docs » hs.hotkey

Create and manage global keyboard shortcuts

Submodules

API Overview

API Documentation

Variables

alertDuration
Signature hs.hotkey.alertDuration
Type Variable
Description Duration of the alert shown when a hotkey created with a `message` parameter is triggered, in seconds. Default is 1.
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua

Functions

assignable
Signature hs.hotkey.assignable(mods, key) -> boolean
Type Function
Description Determines whether the hotkey combination can be assigned a callback through Hammerspoon.
Parameters
  • mods - A table or a string containing (as elements, or as substrings with any separator) the keyboard modifiers required, which should be zero or more of the following:
    • "cmd", "command" or "⌘"
    • "ctrl", "control" or "⌃"
    • "alt", "option" or "⌥"
    • "shift" or "⇧"
  • key - A string containing the name of a keyboard key (as found in hs.keycodes.map ), or a raw keycode number
Returns
  • a boolean value, true if the hotkey combination can be given an assignment by Hammerspoon or false if it cannot.
Notes
  • The most common reason a hotkey combination cannot be given an assignment by Hammerspoon is because it is in use by the Mac operating system -- see the Shortcuts tab of Keyboard in the System Preferences application or hs.hotkey.systemAssigned.
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
deleteAll
Signature hs.hotkey.deleteAll(mods, key)
Type Function
Description Deletes all previously set callbacks for a given keyboard combination
Parameters
  • mods - A table or a string containing (as elements, or as substrings with any separator) the keyboard modifiers required, which should be zero or more of the following:
    • "cmd", "command" or "⌘"
    • "ctrl", "control" or "⌃"
    • "alt", "option" or "⌥"
    • "shift" or "⇧"
  • key - A string containing the name of a keyboard key (as found in hs.keycodes.map ), or a raw keycode number
Returns
  • None
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
disableAll
Signature hs.hotkey.disableAll(mods, key)
Type Function
Description Disables all previously set callbacks for a given keyboard combination
Parameters
  • mods - A table or a string containing (as elements, or as substrings with any separator) the keyboard modifiers required, which should be zero or more of the following:
    • "cmd", "command" or "⌘"
    • "ctrl", "control" or "⌃"
    • "alt", "option" or "⌥"
    • "shift" or "⇧"
  • key - A string containing the name of a keyboard key (as found in hs.keycodes.map ), or a raw keycode number
Returns
  • None
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
getHotkeys
Signature hs.hotkey.getHotkeys() -> table
Type Function
Description Returns a list of all currently active hotkeys
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • A table containing the hotkeys that are active, i.e. enabled and not "shadowed", in the current context (usually, the global hotkey context, but it could be a modal hotkey context). Every element in the list is a table with two fields:
    • idx - a string describing the keyboard combination for the hotkey
    • msg - the hotkey message, if provided when the hotkey was created (prefixed with the keyboard combination)
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
showHotkeys
Signature hs.hotkey.showHotkeys(mods, key) -> hs.hotkey object
Type Function
Description Creates (and enables) a hotkey that shows all currently active hotkeys (i.e. enabled and not "shadowed" in the current context) while pressed
Parameters
  • mods - A table or a string containing (as elements, or as substrings with any separator) the keyboard modifiers required, which should be zero or more of the following:
    • "cmd", "command" or "⌘"
    • "ctrl", "control" or "⌃"
    • "alt", "option" or "⌥"
    • "shift" or "⇧"
  • key - A string containing the name of a keyboard key (as found in hs.keycodes.map ), or a raw keycode number
Returns
  • The new hs.hotkey object
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
systemAssigned
Signature hs.hotkey.systemAssigned(mods, key) -> table | false
Type Function
Description Examine whether a potential hotkey is in use by the macOS system such as the Screen Capture, Universal Access, and Keyboard Navigation keys.
Parameters
  • mods - A table or a string containing (as elements, or as substrings with any separator) the keyboard modifiers required, which should be zero or more of the following:
    • "cmd", "command" or "⌘"
    • "ctrl", "control" or "⌃"
    • "alt", "option" or "⌥"
    • "shift" or "⇧"
  • key - A string containing the name of a keyboard key (as found in hs.keycodes.map ), or a raw keycode number
Returns
  • if the hotkey combination is in use by a system function, returns a table containing the following keys:
    • keycode - the numberic keycode for the hotkey
    • mods - a numeric representation of the modifier flags for the htokey
    • enabled - a boolean indicating whether or not the key is currently enabled
  • if the hotkey combination is not in use by the operating system, returns the boolean value false
Notes
  • this is provided for informational purposes and does not provide a reliable test as to whether or not Hammerspoon can use the combination to create a custom hotkey -- some combinations which return a table can be over-ridden by Hammerspoon while others cannot. See also hs.hotkey.assignable.
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua

Constructors

bind
Signature hs.hotkey.bind(mods, key, [message,] pressedfn, releasedfn, repeatfn) -> hs.hotkey object
Type Constructor
Description Creates a new hotkey and enables it immediately
Parameters
  • mods - A table or a string containing (as elements, or as substrings with any separator) the keyboard modifiers required, which should be zero or more of the following:
    • "cmd", "command" or "⌘"
    • "ctrl", "control" or "⌃"
    • "alt", "option" or "⌥"
    • "shift" or "⇧"
  • key - A string containing the name of a keyboard key (as found in hs.keycodes.map ), or a raw keycode number
  • message - (optional) A string containing a message to be displayed via hs.alert() when the hotkey has been triggered; if omitted, no alert will be shown
  • pressedfn - A function that will be called when the hotkey has been pressed, or nil
  • releasedfn - A function that will be called when the hotkey has been released, or nil
  • repeatfn - A function that will be called when a pressed hotkey is repeating, or nil
Returns
  • A new hs.hotkey object or nil if the hotkey could not be enabled
Notes
  • This function is just a wrapper that performs hs.hotkey.new(...):enable()
  • You can create multiple hs.hotkey objects for the same keyboard combination, but only one can be active at any given time - see hs.hotkey:enable()
  • If message is the empty string "", the alert will just show the triggered keyboard combination
  • If you don't want any alert, you must actually omit the message parameter; a nil in 3rd position will be interpreted as a missing pressedfn
  • You must pass at least one of pressedfn, releasedfn or repeatfn; to delete a hotkey, use hs.hotkey:delete()
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
bindSpec
Signature hs.hotkey.bindSpec(keyspec, ...) -> hs.hotkey object
Type Constructor
Description Creates a hotkey and enables it immediately
Parameters
  • keyspec - A table containing two items:
    • first, a table containing keyboard modifiers, as specified in hs.hotkey.bind()
    • second, a string containing the name of a keyboard key, as specified in hs.hotkey.bind()
  • ... - All remaining arguments are as specified in hs.hotkey.bind()
Returns
  • A new hs.hotkey object for method chaining
Notes
  • This function is just a wrapper that performs hs.hotkey.bind(keyspec[1], keyspec[2], ...)
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
new
Signature hs.hotkey.new(mods, key, [message,] pressedfn, releasedfn, repeatfn) -> hs.hotkey object
Type Constructor
Description Creates a new hotkey
Parameters
  • mods - A table or a string containing (as elements, or as substrings with any separator) the keyboard modifiers required, which should be zero or more of the following:
    • "cmd", "command" or "⌘"
    • "ctrl", "control" or "⌃"
    • "alt", "option" or "⌥"
    • "shift" or "⇧"
  • key - A string containing the name of a keyboard key (as found in hs.keycodes.map ), or a raw keycode number
  • message - (optional) A string containing a message to be displayed via hs.alert() when the hotkey has been triggered; if omitted, no alert will be shown
  • pressedfn - A function that will be called when the hotkey has been pressed, or nil
  • releasedfn - A function that will be called when the hotkey has been released, or nil
  • repeatfn - A function that will be called when a pressed hotkey is repeating, or nil
Returns
  • A new hs.hotkey object or nil if the hotkey could not be enabled
Notes
  • You can create multiple hs.hotkey objects for the same keyboard combination, but only one can be active at any given time - see hs.hotkey:enable()
  • If message is the empty string "", the alert will just show the triggered keyboard combination
  • If you don't want any alert, you must actually omit the message parameter; a nil in 3rd position will be interpreted as a missing pressedfn
  • You must pass at least one of pressedfn, releasedfn or repeatfn; to delete a hotkey, use hs.hotkey:delete()
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua

Methods

delete
Signature hs.hotkey:delete()
Type Method
Description Disables and deletes a hotkey object
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • None
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
disable
Signature hs.hotkey:disable() -> hs.hotkey object
Type Method
Description Disables a hotkey object
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • The hs.hotkey object for method chaining
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua
enable
Signature hs.hotkey:enable() -> hs.hotkey object | nil
Type Method
Description Enables a hotkey object
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • The hs.hotkey object for method chaining or nil if the hotkey could not be enabled for some reason.
Notes
  • When you enable a hotkey that uses the same keyboard combination as another previously-enabled hotkey, the old one will stop working as it's being "shadowed" by the new one. As soon as the new hotkey is disabled or deleted the old one will trigger again.
Source extensions/hotkey/init.lua