Global Inputs (gd-global-input)

A GDExtension for Godot 4.5+ that provides global (system-wide) keyboard input detection on Windows. It allows your Godot application to receive and respond to keyboard input even when the game window is not in focus—perfect for overlays, macro tools, or background utilities.

Currently, it only supports Windows. Support for other platforms is planned for future updates.

Features

• System-Wide Input Detection: Detects key presses globally on Windows using GetAsyncKeyState.
• Background Support: Continues to work reliably when the Godot window loses focus.
• InputMap Integration: Transparently integrates with Godot's built-in InputMap system for action-based input.
• High Performance & Stability: Designed with a lightweight polling mechanism for low latency and high reliability, avoiding the pitfalls of system-wide hooks.

Installation

Method 1: Pre-built Releases (Recommended)

1. Download the latest version
2. Extract the contents directly into your Godot project's folder. It should create an addons/gd-global-input/ structure.
3. The extension will automatically load and be ready to use (Reload your project if needed).

Method 2: Building from Source

If you prefer to compile the extension yourself:

1. Clone this repository and initialize submodules:

   git clone https://github.com/aliarcanakgun/gd-global-input.git
   cd gd-global-input
   git submodule update --init --recursive
   

2. Make sure you have SCons and a modern C++ compiler (like MSVC on Windows) installed.
3. Compile the extension for your desired target:

   scons target=template_debug
   scons target=template_release
   

4. The compiled extension libraries will be naturally generated under the demo/addons/gd-global-input/<platform>/ folder. You can safely copy the entire addons/gd-global-input folder to your Godot project.

Usage

The extension provides a GlobalInput singleton that you can access from any GDScript file.

Checking Key States

Check if a key is currently held down:

if GlobalInput.is_global_key_pressed(KEY_A):
    print("Global 'A' key is currently pressed")

Check if a key was just pressed this frame:

if GlobalInput.is_global_key_just_pressed(KEY_SPACE):
    print("Global Spacebar just pressed")

Check if a key was just released this frame:

if GlobalInput.is_global_key_just_released(KEY_ESCAPE):
    print("Global Escape just released")

Checking Input Map Actions

You can also check for custom actions defined in your project's InputMap (Project -> Project Settings -> Input Map).

Check if a custom action is just pressed:

if GlobalInput.is_global_input_just_pressed("my_custom_action"):
    print("Custom action just pressed globally")

Check if a custom action is just released:

if GlobalInput.is_global_input_just_released("my_custom_action"):
    print("Custom action just released globally")

Check if a custom action is currently held:

if GlobalInput.is_global_input_pressed("my_custom_action"):
    print("Custom action is being held down")