Hardware :: Keyboard Fn Modifier Key (not F1 - F12)
May 18, 2010
Using: Ubuntu Lucid Lynx (Gnome).
I have a physical disability which makes pressing the <Ctrl><Alt> key combination very hard, but it would be nice to have that key combination available to me for keyboard shortcuts. I've never got on with 'Sticky Keys' and don't want to use that as a solution, it takes me so long that it is self-defeating as a shortcut key combination. I use a reduced size keyboard, a Cherry ML4100 (image below), which has a 'Fn' key between the left <Ctrl> and <Alt> keys, this 'Fn' key when pressed in conjunction with F1 or F2 will simulate a F11/F12 key press (see image), it also allows the use of a 'num pad' with the u,i,o,p, etc. keys to the right of the centre of the keyboard but which I never use.
In System -> Preferences -> Keyboard Shortcuts I can not currently use the 'Fn' key at all, it is totally ignored, the system just does not recognize it. Eg. If I press <Fn><A> only 'A' is recognized. What I'd like to do is somehow map the 'Fn' key so that when pressed at the same time as <Ctrl> it simulates a <Ctrl><Alt> key press, while still leaving 'Fn' to work as usual generating F11/F12 key presses when F1/F2 is pressed with it. Alternatively if I could set up the 'Fn' key to work as a shortcut with any other key, EG. <Fn><LeftArrow> to switch to the left workspace, and then map F11 and F12 to another key combination - in fact this second solution would be preferable.
However the xev utility, which I had hoped would provide me with a key mapping code for 'Fn', does not even register when 'Fn' is pressed on its own, but when 'Fn' is pressed with F1 it gives what I suppose is the the F11 key code (it is a different code to what is shown when F1 is pressed on its own). I am beginning to suspect that what I am trying to do is not possible. My disability means that using keyboard shortcuts is a really good way of my doing things, much faster than the mouse, so I'd like a lot set up, and I mean far more than most people would ever use, including starting a dozen or so regularly used apps, I'm running out of what I can do with <Ctrl><Shift>, so really need to simulate <Ctrl><Alt> or have the 'Fn' key active when setting my Keyboard Shortcuts, EG. <FN><A>.
This just started happening, but I haven't logged out or rebooted in a while, so I'm not sure what could be causing this. I have setup some keyboard shortcuts to use the Win modifier key (Mod4, Super, whatever). The keyboard shortcuts utility in KDE list it as the Win key so that is how I will refer to it. Some example shortcuts: Win+t starts a terminal, Win+m toggles windows maximize mode. I had these setup and they were working fine on this install that I've had for about a month, but they stopped working today. I can still use Ctrl, Alt, and Shift as modifier keys and they work fine.
I open the keyboard shortcuts utility in KDE Control Center (kcontrol) and start to set a new keyboard shortcut. i.e. I click on the button to "build" a keyboard shortcut. I can press the Win key and it shows that it detects it, but when I press the 't' key, the shortcut is just set as 't' instead of Win+t. I can also push shift+win and that shows in the builder but when I press the 't' key, the shortcut is now set to 'shift+t', so it seems like the Win key is acting funky.
CentOS version 5.4 KDE version 3.5.4-25.el1.centos.1
I've been an ubuntu user for a few years now, I just never joined the forums since I never really had problems with my installations. Today, however, is completely different. I recently converted my server from windows 2k3 to ubuntu server 10.04, and have been setting ssh and VNC so that I can access it remotely. Both x11vnc and ssh are installed and working fine, as I can connect to the server from my Macbook, but here is where it gets weird. When in VNC, none of the modifier keys work(shift, ctrl, alt, super) and caps lock only works half the time. (I have to press it twice to turn it on and twice to turn it off).
Server Specs: Dell Poweredge 2500 1x Intel Pentium III 1Ghz (coppermine) 1GB RAM
I have a MX 518 which as 5 additional buttons, I'm trying to bind the thumb button to Control or Shift. I'm fighting against it since yesterday, I tried many things : easystroke, imwheel, xbindkeys/xvkbd. I'm a bit new to Linux so I can still miss something very important. I read a tutorial about that mouse, all went well but it isn't explained how to set up what I wish.
I cannot set mod3 to the Shift_R key with xmodmap. Code: matthew@lokal:~/.fvwm/Default$ xmodmap -e "add mod3 = Shift_R" X Error of failed request: BadValue (integer parameter out of range for operation) Major opcode of failed request: 118 (X_SetModifierMapping) Value in failed request: 0x17 Serial number of failed request: 11 Current serial number in output stream: 11
As I'd like to be able to fully control my desktop with both my keyboard and my mouse, I wrote a .xbindkeysrc.scm script to make two of my eight mouse buttons work as modifiers. For instance, b:9 + wheel now changes volume.
Only problem is, I accomplish this by emulating a key press with a modifier held, and the modifier seems to stick randomly after the mouse buttons have been released.
I would be very happy if anyone could point out the errors in the script below (or with the software used, I don't know how reliable xvkbd is).
Code: (define (display-n str) "Display a string then newline" (display str)
[Code].....
The first part declares some base functions for the keystrokes to be sent with xvkbd. Also, the function to reset the bindings on relesae of the modifier is here. (As you may see, I already tried to put in some code to specifically reset the modifiers, with no results.) The second part contains the default bindings for buttons 10-12 when no modifier is held. The third and fourth part specify the actions when modifiers are held, usually to send a keystroke or to run a command. The fifth part performs the bindings for the first, second and third level.
I've written my custom keyboard layout, where I'm trying to remap the Menu key as Super. The key gets remapped, however Super is not recognized as a modifier key, unlike with a standard layout I've used as a comparison. What puzzles me is that the left Windows key, which I never refer to in my custom layout stops working as well.
Here is the relevant section of my custom layout:
Output of xev command shows the key has been remapped correctly:
I would like to use Caps Lock as its own UNIQUE modifier key (not merely replace it with Ctrl). I have figured out how to do this on windows but not yet in Ubuntu. Here is what I'm looking for:
1. When I press "Caps Lock" on its own, it is equivalent to the Escape key (or at least sends the "escape" command). 2. When I press Caps Lock + <new key>, it does other stuff.
I have figured out how to get EITHER ONE of these to work, but not both at the same time. For example, I have figured out how to turn Caps Lock into the unique "Super" modifier using xbindkeys and xmacro (this achieves #2). I have also figured out how to switch the escape and capslocks keys altogether to achieve #1. But I can't figure out how to get both outcomes at the same time!
Predefinations: From here on in, I will refer to the "Windows Key" on the keyboard as the "Super Key" (Linux terminology)
Consider a user's experience in Windows: * UseCaseA: Accessing the start menu --> "Super Key" open the menu. * UseCaseB: Open the "run dialogue" --> "Super Key" + R * UseCaseC: Open win explorer --> "Super Key" + E * etc.
In GNOME/ubuntu however, apparently there is this odd limitation in that the "Super Key" cannot be both a standalone key, and a modifier key. Is it still the case? Currently running Ubuntu 10.04 and 10.10. Apparently in KDE this works, and in Windows it's worked since Windows95. How can we achieve this functionality in Ubuntu/gnome?
I have many bindings on the control key. I cannot ctrl-click to open a new tab now. How do I change which modifier to use? I do not want to change the accelkey globally, only for opening a link in a new tab!
I never use the <AppsKey> (or <Menu>), and I want to convert it to a modifier key, e.g. Mod4, Mod5, etc. So as to utilize some shortcuts like <Mod5>+<Shift>+J.
I'm running Debian (Squeeze) and I have a toshiba portege m700. It has five buttons on the front just under the screen, which are the only ones accessible when you flip the screen over into tablet mode. One of them is for rotating the screen, and another is for switching to external display. I want to remap the remaining three to control, alt and super so that I can use shortcuts with the stylusThe problem is, when I used showkey to find out the key codes, I found out that each button generates more than one key code:Button 1:
key 126 press >> super_r, although this is distinct from the actual super key (125) key 7 press >> 6 key 7 release key 126 release
When I use the down arrow on my new keyboard it also does and enter key as well. When I use the left and right arrow keys and hold them it doesn't keep going. It just clicks once and I have to pressing it over and over again. Any one know the correct settings to setup my keyboard? It's a Logitech Illuminated Keyboard.
Computer: Toshiba Satellite Pro L510 laptop, 10.10.This has always happened but I have gotten around it by time-out and putting my menu.list in order. When I first boot the machine (switch on for the day from computer being off) I get to the grub options to select a kernel and I have no keyboard. No up/down arrows so have to go with the kernel on top of the list (not always desirable).
When I get to the log-in screen if I hit restart and go back to the grub screen I have a keyboard and can select any kernel. If I login to the kernel I have full keyboard, no problem. If I then restart, I have keyboard at the grub list.
Nutshell: It is only when starting the computer fresh that the keyboard is dead at grub menu (and then only). Any time after that, once the computer has been switched on, if I restart I have keyboard at grub menu and can select different kernels. (Of course, if I switch the computer off and back on again, no keyboard ...)
I'm a used Ubuntu user on a pc, and I like the french keyboard layout because it allows me to type accentued characters easily.I found a win-fr keyboard layout but it's much like windows and not so good.I found xmodmap.fr keyboard layout and I'd like to know if it was possible use it with my Mac SL 10.6.5, maybe I could do xmodmap xmodmap.fr or a way to convert to mac layout file.
Recently i have bought a Dell Inspiron n5010 laptop and installed ubuntu 10.10. I have a windows 7 installed as well. In windows Us English Table for IBM Arabic 238_L keyboard layout works for my pc. But, i can not find this layout in my ubuntu.
I have upgraded my laptop to 10.04 while having my usb-keyboard plugged in.f I boot the laptop without a plugged in keyboard, the laptop keyboard is not working. It starts working as soon as I plug a usb-keyboard in though.Quite annoying if I take my laptop with me and the first thing after booting is to find a usb-keyboard to plug in Does anyone know where can I reconfigure this? [edit]I just found out, that the laptop keyboar seems to be in numlock mode... meaning that the keys [j,k,l] is mapped to [1,2,3] etc
How do I log out from my ubuntu session without having a mouse? When I press Ctrl+Alt+Del I can only shutdown, reboot etc. but I cannot afford to reboot right now. I need to logout so I can startx as a different user. I started X from CLI.
After working fine for a year or so, I suddenly have no keyboard after the GRUB boot screen either on normal Linux start-up or fail safe. The computer is dual boot with Vista and the keyboard works fine on Vista. The keyboard is PS2
that also does not recognise key presses and I cannot get into Yast either because of the need for a password.. Linux security is all very well, but it is a serious pain...
I have a second dual boot machine alongside and I assume that if I knew the keyboard driver filename and location, I could copy it across. Is that too simple?
I have installed Linux mint on a partition on a 24" iMac. I find it very interesting, but I cant find out how to get the @ on it when emailing etc. I have gone a way round it by copying it on a textpage, and then pasting it in the mail, but that is quite awkward.
It seems to happen when I use memory-intensive applications. Sometimes it happens if I'm browsing and I have several Iceweasel windows opened on pages displaying multimedia content. Now I am working on a big Open Office drawing (large file, lots of stuff on the page) and it has happened twice. No warnings, no error messages, the keyboard just suddenly becomes completely unresponsive. I reboot and it functions again. Until next time.
I've got an up-to-date stable Lenny on a Dell Vostro 1520 and no other OS. I've got some extra stuff from non-free repositories but AFAIK these deal with multimedia applications, not keyboard control.
i am trying to use greek as well, besides english, but my keyboard doesn't want to. i have visited the directory /usr/share/x11/xkb/symbols, where i can see that there is a file called gr, which most likely is for greek, but i don't know what to do with it.
I've got a problem with input devices not being available under X.
I've installed F13 with 'minimal' type, i.e. no desktop environment.
After a lot of struggle, I managed to install quite a few packages (after configuring network!) and the Nvidia (proprietary) driver, disabling the nouveau driver.
I got to mention that nvidia installer offered me to create a xorg.conf on its own with its drivers configured for X. But the thing is if I type X or Xorg the screen turns black meaning that X is running but I don't see anything. Looking at /var/log/Xorg.0.log, I see this message:
AllowEmptyInput is on, devices using drivers 'kbd' or 'mouse' will be disabled.
Then, later on, i installed gnome thinking it'll take care of these input devices but the same happens in the gnome login screen too. Both Keyboard and mouse are not working.
I've tried adding the Option "AllowEmptyInput" "off" or Option "AllowEmptyInput" "false" in my xorg.conf under both the input devices section and also the server layout section, but all in vain.
I'm sure I'm missing some setting or something. I've also looked at a few bugs logged in the RedHat bug DB but their resolution of setting the AllowEmptyInput to false doesn't work in my case.
I have installed F14, and I stupidly put the keyboard as UK when installing. I now have UK keyboard layout every time I start up. So the @ and " are opposite to what my USA keyboard has printed on the keys. I can change it every time I log in, but how do I make it a permanent change?
I'm running Suse 11.3 with KDE4. While typing thismorning I inadvertently somehow disabled the keyboard (the mouse worked fine).I discovered that the keyboard worked on bootand I could log into my account (or other accounts)with the keyboard, but ONLY within my account wasthe keyboard dead. Rebooting the computer did NOTcure the problemI finally cured it by logging in as root, and renamingthe .kde4 directory in my home directory as .kde4xand then logging back in as myself.But (a) what did I do and how did I do it and (b) isthere a cleaner way to undo this should I do it again?
In every version of Suse that I used (that is since version 7) I used the keyboard US international - which is the US keyboard with dead keys and especially useful for the Dutch language - How do I get that keyboard in OPenSUSE 11.3?
I have had an install of 9.10 since it was released. After a recent software update I keep having to set United Kingdom as the default layout in Keyboard Preferences and remove USA. All then works okay until I reboot after which it come back as USA only again. This is despite selecting "Apply System-wide" and authenticating with my user password.
