Python script to control the mediakeys on OS X. Used to emulate the mediakey on a keyboard with no such keys. Easiest used in combination with a launcher/trigger software such as Quicksilver.

mediakeys.py

#!/usr/bin/python

# CLI program to control the mediakeys on OS X. Used to emulate the mediakey on a keyboard with no such keys.
# Easiest used in combination with a launcher/trigger software such as Quicksilver.
# Main part taken from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11045814/emulate-media-key-press-on-mac
# Glue to make it into cli program by Fredrik Wallner http://www.wallner.nu/fredrik/

import Quartz
import sys

# NSEvent.h
NSSystemDefined = 14

# hidsystem/ev_keymap.h
NX_KEYTYPE_SOUND_UP = 0
NX_KEYTYPE_SOUND_DOWN = 1
NX_KEYTYPE_PLAY = 16
NX_KEYTYPE_NEXT = 17
NX_KEYTYPE_PREVIOUS = 18
NX_KEYTYPE_FAST = 19
NX_KEYTYPE_REWIND = 20

supportedcmds = {'playpause': NX_KEYTYPE_PLAY, 'next': NX_KEYTYPE_NEXT, 'prev': NX_KEYTYPE_PREVIOUS, 'volup': NX_KEYTYPE_SOUND_UP, 'voldown': NX_KEYTYPE_SOUND_DOWN}

def HIDPostAuxKey(key):
	def doKey(down):
		ev = Quartz.NSEvent.otherEventWithType_location_modifierFlags_timestamp_windowNumber_context_subtype_data1_data2_(
			NSSystemDefined, # type
			(0,0), # location
			0xa00 if down else 0xb00, # flags
			0, # timestamp
			0, # window
			0, # ctx
			8, # subtype
			(key << 16) | ((0xa if down else 0xb) << 8), # data1
			-1 # data2
			)
		cev = ev.CGEvent()
		Quartz.CGEventPost(0, cev)
	doKey(True)
	doKey(False)

if __name__ == "__main__":
	try:
		command = sys.argv[1]
		assert(command in supportedcmds)
		HIDPostAuxKey(supportedcmds[command])
	except (IndexError, AssertionError):
		print "Usage: %s command" % (sys.argv[0],)
		print "\tSupported commands are %s" % supportedcmds.keys()