feat: keyboard type --strategy pid — background Unicode input - #2
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maxesisnclaw wants to merge 1 commit into
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feat: keyboard type --strategy pid — background Unicode input#2maxesisnclaw wants to merge 1 commit into
maxesisnclaw wants to merge 1 commit into
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Adds 'type_text_bg(pid, text)' in src/input.rs — mirrors 'type_text'
but uses CGEventPostToPid instead of global HID, so Unicode strings
are delivered to the target process's first responder without activation
or focus steal. Same chunking (20 UTF-16 code units) and pacing as the
global path; Unicode works because CGEventKeyboardSetUnicodeString feeds
UTF-16 directly, bypassing the keycode table.
CLI surface (src/main.rs):
- 'keyboard type' subcommand grows a '--strategy <hid|pid>' flag
(reusing the existing PressStrategy enum for symmetry with 'press').
- Default remains 'hid' for backward compat; 'pid' requires '--app'
or '--pid' at the top level.
- Updated 'Keyboard' command docstring; the subcommand is no longer
purely global when --strategy pid is in use.
Motivation: ETF dry-run automation against custom-rendered trading
clients needs to type 3-5 strings per session (codes, prices, qty).
The previous flow had to activate the target app before each typed
string, which is intrusive and visibly steals focus from the user's
foreground work. With --strategy pid the entire session runs while
another app stays frontmost.
Verified on TextEdit: 'hello from bg path 中文测试' delivered fully
background, Brave Browser stayed frontmost throughout.
Implementation drafted with AI assistance, manually reviewed and tested.
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Motivation.
press --strategy pidalready delivers single keys to a background app viaCGEventPostToPid.keyboard typewas missing the same path; it only had the global HID route, which usually requires foregrounding the target before typing — disruptive for automation that wants to stay invisible.Implementation. Adds
input::type_text_bg(pid, &str)— a direct mirror oftype_textsubstitutingCGEvent::post_to_pidforCGEvent::post. Same 20-UTF-16-codeunit chunking, same per-chunk sleeps; pacing identical to the global path so timing-sensitive apps see no difference.CLI:
keyboard type <TEXT> --strategy hid|pid. Defaulthid(backward-compatible). Reuses the existingPressStrategyenum (consistent with thepresssubcommand).--strategy pidrequires--app/--pidat the top level.Validated on TextEdit with the app fully occluded behind another window. Unicode (including CJK characters) delivered; target never activated.
AI assistance. Implementation drafted with Claude (Opus 4.7) assistance, reviewed and tested by hand.
Companion PR: #1 (
click-xy/dblclick-xy). These two land independently; this one is a smaller diff and can be reviewed first if preferred.