Mouse Input Constraints

Mouse vs Input Grabbed

What's the difference between SDL_WINDOW_MOUSE_GRABBED and SDL_WINDOW_INPUT_GRABBED?

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The distinction between SDL_WINDOW_MOUSE_GRABBED and SDL_WINDOW_INPUT_GRABBED is important but subtle. Let's break down the differences and see when to use each.

Mouse Grabbed

SDL_WINDOW_MOUSE_GRABBED only affects mouse input:

  • Constrains the mouse cursor to the window
  • Doesn't affect keyboard input
  • More commonly used in modern applications

Here's an example of mouse-only grabbing:

#include <SDL.h>
#include <iostream>

void PrintGrabState(SDL_Window* Window) {
  bool MouseGrabbed{
    SDL_GetWindowMouseGrab(Window) == SDL_TRUE};
  bool InputGrabbed{
    SDL_GetWindowKeyboardGrab(Window) == SDL_TRUE};

  std::cout << "Mouse Grabbed: "
    << (MouseGrabbed ? "Yes" : "No") << "\n";
  std::cout << "Keyboard Grabbed: "
    << (InputGrabbed ? "Yes" : "No") << "\n";
}

int main(int argc, char** argv) {
  SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
  SDL_Window* Window{SDL_CreateWindow(
    "Mouse Grab Example",
    100, 100, 800, 600,
    SDL_WINDOW_MOUSE_GRABBED  
  )};

  std::cout << "Initial State:\n";
  PrintGrabState(Window);

  SDL_DestroyWindow(Window);
  SDL_Quit();
  return 0;
}
Initial State:
Mouse Grabbed: Yes
Keyboard Grabbed: No

Input Grabbed

SDL_WINDOW_INPUT_GRABBED is more comprehensive:

  • Grabs both mouse and keyboard input
  • Prevents Alt+Tab and other system key combinations
  • Legacy feature from SDL 1.2, less commonly used now

Here's an example showing the difference:

#include <SDL.h>
#include <iostream>
#include "PrintGrabState.h"

int main(int argc, char** argv) {
  SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);

  // Create two windows to demonstrate
  // the difference
  SDL_Window* MouseWindow{SDL_CreateWindow(
    "Mouse Grabbed Window",
    100, 100, 400, 300,
    SDL_WINDOW_MOUSE_GRABBED
  )};

  SDL_Window* InputWindow{SDL_CreateWindow(
    "Input Grabbed Window",
    500, 100, 400, 300,
    SDL_WINDOW_INPUT_GRABBED
  )};

  // Print state for both windows
  std::cout << "Mouse Grabbed Window:\n";
  PrintGrabState(MouseWindow);

  std::cout << "\nInput Grabbed Window:\n";
  PrintGrabState(InputWindow);

  SDL_DestroyWindow(MouseWindow);
  SDL_DestroyWindow(InputWindow);
  SDL_Quit();
  return 0;
}

Best Practices

In modern applications:

  • Prefer SDL_WINDOW_MOUSE_GRABBED for most use cases
  • Use SDL_WINDOW_INPUT_GRABBED only when you need to capture all input
  • Consider accessibility implications of input grabbing
  • Always provide a way for users to release the grab (like Esc key)
This Question is from the Lesson:

Mouse Input Constraints

Implement mouse constraints in SDL2 to control cursor movement using window grabs and rectangular bounds

Answers to questions are automatically generated and may not have been reviewed.

This Question is from the Lesson:

Mouse Input Constraints

Implement mouse constraints in SDL2 to control cursor movement using window grabs and rectangular bounds

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