Add system notifications with the currently available information

README.rst

@@ -1,4 +1,33 @@
 clipboard-watcher
 =================
 
-Keep an eye on the apps that are using your clipboard
+This repository contains the code of an experiment, in order to understand
+how hard would it be (if possible) to have an application that can monitor
+the access of other apps to the clipboard on Linux machines.
+
+At the moment it only supports desktop environments that use X.
+
+To learn more please read the
+`original blog post <https://blog.ovalerio.net/archives/2346>`_.
+
+Installation
+------------
+
+To build and run this demo app, you will need to have the following libraries
+on your system:
+
+* ``libdbus-1-dev``
+* ```libglib2.0-dev```
+
+You will also need to have `Poetry <http://www.python.org/>`_ in order to be
+able to execute the following commands:
+
+.. code-block::
+
+    $ poetry install
+    $ poetry run watcher
+
+Contributions
+-------------
+
+All contributions and improvements are welcome.

clipboard_watcher/app.py

@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 import logging
 import sys
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
+from threading import Thread
+from queue import Queue
 
 from Xlib import X, display
 
 from .models import ClipboardData
 from .xoperations import process_event_loop
+from .notifications import display_desktop_notification
 
 
-logger = logging.getLogger()
+logger = logging.getLogger("ClipboardWatcher")
 
 
 def set_logger_settings(level_name: str) -> None:
@@ -16,6 +19,15 @@ def set_logger_settings(level_name: str) -> None:
     logging.basicConfig(stream=sys.stdout, level=level)
 
 
+def process_notifications(q: Queue):
+    while True:
+        req = q.get(block=True)
+        display_desktop_notification(
+            f"New access to {req['selection']}({req['target']}) detected.",
+            f"Window: {req['window_name']} (id: {req['id']})\nPossible PID: {req['pid']} | Extra Info: {req['extra']}",
+        )
+
+
 def main() -> None:
     parser = ArgumentParser(
         "Monitors the access of other processes to the clipboard contents."
@@ -25,21 +37,39 @@ def main() -> None:
     if args.loglevel and args.loglevel in ["DEBUG", "INFO", "WARNING", "ERROR"]:
         set_logger_settings(args.loglevel)
     else:
-        set_logger_settings("WARNING")
+        set_logger_settings("INFO")
 
     logger.info("Initializing X client")
-    d = display.Display()
+    disp = display.Display()
     # Create ourselves a window and a property for the returned data
-    w = d.screen().root.create_window(0, 0, 10, 10, 0, X.CopyFromParent)
+    window = disp.screen().root.create_window(0, 0, 10, 10, 0, X.CopyFromParent)
-    w.set_wm_name("clipboard_watcher")
+    window.set_wm_name("clipboard_watcher")
 
     logger.debug("Getting selection data")
-    cb_data = ClipboardData(d, w, {}, {})
+    cb_data = ClipboardData(disp, window, {}, {})
     cb_data.refresh_all()
     logger.debug("Taken ownership of all selections")
 
-    logger.info("Will start processing requests")
+    job_queue = Queue()
-    process_event_loop(d, w, cb_data)
+    # Thread 1
+    event_worker = Thread(
+        target=process_event_loop, args=(disp, window, job_queue, cb_data), daemon=True
+    )
+    # Thread 2
+    notif_worker = Thread(
+        target=process_notifications,
+        args=(job_queue,),
+        daemon=True,
+    )
+
+    event_worker.start()
+    notif_worker.start()
+    logger.info("Setup done. Keeping an eye on the clipboard")
+    try:
+        event_worker.join()
+        notif_worker.join()
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        logger.info("Shutting down")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":

clipboard_watcher/models.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from Xlib import X
 
 from .xoperations import get_selection_data, get_selection_targets
 
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+logger = logging.getLogger("ClipboardWatcher")
 
 
 @dataclass

clipboard_watcher/notifications.py

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import dbus
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger("ClipboardWatcher")
+
+
+def display_desktop_notification(title: str, details: str = "", icon: str = "") -> None:
+    interface = "org.freedesktop.Notifications"
+    path = "/org/freedesktop/Notifications"
+    notification = dbus.Interface(
+        dbus.SessionBus().get_object(interface, path), interface
+    )
+    try:
+        notification.Notify("Clipboard-Watcher", 0, icon, title, details, [], [], 7000)
+    except Exception:
+        logger.error("Unable to publish notification due to dbus error")

clipboard_watcher/xoperations.py

@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 import logging
 from typing import List, Optional, Tuple
+from queue import Queue
 
 from Xlib import X, Xatom
 from Xlib.protocol import event
 
-
+logger = logging.getLogger("ClipboardWatcher")
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def get_selection_targets(disp, win, selection: str) -> List[str]:
+    """Query a selection owner for a list of all available targets."""
     data_info = get_selection_data(disp, win, selection, "TARGETS")
     if not data_info or data_info[1] != 32 and data_info[2] != Xatom.ATOM:
         return []
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ def get_selection_targets(disp, win, selection: str) -> List[str]:
 
 
 def get_selection_data(disp, win, selection: str, target: str) -> Optional[Tuple]:
-    """Get information from a particular selection."""
+    """Retrieve the data for a given target from the selection owner."""
     sel_atom = disp.get_atom(selection)
     target_atom = disp.get_atom(target)
     data_atom = disp.get_atom("SEL_DATA")
@@ -29,8 +30,6 @@ def get_selection_data(disp, win, selection: str, target: str) -> Optional[Tuple
         logger.info("No owner for selection %s", selection)
         return
 
-    # Ask for the selection.  We shouldn't use X.CurrentTime, but
-    # since we don't have an event here we have to.
     win.convert_selection(sel_atom, target_atom, data_atom, X.CurrentTime)
 
     # Wait for the notification that we got the selection
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ def get_selection_data(disp, win, selection: str, target: str) -> Optional[Tuple
         logger.info("SelectionNotify event does not match our request: %s", e)
 
     if e.property == X.NONE:
-        logger.info("selection lost or conversion to TEXT failed")
+        logger.info("Selection lost or conversion to TEXT failed")
         return
 
     if e.property != data_atom:
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@ def get_selection_data(disp, win, selection: str, target: str) -> Optional[Tuple
 
     # Can the data be used directly or read incrementally
     if r.property_type == disp.get_atom("INCR"):
-        logger.info("reading data incrementally: at least %d bytes", r.value[0])
+        logger.info("Reading data incrementally: at least %d bytes", r.value[0])
         data = _handle_incr(disp, win, data_atom)
     else:
         data = r.value
@@ -68,17 +67,13 @@ def get_selection_data(disp, win, selection: str, target: str) -> Optional[Tuple
 
 
 def _handle_incr(d, w, data_atom):
-    # This works by us removing the data property, the selection owner
+    """Handle the selection's data, when it is provided in chunks"""
-    # getting a notification of that, and then setting the property
-    # again with more data.  To notice that, we must listen for
-    # PropertyNotify events.
     w.change_attributes(event_mask=X.PropertyChangeMask)
     data = None
 
     while True:
         # Delete data property to tell owner to give us more data
         w.delete_property(data_atom)
-
         # Wait for notification that we got data
         while True:
             e = d.next_event()
@@ -110,7 +105,7 @@ def process_selection_request_event(d, cb_data, e):
 
     if e.property == X.NONE:
         logger.info("request from obsolete client!")
-        client_prop = e.target  # per ICCCM recommendation
+        client_prop = e.target
     else:
         client_prop = e.property
 
@@ -193,7 +188,7 @@ def process_selection_request_event(d, cb_data, e):
 
 
 def process_selection_clear_event(d, cb_data, e):
-    logger.warning("New content on %s, assuming ownership", e.atom)
+    logger.warning("New content on %s, assuming ownership", d.get_atom_name(e.atom))
     if e.atom == d.get_atom("PRIMARY"):
         cb_data.refresh_primary()
     elif e.atom == d.get_atom("CLIPBOARD"):
@@ -204,15 +199,33 @@ def process_selection_clear_event(d, cb_data, e):
     logger.warning("Owner again")
 
 
-def process_event_loop(d, w, cb_data):
+def process_event_loop(d, w, q: Queue, cb_data):
-    running = True
+    while True:
-    while running:
         e = d.next_event()
         if (
             e.type == X.SelectionRequest
             and e.owner == w
             and e.selection in cb_data.name_atoms(d)
         ):
+            req_id = e.requestor.id
+            req_name = e.requestor.get_wm_name()
+            req_pid = e.requestor.get_property(
+                d.get_atom("_NET_WM_PID"), d.get_atom("CARDINAL"), 0, 1024
+            )
+            extra = d.get_atom_name(e.property)
             process_selection_request_event(d, cb_data, e)
+            if d.get_atom_name(e.target) != "TARGETS":
+                q.put(
+                    {
+                        "id": req_id,
+                        "window_name": req_name,
+                        "pid": req_pid,
+                        "target": d.get_atom_name(e.target),
+                        "selection": d.get_atom_name(e.selection),
+                        "extra": extra,
+                    },
+                    block=False,
+                )
+
         elif e.type == X.SelectionClear and e.window == w:
             process_selection_clear_event(d, cb_data, e)

poetry.lock

@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ category = "dev"
 optional = false
 python-versions = ">=2.7, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*, !=3.3.*, !=3.4.*"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "dbus-python"
+version = "1.2.18"
+description = "Python bindings for libdbus"
+category = "main"
+optional = false
+python-versions = "*"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "more-itertools"
 version = "8.12.0"
@@ -210,7 +218,7 @@ python-versions = "*"
 [metadata]
 lock-version = "1.1"
 python-versions = ">=3.9,<3.11"
-content-hash = "cd2992975cbf0dc139f3a59fb907529adc5c15de7cb62f05a3fa62145b0bd8d3"
+content-hash = "6231f2ce7abc15e8e1fb0d98ea4705c356e6322e24ab4f9cfae2a223813c7bbb"
 
 [metadata.files]
 atomicwrites = [
@@ -233,6 +241,9 @@ colorama = [
     {file = "colorama-0.4.4-py2.py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:9f47eda37229f68eee03b24b9748937c7dc3868f906e8ba69fbcbdd3bc5dc3e2"},
     {file = "colorama-0.4.4.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:5941b2b48a20143d2267e95b1c2a7603ce057ee39fd88e7329b0c292aa16869b"},
 ]
+dbus-python = [
+    {file = "dbus-python-1.2.18.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:92bdd1e68b45596c833307a5ff4b217ee6929a1502f5341bae28fd120acf7260"},
+]
 more-itertools = [
     {file = "more-itertools-8.12.0.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:7dc6ad46f05f545f900dd59e8dfb4e84a4827b97b3cfecb175ea0c7d247f6064"},
     {file = "more_itertools-8.12.0-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:43e6dd9942dffd72661a2c4ef383ad7da1e6a3e968a927ad7a6083ab410a688b"},

pyproject.toml

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ authors = ["Gonçalo Valério <gon@ovalerio.net>"]
 [tool.poetry.dependencies]
 python = ">=3.9,<3.11"
 python-xlib = "^0.31"
+dbus-python = "^1.2.18"
 
 [tool.poetry.dev-dependencies]
 pytest = "^5.2"