X11 get keypress not working

[bold pollen]

I have this piece of code taken from here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18281412/check-keypress-in-c-on-linux

#include <X11/Xlib.h>
#include <iostream>
#include "X11/keysym.h"

bool key_is_pressed(KeySym ks) {
    Display *dpy = XOpenDisplay(":0");
    char keys_return[32];
    XQueryKeymap(dpy, keys_return);
    KeyCode kc2 = XKeysymToKeycode(dpy, ks);
    bool isPressed = !!(keys_return[kc2 >> 3] & (1 << (kc2 & 7)));
    XCloseDisplay(dpy);
    return isPressed;
}

int main(int argc, char **argv) {
    while (1) {
        if (key_is_pressed(XK_Control_L)) {
            std::cout << "left control pressed" << std::endl;
        }
    }
    return 0;
};

compiled with

g++ main.cpp -lX11

when I run the program the desired string doesn't get printed when I press left control

[quick eagle]

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[craggy epoch]

did you highlight the window?

[bold pollen]

do you mean that the window wasn't focused?

[craggy epoch]

just double checking

[bold pollen]

i had the window and display focused, although I am in a VM, could that cause any problems?

[craggy epoch]

No clue

But I remember having to manually press the window to be able to detect keypresses

[quick eagle]

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