is there a method like onItemRightClick but only runs when im not looking at a block?

Sounds like you want PlayerInteractEvent.

 

so i looked at the class file of it, im not too sure how to use it. would this be correct?

 

public PlayerInteractEvent(EntityPlayer player, Action action, BlockPos pos, EnumFacing face, World world){
if (action == RIGHT_CLICK_AIR) {
	//code
}
}

Look up a tutorial on how to use forge events.

 

wow thanks for answering my short question...

I have a vague memory of #onItemUse being the method called when you right-click on a block, and #onItemRightClick being called only when you clicked in the air... but it's been more than 6 months since I've messed with it, so I could be completely mis-remembering that.

 

But, if it's not your Item class but someone else's (e.g. vanilla item), then yeah, diesieben is right - use PlayerInteractEvent. There are lots of event tutorials online that cover how to do it in detail, more detail than anyone would want to type here.

Food items can be used without acting upon a block, so what path do they take? Using the debugger, try to trace the execution path of a vanilla food item being eaten.