int fd = -1; char name[256]= "Unknown"; if ((fd = open(argv[1], O_RDONLY)) < 0) { perror("evdev open"); exit(1); } if(ioctl(fd, EVIOCGNAME(sizeof(name)), name) < 0) { perror("evdev ioctl"); } printf("The device on %s says its name is %s\n", argv[1], name); close(fd);