# Mouse Support - Documentation
## Overview
The mouse support library provides keyboard-like binding capabilities for mouse actions. It supports simple clicks, modified clicks (with Ctrl/Shift/Alt), and sequences of clicks with smart timeout logic.
## Features
### Supported Mouse Actions
**Basic Actions**:
- `click` - Left click
- `right_click` (or `rclick`) - Right click (contextmenu)
**Modified Actions**:
- `ctrl+click` (or `ctrl+rclick`) - Ctrl+Click (or Cmd+Click on Mac)
- `shift+click` (or `shift+rclick`) - Shift+Click
- `alt+click` (or `alt+rclick`) - Alt+Click
- `ctrl+shift+click` - Multiple modifiers
- Any combination of modifiers
**Sequences**:
- `click right_click` (or `click rclick`) - Click then right-click within 500ms
- `click click` - Double click sequence
- `ctrl+click click` - Ctrl+click then normal click
- Any sequence of actions
**Note**: `rclick` is an alias for `right_click` and can be used interchangeably.
### Smart Timeout Logic
Same as keyboard support:
- If **any element** has a longer sequence possible, **all matching elements wait**
- Timeout is 500ms between actions
- Immediate trigger if no longer sequences exist
### Multiple Element Support
Multiple elements can listen to the same mouse action and all will trigger simultaneously.
## Configuration Format
Uses HTMX configuration objects (same as keyboard support):
```javascript
const combinations = {
"click": {
"hx-post": "/handle-click",
"hx-target": "#result"
},
"ctrl+click": {
"hx-post": "/handle-ctrl-click",
"hx-swap": "innerHTML"
},
"rclick": { // Alias for right_click
"hx-post": "/context-menu"
},
"click rclick": { // Can use rclick in sequences too
"hx-post": "/sequence-action",
"hx-vals": {"type": "sequence"}
}
};
add_mouse_support('my-element', JSON.stringify(combinations));
```
### Dynamic Values with JavaScript Functions
You can add dynamic values computed at click time using `hx-vals-extra`. This is useful when combined with a Command (which provides `hx-vals` with `c_id`).
**Configuration format:**
```javascript
const combinations = {
"click": {
"hx-post": "/myfasthtml/commands",
"hx-vals": {"c_id": "command_id"}, // Static values from Command
"hx-vals-extra": {"js": "getClickData"} // Dynamic values via JS function
}
};
```
**How it works:**
1. `hx-vals` contains static values (e.g., `c_id` from Command)
2. `hx-vals-extra.dict` contains additional static values (merged)
3. `hx-vals-extra.js` specifies a function to call for dynamic values (merged)
**JavaScript function definition:**
```javascript
// Function receives (event, element, combinationStr)
function getClickData(event, element, combination) {
return {
x: event.clientX,
y: event.clientY,
target_id: event.target.id,
timestamp: Date.now()
};
}
```
The function parameters are optional - use what you need:
```javascript
// Full context
function getFullContext(event, element, combination) {
return { x: event.clientX, elem: element.id, combo: combination };
}
// Just the event
function getPosition(event) {
return { x: event.clientX, y: event.clientY };
}
// No parameters needed
function getTimestamp() {
return { ts: Date.now() };
}
```
**Built-in helper function:**
```javascript
// getCellId() - finds parent with .dt2-cell class and returns its id
function getCellId(event) {
const cell = event.target.closest('.dt2-cell');
if (cell && cell.id) {
return { cell_id: cell.id };
}
return {};
}
```
## API Reference
### add_mouse_support(elementId, combinationsJson)
Adds mouse support to an element.
**Parameters**:
- `elementId` (string): ID of the HTML element
- `combinationsJson` (string): JSON string of combinations with HTMX configs
**Returns**: void
**Example**:
```javascript
add_mouse_support('button1', JSON.stringify({
"click": {"hx-post": "/click"},
"ctrl+click": {"hx-post": "/ctrl-click"}
}));
```
### remove_mouse_support(elementId)
Removes mouse support from an element.
**Parameters**:
- `elementId` (string): ID of the HTML element
**Returns**: void
**Side effects**:
- If last element: detaches global event listeners and cleans up all state
**Example**:
```javascript
remove_mouse_support('button1');
```
## Automatic Parameters
The library automatically adds these parameters to every HTMX request:
- `combination` - The mouse combination that triggered the action (e.g., "ctrl+click")
- `has_focus` - Boolean indicating if the element had focus when clicked
- `is_inside` - Boolean indicating if the click was inside the element
- For `click`: `true` if clicked inside element, `false` if clicked outside
- For `right_click`: always `true` (only triggers when clicking on element)
- `has_focus` - Boolean indicating if the element had focus when the action triggered
- `clicked_inside` - Boolean indicating if the click was inside the element or outside
### Parameter Details
**`has_focus`**:
- `true` if the registered element currently has focus
- `false` otherwise
- Useful for knowing if the element was the active element
**`clicked_inside`**:
- For `click` actions: `true` if clicked on/inside the element, `false` if clicked outside
- For `right_click` actions: always `true` (since right-click only triggers on the element)
- Useful for "click outside to close" logic
**Example values sent**:
```javascript
// User clicks inside a modal
{
combination: "click",
has_focus: true,
clicked_inside: true
}
// User clicks outside the modal (modal still gets triggered because click is global)
{
combination: "click",
has_focus: false,
clicked_inside: false // Perfect for closing the modal!
}
// User right-clicks on an item
{
combination: "right_click",
has_focus: false,
clicked_inside: true // Always true for right_click
}
```
## Python Integration
### Mouse Class
The `Mouse` class provides a convenient way to add mouse support to elements.
```python
from myfasthtml.controls.Mouse import Mouse
from myfasthtml.core.commands import Command
# Create mouse support for an element
mouse = Mouse(parent_element)
# Add combinations
mouse.add("click", select_command)
mouse.add("ctrl+click", toggle_command)
mouse.add("right_click", context_menu_command)
```
### Mouse.add() Method
```python
def add(self, sequence: str, command: Command = None, *,
hx_post: str = None, hx_get: str = None, hx_put: str = None,
hx_delete: str = None, hx_patch: str = None,
hx_target: str = None, hx_swap: str = None, hx_vals=None)
```
**Parameters**:
- `sequence`: Mouse event sequence (e.g., "click", "ctrl+click", "click right_click")
- `command`: Optional Command object for server-side action
- `hx_post`, `hx_get`, etc.: HTMX URL parameters (override command)
- `hx_target`: HTMX target selector (overrides command)
- `hx_swap`: HTMX swap strategy (overrides command)
- `hx_vals`: Additional HTMX values - dict or "js:functionName()" for dynamic values
**Note**:
- Named parameters (except `hx_vals`) override the command's parameters.
- `hx_vals` is **merged** with command's values (stored in `hx-vals-extra`), preserving `c_id`.
### Usage Patterns
**With Command only**:
```python
mouse.add("click", my_command)
```
**With Command and overrides**:
```python
# Command provides hx-post, but we override the target
mouse.add("ctrl+click", my_command, hx_target="#other-result")
```
**Without Command (direct HTMX)**:
```python
mouse.add("right_click", hx_post="/context-menu", hx_target="#menu", hx_swap="innerHTML")
```
**With dynamic values**:
```python
mouse.add("shift+click", my_command, hx_vals="js:getClickPosition()")
```
### Sequences
```python
mouse = Mouse(element)
mouse.add("click", single_click_command)
mouse.add("click click", double_click_command)
mouse.add("click right_click", special_action_command)
```
### Multiple Elements
```python
# Each element gets its own Mouse instance
for item in items:
mouse = Mouse(item)
mouse.add("click", Command("select", "Select item", lambda i=item: select(i)))
mouse.add("ctrl+click", Command("toggle", "Toggle item", lambda i=item: toggle(i)))
```
### Dynamic hx-vals with JavaScript
You can use `"js:functionName()"` to call a client-side JavaScript function that returns additional values to send with the request. The command's `c_id` is preserved.
**Python**:
```python
mouse.add("click", my_command, hx_vals="js:getClickContext()")
```
**Generated config** (internally):
```json
{
"hx-post": "/myfasthtml/commands",
"hx-vals": {"c_id": "command_id"},
"hx-vals-extra": {"js": "getClickContext"}
}
```
**JavaScript** (client-side):
```javascript
// Function receives (event, element, combinationStr)
function getClickContext(event, element, combination) {
return {
x: event.clientX,
y: event.clientY,
elementId: element.id,
combo: combination
};
}
// Simple function - parameters are optional
function getTimestamp() {
return { ts: Date.now() };
}
```
**Values sent to server**:
```json
{
"c_id": "command_id",
"x": 150,
"y": 200,
"elementId": "my-element",
"combo": "click",
"combination": "click",
"has_focus": false,
"is_inside": true
}
```
You can also pass a static dict:
```python
mouse.add("click", my_command, hx_vals={"extra_key": "extra_value"})
```
### Low-Level Usage (without Mouse class)
For advanced use cases, you can generate the JavaScript directly:
```python
import json
combinations = {
"click": {
"hx-post": "/item/select"
},
"ctrl+click": {
"hx-post": "/item/select-multiple",
"hx-vals": {"mode": "multi"}
},
"right_click": {
"hx-post": "/item/context-menu",
"hx-target": "#context-menu",
"hx-swap": "innerHTML"
}
}
Script(f"add_mouse_support('{element_id}', '{json.dumps(combinations)}')")
```
## Behavior Details
### Click vs Right-Click Behavior
**IMPORTANT**: The library handles `click` and `right_click` differently:
**`click` (global detection)**:
- Triggers for ALL registered elements, regardless of where you click
- Useful for "click outside to close" functionality (modals, dropdowns, popups)
- Example: Modal registered with `click` → clicking anywhere on the page triggers the modal's click action
**`right_click` (element-specific detection)**:
- Triggers ONLY when you right-click on (or inside) the registered element
- Right-clicking outside the element does nothing and shows browser's context menu
- This preserves normal browser behavior while adding custom actions on your elements
**Example use case**:
```javascript
// Modal that closes when clicking anywhere
add_mouse_support('modal', JSON.stringify({
"click": {"hx-post": "/close-modal"} // Triggers even if you click outside modal
}));
// Context menu that only appears on element
add_mouse_support('item', JSON.stringify({
"right_click": {"hx-post": "/item-menu"} // Only triggers when right-clicking the item
}));
```
### Modifier Keys (Cross-Platform)
- **Windows/Linux**: `ctrl+click` uses Ctrl key
- **Mac**: `ctrl+click` uses Cmd (⌘) key OR Ctrl key
- This follows standard web conventions for cross-platform compatibility
### Input Context Protection
Mouse actions are **disabled** when clicking in input fields:
- `` elements
- `