---
name: "XkbGetUpdatedMap"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libx11"
version: "1.8.14-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/XkbGetUpdatedMap"
---

# XkbGetUpdatedMap(3)

Update the client or server map information in an existing keyboard description

## NAME

XkbGetUpdatedMap -  Update the client or server map information in an existing keyboard description

## SYNOPSIS

**Status XkbGetUpdatedMap** **(Display \****display***,** **unsigned int** *which***,** **XkbDescPtr** *xkb***);**

## ARGUMENTS

- *display*

  connection to X server

- *which*

  mask selecting subcomponents to populate

- *xkb*

  keyboard description to be updated

## DESCRIPTION

The *which* parameter is a bitwise inclusive OR of the masks in Table 1. If the needed components of the *xkb* structure are not already allocated, *XkbGetUpdatedMap* allocates them. *XkbGetUpdatedMap* fetches the requested information for the device specified in the XkbDescRec passed in the *xkb* parameter.

| | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Table 1 Xkb Mapping Component Masks |
| and Convenience Functions |
| Mask | Value | Map | Fields | Convenience |
|  |  |  |  | Functions |
| XkbKeyTypesMask | (1\<\<0) | client | types size\_types num\_types | XkbGetKeyTypes XkbResizeKeyType XkbCopyKeyType XkbCopyKeyTypes |
| XkbKeySymsMask | (1\<\<1) | client | syms size\_syms num\_syms key\_sym\_map | XkbGetKeySyms XkbResizeKeySyms XkbChangeTypesOfKey |
| XkbModifierMapMask | (1\<\<2) | client | modmap | XkbGetKeyModifierMap |
| XkbExplicitComponentsMask | (1\<\<3) | server | explicit | XkbGetKeyExplicitComponents |
| XkbKeyActionsMask | (1\<\<4) | server | key\_acts acts num\_acts size\_acts | XkbGetKeyActions XkbResizeKeyActions |
| XkbKeyBehaviorsMask | (1\<\<5) | server | behaviors | XkbGetKeyBehaviors |
| XkbVirtualModsMask | (1\<\<6) | server | vmods | XkbGetVirtualMods |
| XkbVirtualModMapMask | (1\<\<7) | server | vmodmap | XkbGetVirtualModMap |

*XkbGetUpdatedMap* is synchronous; it queries the server for the desired information, waits for a reply, and then returns. If successful, *XkbGetUpdatedMap* returns Success. If unsuccessful, *XkbGetUpdatedMap* returns one of the following: BadAlloc (unable to allocate a component in the XkbDescRec structure), BadValue (some mask bits in *which* are undefined), BadImplementation (a compatible version of the Xkb extension is not available in the server or the reply from the server was invalid).

## RETURN VALUES

- Success

  The *XkbGetUpdatedMap* function returns Success if a reply is received to the server query for the desired information.

## STRUCTURES

The complete description of an Xkb keyboard is given by an XkbDescRec. The component structures in the XkbDescRec represent the major Xkb components.

```
typedef struct {
   struct _XDisplay * display;      /* connection to X server */
   unsigned short     flags;        /* private to Xkb, do not modify */
   unsigned short     device_spec;  /* device of interest */
   KeyCode            min_key_code; /* minimum keycode for device */
   KeyCode            max_key_code; /* maximum keycode for device */
   XkbControlsPtr     ctrls;        /* controls */
   XkbServerMapPtr    server;       /* server keymap */
   XkbClientMapPtr    map;          /* client keymap */
   XkbIndicatorPtr    indicators;   /* indicator map */
   XkbNamesPtr        names;        /* names for all components */
   XkbCompatMapPtr    compat;       /* compatibility map */
   XkbGeometryPtr     geom;         /* physical geometry of keyboard */
} XkbDescRec, *XkbDescPtr;
```

The *display* field points to an X display structure. The *flags* field is private to the library: modifying *flags* may yield unpredictable results. The *device\_spec* field specifies the device identifier of the keyboard input device, or XkbUseCoreKeyboard, which specifies the core keyboard device. The *min\_key\_code* and *max\_key\_code* fields specify the least and greatest keycode that can be returned by the keyboard.

Each structure component has a corresponding mask bit that is used in function calls to indicate that the structure should be manipulated in some manner, such as allocating it or freeing it. These masks and their relationships to the fields in the XkbDescRec are shown in Table 2.

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Table 2 Mask Bits for XkbDescRec |
| Mask Bit | XkbDescRec Field | Value |
| XkbControlsMask | ctrls | (1L\<\<0) |
| XkbServerMapMask | server | (1L\<\<1) |
| XkbIClientMapMask | map | (1L\<\<2) |
| XkbIndicatorMapMask | indicators | (1L\<\<3) |
| XkbNamesMask | names | (1L\<\<4) |
| XkbCompatMapMask | compat | (1L\<\<5) |
| XkbGeometryMask | geom | (1L\<\<6) |
| XkbAllComponentsMask | All Fields | (0x7f) |

## DIAGNOSTICS

- **BadAlloc**

  Unable to allocate storage

- **BadImplementation**

  Invalid reply from server

- **BadValue**

  An argument is out of range

## SEE ALSO

[**XkbChangeTypesOfKey**(3)](/XkbChangeTypesOfKey/3.md), [**XkbCopyKeyType**(3)](/XkbCopyKeyType/3.md), [**XkbCopyKeyTypes**(3)](/XkbCopyKeyTypes/3.md), [**XkbGetKeyActions**(3)](/XkbGetKeyActions/3.md), [**XkbGetKeyBehaviors**(3)](/XkbGetKeyBehaviors/3.md), [**XkbGetKeyExplicitComponents**(3)](/XkbGetKeyExplicitComponents/3.md), [**XkbGetKeyModifierMap**(3)](/XkbGetKeyModifierMap/3.md), [**XkbGetKeySyms**(3)](/XkbGetKeySyms/3.md), [**XkbGetKeyTypes**(3)](/XkbGetKeyTypes/3.md), [**XkbResizeKeyActions**(3)](/XkbResizeKeyActions/3.md), [**XkbResizeKeySyms**(3)](/XkbResizeKeySyms/3.md), [**XkbResizeKeyType**(3)](/XkbResizeKeyType/3.md), **XkbGetVirtualModMap**(3), [**XkbGetVirtualMods**(3)](/XkbGetVirtualMods/3.md)