From 40be382c2d3b89073770602ec9a8eb64307ebc72 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Kevin F <beardog@mailbox.org>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2023 01:08:48 -0600
Subject: [PATCH] began work on better character streaming with xdotool

---
 Server.md    |  1 -
 Streaming.md | 71 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------
 2 files changed, 57 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Server.md b/Server.md
index 7eeca8d..90ca758 100644
--- a/Server.md
+++ b/Server.md
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ import(
     "os"
     "net/http"
     "fmt"
-    "strings"
     "log"
 	"keyboard.voidnet.tech/auth"
     @{gorilla/websocket import string}
diff --git a/Streaming.md b/Streaming.md
index bc9e340..53476ba 100644
--- a/Streaming.md
+++ b/Streaming.md
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 # Streaming keyboard input
 
-We use the Gorilla websocket library to handle the websocket connection. We then use the sendkeys library to stream the keyboard input to the client.
+We use the Gorilla websocket library to handle the websocket connection.
+
+Most of the time, we can use sendkeys (which uses libinput) to effeciently press keys. However, if we need to send a character that sendkeys doesn't know about, we can use the xdotool command.
+
+xdotool spawns a new process for each keypress, so it's not as effecient as sendkeys.
+
+To specify xdotool usage, the client should send a message with the format `{kb_cmd:xdotool}:message` where message is a utf-8 string.
 
 ``` go
 --- streaming keyboard input
@@ -31,7 +37,6 @@ func clientConnected(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 	c.WriteMessage(websocket.TextMessage, []byte("authenticated"))
 
-	var parts []string
 	for {
 		time.Sleep(25 * time.Millisecond)
 		_, message, err := c.ReadMessage()
@@ -45,18 +50,56 @@ func clientConnected(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			message_string = "\n"
 		}
 		
-		parts = strings.Split(message_string, "\n")
-
-		for _, part := range parts {
-			err = keyboard.Type(part)
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Println("type:", err)
-			}
-			if len(parts) > 1 {
-				keyboard.Enter()
-			}
-		}
+		@{send keys to system}
 	}
 }
 
----
\ No newline at end of file
+---
+```
+
+# Sending the keys
+
+Sending the keys is a bit tricky as we need to manually convert backspace, tab, and enter.
+
+``` go
+
+--- send keys to system
+
+if strings.HasPrefix(message_string, "{kb_cmd:xdotool}:") {
+	message_string = strings.TrimPrefix(message_string, "{kb_cmd:xdotool}:")
+	if message_string == "" {
+		message_string = "\n"
+	}
+
+	// regex if string has characters we need to convert to key presses
+	// if it does, convert them and send them
+	// if it doesn't, send the whole string
+
+	cmd := exec.Command("xdotool", "type", message_string)
+	err = cmd.Run()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Println("xdotool:", err)
+	}
+	continue
+}
+
+for _, character := range message_string {
+	charString := string(character)
+	if charString == "\n" {
+		keyboard.Enter()
+		continue
+	}
+	if charString == "\t" {
+		keyboard.Tab()
+		continue
+	}
+	if charString == "\b" {
+		keyboard.BackSpace()
+		continue
+	}
+	err = keyboard.Type(charString)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Println("type:", err)
+	}
+}
+```
\ No newline at end of file