c++ - SDL PollEvent() never returns anything -

i'm trying sdl detect keyboard activity c++ console application/game on os x. not sdl_pollevent() not returning keyboard activity, far can tell debugging sdl_event* it's supposed update never updated @ all. experience sdl amounts few minutes of tutorials on web, i'm sure there's didn't correctly when setting sdl that's causing problem. below class wrote manages polling events, , supposed notify objects via callback when requested keypress detected (see listenforkeyevents()). since depends on sdl_pollevent(), however, it's not doing @ all.

using namespace std ;  template<class t> struct keyinputregister {      /**      * string representing keyboard key      * client wishes listen      */     const char * requestedchar ;      t * caller ;      /**      * pointer function called      * when requested keyboard input detected.      */     void (t::*callback)() ;      keyinputregister(const char* ch, t * callr, void (t::*cb)()) :         requestedchar(ch), caller(callr), callback(cb) {}  } ;  template <class t> class inputcontroller {  protected:     static sdl_event * event ;     static std::thread * keyeventsthread ;      static vector<keyinputregister<t>> * keyinputregistry ;      static void listenforkeyevents() ;     static void listenforkeyevents_thread_start() ;  public:      static void init() ;     static void registerforkeypress(keyinputregister<t> & reg) ;     static void exit() ; } ;  template <class t> void inputcontroller<t>::init() {     sdl_init(sdl_init_everything) ;     keyinputregistry = new vector<keyinputregister<t>> ;     event = new sdl_event() ;     listenforkeyevents_thread_start() ;  }  template <class t> void inputcontroller<t>::listenforkeyevents_thread_start() {     void (*listenptr)() = inputcontroller<t>::listenforkeyevents ;     inputcontroller<t>::keyeventsthread = new std::thread(listenptr) ; }  template <class t> void inputcontroller<t>::registerforkeypress(keyinputregister<t> & reg) {     keyinputregistry->push_back(reg) ; }  template <class t> void inputcontroller<t>::listenforkeyevents() {      while (*global_continue_signal) {         if (sdl_pollevent(event) == 1) {             cout << "event detected!" << endl ;             if (event->type == sdl_keydown) {                  auto key = event->key.keysym.sym ;                 const char * ch = sdl_getkeyname(key) ;                  (auto = 0 ; < keyinputregistry->size() ; i++) {                     if (ch == (keyinputregistry->at(i).requestedchar)) {                          t * callr = keyinputregistry->at(i).caller ;                          void (t::*callbak)() = (keyinputregistry->at(i).callback) ;                          (callr->*callbak)();                      }                 }             }         }     } }   /* example use of keyinputregister , inputcontroller: */  class gameobject {     void moveforward() { cout << "moved forward!" << endl ; }      void mfregforcallback() {         void (gameobject::*mvforwptr)() = &gameobject::moveforward ;         keyinputregister<gameobject> regmvf("w", this, mvforwptr) ;         inputcontroller<gameobject>::registerforkeypress(regmvf) ;     } }   extern bool * global_continue_signal = new bool(true) ;  #ifdef __cplusplus extern "c" #endif int main(int argc, char ** argv) {     inputcontroller<gameobject>::init() ;     gameobject player0 ;     player0.mfregforcallback() ;     usleep(1e9) ;     *global_continue_signal = false ;     //other cleanup, etc.     return 0; }  #ifdef main #undef main #endif int main(int argc, char ** argv) {     int r = sdl_main(argc, argv) ; /*actually calls above main(), redefined sdl                                       sdl_main() */     return r ; } 

i don't see calls sdl_init in code, have @ http://www.friedspace.com/cprogramming/sdlbasic.php shows basic sample how sdl application supposed set up. must sure sdl running correctly before can poll events.