flushinp - Linux

Overview

flushinp is a command used to flush the input buffers of certain devices, particularly for input devices such as keyboards. It’s commonly employed for resetting or clearing pending input events, especially after experiencing issues or glitches with input handling.

Syntax

flushinp [options] [<device>]

Options/Flags

• -h, –help: Display help information and exit.
• -V, –version: Print the command’s version and exit.
• -p, –purge: Remove all pending input events, including those in the driver’s internal buffer.

Examples

Simple usage: Flush the input buffer of the default input device (usually the keyboard):

flushinp

Flush specific device: Flush the input buffer of a specified device, such as /dev/input/event1:

flushinp /dev/input/event1

Purge all pending events: Remove all pending input events, regardless of the device:

flushinp -p

Common Issues

• Missing device: If the specified device does not exist or is not accessible, flushinp will report an error. Ensure you provide the correct device path or use the default device.
• No pending events: If there are no pending input events, flushinp does not perform any actions.

Integration

flushinp can be effectively integrated with other commands for script automation or troubleshooting:

# Flush the keyboard buffer and then execute a command
flushinp && echo "Buffer flushed successfully"

# Check if the input buffer is empty after flushing
if flushinp -p; then
  echo "Buffer is now empty"
else
  echo "Buffer still contains events"
fi

Related Commands

• devinput: Manage input devices and events.
• evtest: Test and display input device events.