE_POWER" 
27 -->  "KEYCODE_CAMERA" 
28 -->  "KEYCODE_CLEAR" 
29 -->  "KEYCODE_A" 
30 -->  "KEYCODE_B" 
31 -->  "KEYCODE_C" 
32 -->  "KEYCODE_D" 
33 -->  "KEYCODE_E" 
34 -->  "KEYCODE_F" 
35 -->  "KEYCODE_G" 
36 -->  "KEYCODE_H" 
37 -->  "KEYCODE_I" 
38 -->  "KEYCODE_J" 
39 -->  "KEYCODE_K" 
40 -->  "KEYCODE_L" 
41 -->  "KEYCODE_M" 
42 -->  "KEYCODE_N" 
43 -->  "KEYCODE_O" 
44 -->  "KEYCODE_P" 
45 -->  "KEYCODE_Q" 
46 -->  "KEYCODE_R" 
47 -->  "KEYCODE_S" 
48 -->  "KEYCODE_T" 
49 -->  "KEYCODE_U" 
50 -->  "KEYCODE_V" 
51 -->  "KEYCODE_W" 
52 -->  "KEYCODE_X" 
53 -->  "KEYCODE_Y" 
54 -->  "KEYCODE_Z" 
55 -->  "KEYCODE_COMMA" 
56 -->  "KEYCODE_PERIOD" 
57 -->  "KEYCODE_ALT_LEFT" 
58 -->  "KEYCODE_ALT_RIGHT" 
59 -->  "KEYCODE_SHIFT_LEFT" 
60 -->  "KEYCODE_SHIFT_RIGHT" 
61 -->  "KEYCODE_TAB" 
62 -->  "KEYCODE_SPACE" 
63 -->  "KEYCODE_SYM" 
64 -->  "KEYCODE_EXPLORER" 
65 -->  "KEYCODE_ENVELOPE" 
66 -->  "KEYCODE_ENTER" 
67 -->  "KEYCODE_DEL" 
68 -->  "KEYCODE_GRAVE" 
69 -->  "KEYCODE_MINUS" 
70 -->  "KEYCODE_EQUALS" 
71 -->  "KEYCODE_LEFT_BRACKET" 
72 -->  "KEYCODE_RIGHT_BRACKET" 
73 -->  "KEYCODE_BACKSLASH" 
74 -->  "KEYCODE_SEMICOLON" 
75 -->  "KEYCODE_APOSTROPHE" 
76 -->  "KEYCODE_SLASH" 
77 -->  "KEYCODE_AT" 
78 -->  "KEYCODE_NUM" 
79 -->  "KEYCODE_HEADSETHOOK" 
80 -->  "KEYCODE_FOCUS" 
81 -->  "KEYCODE_PLUS" 
82 -->  "KEYCODE_MENU" 
83 -->  "KEYCODE_NOTIFICATION" 
84 -->  "KEYCODE_SEARCH" 
85 -->  "TAG_LAST_KEYCODE"

The sendevent utility sends touch or keyboard events, as well as other events for simulating the hardware events. Refer to this article for details: Android, low level shell click on screen.

Solution 2 - Android

Updating:

Using adb shell input:

> Insert text: > > adb shell input text "insert%syour%stext%shere" > > >(obs: %s means SPACE)

..

> Event codes: > > adb shell input keyevent 82 >>(82 ---> MENU_BUTTON)

>>>"For more keyevents codes see list below"

..

> Tap X,Y position: > > adb shell input tap 500 1450 >> To find the exact X,Y position you want to Tap go to:

>> Settings > Developer Options > Check the option POINTER SLOCATION

.. > > Swipe X1 Y1 X2 Y2 [duration(ms)]: > > adb shell input swipe 100 500 100 1450 100 >> in this example X1=100, Y1=500, X2=100, Y2=1450, Duration = 100ms

..

> > LongPress X Y: > > adb shell input swipe 100 500 100 500 250 >> we utilise the same command for a swipe to emulate a long press

>> in this example X=100, Y=500, Duration = 250ms

..

> Event Codes Updated List:

0 -->  "KEYCODE_0" 
1 -->  "KEYCODE_SOFT_LEFT" 
2 -->  "KEYCODE_SOFT_RIGHT" 
3 -->  "KEYCODE_HOME" 
4 -->  "KEYCODE_BACK" 
5 -->  "KEYCODE_CALL" 
6 -->  "KEYCODE_ENDCALL" 
7 -->  "KEYCODE_0" 
8 -->  "KEYCODE_1" 
9 -->  "KEYCODE_2" 
10 -->  "KEYCODE_3" 
11 -->  "KEYCODE_4" 
12 -->  "KEYCODE_5" 
13 -->  "KEYCODE_6" 
14 -->  "KEYCODE_7" 
15 -->  "KEYCODE_8" 
16 -->  "KEYCODE_9" 
17 -->  "KEYCODE_STAR" 
18 -->  "KEYCODE_POUND" 
19 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_UP" 
20 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN" 
21 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_LEFT" 
22 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_RIGHT" 
23 -->  "KEYCODE_DPAD_CENTER" 
24 -->  "KEYCODE_VOLUME_UP" 
25 -->  "KEYCODE_VOLUME_DOWN" 
26 -->  "KEYCODE_POWER" 
27 -->  "KEYCODE_CAMERA" 
28 -->  "KEYCODE_CLEAR" 
29 -->  "KEYCODE_A" 
30 -->  "KEYCODE_B" 
31 -->  "KEYCODE_C" 
32 -->  "KEYCODE_D" 
33 -->  "KEYCODE_E" 
34 -->  "KEYCODE_F" 
35 -->  "KEYCODE_G" 
36 -->  "KEYCODE_H" 
37 -->  "KEYCODE_I" 
38 -->  "KEYCODE_J" 
39 -->  "KEYCODE_K" 
40 -->  "KEYCODE_L" 
41 -->  "KEYCODE_M" 
42 -->  "KEYCODE_N" 
43 -->  "KEYCODE_O" 
44 -->  "KEYCODE_P" 
45 -->  "KEYCODE_Q" 
46 -->  "KEYCODE_R" 
47 -->  "KEYCODE_S" 
48 -->  "KEYCODE_T" 
49 -->  "KEYCODE_U" 
50 -->  "KEYCODE_V" 
51 -->  "KEYCODE_W" 
52 -->  "KEYCODE_X" 
53 -->  "KEYCODE_Y" 
54 -->  "KEYCODE_Z" 
55 -->  "KEYCODE_COMMA" 
56 -->  "KEYCODE_PERIOD" 
57 -->  "KEYCODE_ALT_LEFT" 
58 -->  "KEYCODE_ALT_RIGHT" 
59 -->  "KEYCODE_SHIFT_LEFT" 
60 -->  "KEYCODE_SHIFT_RIGHT" 
61 -->  "KEYCODE_TAB" 
62 -->  "KEYCODE_SPACE" 
63 -->  "KEYCODE_SYM" 
64 -->  "KEYCODE_EXPLORER" 
65 -->  "KEYCODE_ENVELOPE" 
66 -->  "KEYCODE_ENTER" 
67 -->  "KEYCODE_DEL" 
68 -->  "KEYCODE_GRAVE" 
69 -->  "KEYCODE_MINUS" 
70 -->  "KEYCODE_EQUALS" 
71 -->  "KEYCODE_LEFT_BRACKET" 
72 -->  "KEYCODE_RIGHT_BRACKET" 
73 -->  "KEYCODE_BACKSLASH" 
74 -->  "KEYCODE_SEMICOLON" 
75 -->  "KEYCODE_APOSTROPHE" 
76 -->  "KEYCODE_SLASH" 
77 -->  "KEYCODE_AT" 
78 -->  "KEYCODE_NUM" 
79 -->  "KEYCODE_HEADSETHOOK" 
80 -->  "KEYCODE_FOCUS" 
81 -->  "KEYCODE_PLUS" 
82 -->  "KEYCODE_MENU" 
83 -->  "KEYCODE_NOTIFICATION" 
84 -->  "KEYCODE_SEARCH" 
85 -->  "KEYCODE_MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE"
86 -->  "KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP"
87 -->  "KEYCODE_MEDIA_NEXT"
88 -->  "KEYCODE_MEDIA_PREVIOUS"
89 -->  "KEYCODE_MEDIA_REWIND"
90 -->  "KEYCODE_MEDIA_FAST_FORWARD"
91 -->  "KEYCODE_MUTE"
92 -->  "KEYCODE_PAGE_UP"
93 -->  "KEYCODE_PAGE_DOWN"
94 -->  "KEYCODE_PICTSYMBOLS"
...
122 -->  "KEYCODE_MOVE_HOME"
123 -->  "KEYCODE_MOVE_END"

> The complete list of commands can be found on: > http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/KeyEvent.html

Solution 3 - Android

Also, if you want to send embedded spaces with the input command, use %s

adb shell input text 'this%sis%san%sexample'

will yield

>this is an example

being input.

% itself does not need escaping - only the special %s pair is treated specially. This leads of course to the obvious question of how to enter the literal string %s, which you would have to do with two separate commands.

Solution 4 - Android

By the way, if you are trying to find a way to send double quotes to the device, try the following:

>adb shell input text '"'

I'm not sure why there's no event code for quotes, but this workaround does the job. Also, if you're using MonkeyDevice (or ChimpChat) you should test each caracter before invoking monkeyDevice.type, otherwise you get nothing when you try to send "

Solution 5 - Android

I wrote a simple Powershell script for windows users to map keys to adb shell input events. And controll an Android device remotely over LAN. I don't know if anyone finds it usefull, but I'll share it anyways.

$ip = 192.168.1.8
cd D:\Android\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools\; .\adb.exe disconnect $ip; .\adb.exe connect $ip
$adbKeyNum = @{LeftWindows = "1"; F1 = "3"; Enter = "66"; UpArrow = "19"; DownArrow = "20"; LeftArrow = "21"; RightArrow = "22"; Add = "24";
		Subtract = "25"; Backspace = "4"; P = "26"}
		
while(1 -eq 1){
    $keyPress = [Console]::ReadKey($true).Key
    if ([string]$keyPress -eq "F10"){
	    .\adb.exe disconnect $ip
	    exit
    }
    elseif ([string]$keyPress -eq "F6"){
	    $string = Read-Host -Prompt 'Input the string: '
	    .\adb.exe shell input text $string
    }
    elseif ($adbKeyNum.ContainsKey([string]$keyPress)){
	    echo $adbKeyNum.Get_Item([string]$keyPress)
	    .\adb.exe shell input keyevent $adbKeyNum.Get_Item([string]$keyPress)
    }
}

Solution 6 - Android

One other difference:

  • "adb shell input" is calling the input.jar to process and send the keycode from the Java layer of the android framework.
  • "adb sendevent" is actually c code (part of toolbox utility ) that sends the input code directly into the /dev/input.... of Linux input subsystem.

More detail code trace into inside AOSP Framework can be found here:

http://www.srcmap.org/sd_share/4/aba57bc6/AOSP_adb_shell_input_Code_Trace.html#RefId=7c8f5285

Solution 7 - Android

If you want to send a text to specific device when multiple devices connected. First look for the attached devices using adb devices

adb devices
List of devices attached
3004e25a57192200        device
31002d9e592b7300        device

then get your specific device id and try the following

adb -s 31002d9e592b7300 shell input text 'your text'

Solution 8 - Android

To send a reload call to a React-Native app running in a android device: adb shell input keyboard text "rr"

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