blender_accessibility

A lightweight Qt-based control panel application for sending keyboard events to specific windows, with special optimization for Blender 3D.

Features

• Window Targeting: Select specific application windows to control
• Raw Input Events: Send keyboard events directly to target applications
• Blender Optimized: Special focus handling for Blender's 3D viewport
• Toggle Buttons: Visual toggle states for Shift, Ctrl, and Alt modifiers
• Action Button: Send Numpad + key presses
• Smart Mouse Return: Automatically returns mouse to control panel after operations
• Position Memory: Remembers window position between sessions
• Always on Top: Stays visible above other windows
• Draggable Interface: Move the control panel anywhere on screen

Screenshot

Installation

Prerequisites

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install qt6-base-dev libx11-dev cmake build-essential

# Fedora/RHEL
sudo dnf install qt6-qtbase-devel libX11-devel cmake gcc-c++

Build from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/fivethreeo/blender_accessibility.git
cd ControlPanel

# Create build directory
mkdir build
cd build

# Configure and build
cmake ..
make

# Install (optional)
sudo make install

Permissions Setup

For accessing input devices without sudo:

# Add your user to the input group
sudo usermod -a -G input $USER

# You may need to logout/login for changes to take effect

Usage

1. Run the application:

   ./ControlPanel  # or sudo ./ControlPanel if permissions not set

2. Select Target:

   • Choose the target window (e.g., Blender)
   • Select your keyboard device from the list
   • Click "Start Control"

3. Control Panel Operations:

Button	Function	Blender Use Case
Shift	Toggle Left Shift	Precise movement, snapping
Ctrl	Toggle Left Control	Measurements, constraints
Alt	Toggle Left Alt	Duplicate, special operations
+	Send Numpad Plus	Zoom in, add objects
×	Close Application	Exit ControlPanel
≡	Drag Panel	Reposition control panel

4. Blender Workflow:
   • The panel is optimized for Blender - it ensures proper 3D view focus
   • Mouse automatically returns to button position after operations
   • Perfect for navigation and quick modifier key toggling

Technical Details

Architecture

• Frontend: Qt6 Widgets application
• Backend: X11 window management + Linux input subsystem
• Input: Raw keyboard event injection via /dev/input/ devices

Supported Systems

• Linux with X11 window system
• Qt6 compatible distributions
• Kernel 4.4+ with input subsystem support

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "No keyboard devices found":

   # Check available devices
   ls /dev/input/by-id/
   
   # Ensure you have permissions
   ls -l /dev/input/by-id/

2. "Failed to open keyboard device":

   # Run with sudo or set permissions
   sudo ./ControlPanel

3. Window not focusing properly:

   • Ensure the target application is running
   • Try selecting the window again from the dialog

Debug Mode

Run with debug output:

./ControlPanel 2>&1 | tee debug.log

Building for Development

# Debug build with symbols
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug ..
make

# Release build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
make

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Qt Framework for the excellent cross-platform GUI library
• X11 developers for window management capabilities
• Blender community for inspiration

Support

If you encounter any issues or have questions:

1. Check the Troubleshooting section
2. Search existing Issues
3. Create a new issue with detailed information

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Note: This application requires appropriate permissions to access input devices. Use responsibly and only on systems you own or have permission to control.