XTQMODKEYS — Query modifyKeys current value (CSI ? Pp m)

Byte forms

Every common string-literal form so you can paste-and-search either direction.

Description

The `?` prefix on a `m` final byte flips this from SGR (private SGR sub-modes don't exist) to XTQMODKEYS, the read-side companion of XTMODKEYS (`\x1b[><Pp>;<Pv>m`). `Pp` selects which resource to query: `0` modifyKeyboard, `1` modifyCursorKeys, `2` modifyFunctionKeys, `4` modifyOtherKeys. The reply is `\x1b[><Pp>;<Pv>m` — the **same form** as the XTMODKEYS set command, which means the terminal effectively round-trips its setting back to the caller. This is useful for libraries that want to save the current modifyKeys state before mutating it: query → mutate → restore on exit. Most CSI u protocol consumers (kitty, ghostty) also reply correctly, but their underlying keyboard model is richer than XTMODKEYS and the reply is somewhat lossy — call `\x1b[=u` (CSI u flags push) instead if you're already in CSI u land. The query is silent on `Pp` values the terminal doesn't understand — no reply at all, so wrap your read with a timeout (~50–100 ms is plenty on a Unix tty). XTQMODKEYS is one of the few xterm queries whose round-trip is purely a state read with no side effects, making it safe to interleave anywhere in a render loop.

Spec citation: xterm-ctlseqs (XTQMODKEYS)

Parameters

Examples

printf '\033[?4m'   # query modifyOtherKeys — reply: \x1b[>4;<Pv>m\n# read with: IFS= read -t 0.1 -rN 32 reply

import sys, select\nsys.stdout.write('\x1b[?4m'); sys.stdout.flush()\n# poll stdin: if select() ready in 100ms, parse \x1b[>4;<Pv>m

fmt.Print("\x1b[?2m")   // query modifyFunctionKeys current value

process.stdout.write('\x1b[?0m')   // query modifyKeyboard\nprocess.stdin.once('data', buf => { /* parse reply */ })

printf("\x1b[?4m");   /* before mutating modifyOtherKeys, snapshot the current value */

Terminal support

xterm

yes

Linux console (fbcon)

no

macOS Terminal.app

no

iTerm2

partial

Windows Terminal

partial

cmd.exe / ConPTY

no

kitty

yes

alacritty

partial

WezTerm

yes

Ghostty

yes

GNOME Terminal

partial

Konsole

partial

tmux

no

GNU screen

no

Related sequences

• XTMODKEYS — Modify keyboard reporting (CSI > Pp ; Pv m)
• DSR — Device Status Report (CSI 5n / CSI 6n)
• DECRQM — Request Mode Status (CSI ? Ps $ p)