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On most Macintosh computers, the Apple Desktop Bus is used to communicate with the keyboard, the mouse, and other user-input devices. Note: The Mac OS contains standard keyboard and mouse handling routines that automatically take care of all required ADB access operations. Applications typically receive keyboard and mouse input by calling the Event Manager, not by calling the ADB Manager.

Technotes Q&As     Inside Macintosh: Devices (Chapter 5 - ADB Manager) This book describes how to write software that interacts with built-in and peripheral hardware devices. This book provides useful information for writing and debugging low-level software. Chapter 5 describes the ADB Manager, the part of the Mac OS that allows applications to get information about and to communicate with hardware devices attached to the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB). This chapter tells how to communicate with devices on the ADB at a low level. It will be helpful to someone developing a device driver for a new device that connects to the ADB. Apple Desktop Bus Specification The information in the specification is the most accurate source of data, and unless it is specifically refuted, it should be treated as the authoritative source. For information about the Cursor Device Manager, please refer to Technote hw01-ADB-The Untold Story: Space Aliens Ate My Mouse.