.. _gdbus(1):
.. meta::
:copyright: Copyright 2010, 2011, 2012, 2020 Red Hat, Inc.
:copyright: Copyright 2015 Collabora, Ltd.
:copyright: Copyright 2021 Endless OS Foundation, LLC
:license: LGPL-2.1-or-later
..
This has to be duplicated from above to make it machine-readable by `reuse`:
SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2020 Red Hat, Inc.
SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015 Collabora, Ltd.
SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 Endless OS Foundation, LLC
SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
=====
gdbus
=====
-----------------------------------
Tool for working with D-Bus objects
-----------------------------------
SYNOPSIS
--------
| **gdbus** introspect [--system | --session | --address *address*] --dest *bus_name* --object-path */path/to/object* [--xml] [--recurse] [--only-properties]
| **gdbus** monitor [--system | --session | --address *address*] --dest *bus_name* [--object-path */path/to/object*]
| **gdbus** call [--system | --session | --address *address*] --dest *bus_name* --object-path */path/to/object* --method *org.project.InterfaceName.MethodName* [--timeout *seconds* | --interactive] [*ARG*…]
| **gdbus** emit [--system | --session | --address *address*] --object-path */path/to/object* --signal *org.project.InterfaceName.SignalName* [--dest *unique_bus_name*] [*ARG*…]
| **gdbus** wait [--system | --session | --address *address*] --activate *bus_name* [--timeout *seconds*] *bus_name*
| **gdbus** help
DESCRIPTION
-----------
``gdbus`` is a simple tool for working with D-Bus objects.
COMMANDS
--------
``introspect``
Prints out interfaces and property values for a remote object. For this to
work, the owner of the object needs to implement the
``org.freedesktop.DBus.Introspectable`` interface. If the ``--xml`` option is
used, the returned introspection XML is printed, otherwise a parsed pretty
representation is printed. The ``--recurse`` option can be used to introspect
children (and their children and so on) and the ``--only-properties`` option
can be used to only print the interfaces with properties.
``monitor``
Monitors one or all objects owned by the owner of ``bus_name``.
``call``
Invokes a method on a remote object. Each argument to pass to the method must
be specified as a serialized ``GVariant`` except that strings do not need
explicit quotes. The return values are printed out as serialized ``GVariant``
values.
``emit``
Emits a signal. Each argument to include in the signal must be specified as a
serialized ``GVariant`` except that strings do not need explicit quotes.
``wait``
Waits until ``bus_name`` is owned by some process on the bus. If the
``--activate`` is specified, that bus name will be auto-started first. It may
be the same as the bus name being waited for, or different.
``help``
Prints help and exits.
BASH COMPLETION
---------------
``gdbus`` ships with a bash completion script to complete commands,
destinations, bus names, object paths and interface/method names.
EXAMPLES
--------
This shows how to introspect an object — note that the value of each property is
displayed::
$ gdbus introspect --system \
--dest org.freedesktop.NetworkManager \
--object-path /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/0
node /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/0 {
interface org.freedesktop.DBus.Introspectable {
methods:
Introspect(out s data);
};
interface org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties {
methods:
Get(in s interface,
in s propname,
out v value);
Set(in s interface,
in s propname,
in v value);
GetAll(in s interface,
out a{sv} props);
};
interface org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.Device.Wired {
signals:
PropertiesChanged(a{sv} arg_0);
properties:
readonly b Carrier = false;
readonly u Speed = 0;
readonly s HwAddress = '00:1D:72:88:BE:97';
};
interface org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.Device {
methods:
Disconnect();
signals:
StateChanged(u arg_0,
u arg_1,
u arg_2);
properties:
readonly u DeviceType = 1;
readonly b Managed = true;
readwrite o Ip6Config = '/';
readwrite o Dhcp4Config = '/';
readwrite o Ip4Config = '/';
readonly u State = 2;
readwrite u Ip4Address = 0;
readonly u Capabilities = 3;
readonly s Driver = 'e1000e';
readwrite s Interface = 'eth0';
readonly s Udi = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:19.0/net/eth0';
};
};
The ``--recurse`` and ``--only-properties`` options can be useful when wanting
to inspect all objects owned by a particular process::
$ gdbus introspect --system --dest org.freedesktop.UPower --object-path / --recurse --only-properties
node / {
node /org {
node /org/freedesktop {
node /org/freedesktop/UPower {
interface org.freedesktop.UPower {
properties:
readonly b IsDocked = true;
readonly b LidForceSleep = false;
readonly b LidIsPresent = false;
readonly b LidIsClosed = false;
readonly b OnLowBattery = false;
readonly b OnBattery = false;
readonly b CanHibernate = true;
readonly b CanSuspend = true;
readonly s DaemonVersion = '0.9.10';
};
node /org/freedesktop/UPower/Policy {
};
node /org/freedesktop/UPower/Wakeups {
interface org.freedesktop.UPower.Wakeups {
properties:
readonly b HasCapability = true;
};
};
};
};
};
};
In a similar fashion, the ``introspect`` command can be used to learn details
about the ``Notify`` method::
[…]
interface org.freedesktop.Notifications {
methods:
GetServerInformation(out s return_name,
out s return_vendor,
out s return_version,
out s return_spec_version);
GetCapabilities(out as return_caps);
CloseNotification(in u id);
Notify(in s app_name,
in u id,
in s icon,
in s summary,
in s body,
in as actions,
in a{sv} hints,
in i timeout,
out u return_id);
};
[…]
With this information, it’s easy to use the ``call`` command to display a
notification::
$ gdbus call --session \
--dest org.freedesktop.Notifications \
--object-path /org/freedesktop/Notifications \
--method org.freedesktop.Notifications.Notify \
my_app_name \
42 \
gtk-dialog-info \
"The Summary" \
"Here’s the body of the notification" \
[] \
{} \
5000
(uint32 12,)
Call a method with file handle argument::
$ gdbus call --session \
--dest org.example.foo \
--object-path /org/example/foo \
--method SendFDs \
1 \
10 \
10<file.foo
Monitoring all objects on a service::
$ gdbus monitor --system --dest org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit
Monitoring signals from all objects owned by org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit
The name org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit is owned by :1.15
/org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Session2: org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Session.ActiveChanged (false,)
/org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Seat1: org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Seat.ActiveSessionChanged ('',)
/org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Session2: org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Session.ActiveChanged (true,)
/org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Seat1: org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Seat.ActiveSessionChanged ('/org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Session2',)
Monitoring a single object on a service::
$ gdbus monitor --system --dest org.freedesktop.NetworkManager --object-path /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/AccessPoint/4141
Monitoring signals on object /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/AccessPoint/4141 owned by org.freedesktop.NetworkManager
The name org.freedesktop.NetworkManager is owned by :1.5
/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/AccessPoint/4141: org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.AccessPoint.PropertiesChanged ({'Strength': <byte 0x5c>},)
/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/AccessPoint/4141: org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.AccessPoint.PropertiesChanged ({'Strength': <byte 0x64>},)
/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/AccessPoint/4141: org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.AccessPoint.PropertiesChanged ({'Strength': <byte 0x5e>},)
/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/AccessPoint/4141: org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.AccessPoint.PropertiesChanged ({'Strength': <byte 0x64>},)
Emitting a signal::
$ gdbus emit --session --object-path /foo --signal org.bar.Foo "['foo', 'bar', 'baz']"
Emitting a signal to a specific process::
$ gdbus emit --session --object-path /bar --signal org.bar.Bar someString --dest :1.42
Waiting for a well-known name to be owned on the bus; this will *not* auto-start
the service::
$ gdbus wait --session org.bar.SomeName
Auto-starting then waiting for a well-known name to be owned on the bus::
$ gdbus wait --session --activate org.bar.SomeName
Auto-starting a different service, then waiting for a well-known name to be
owned on the bus. This is useful in situations where ``SomeName`` is not
directly activatable::
$ gdbus wait --session --activate org.bar.PrerequisiteName org.bar.SomeName
Waiting for a well-known name and giving up after 30 seconds. By default, the
timeout is disabled; or set ``--timeout`` to ``0`` to disable it::
$ gdbus wait --session --timeout 30 org.bar.SomeName
BUGS
----
Please send bug reports to either the distribution bug tracker or the
`upstream bug tracker <https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/glib/issues/new>`_.
SEE ALSO
--------
`dbus-send(1) <man:dbus-send(1)>`_