Re: Using xmodmap to set the Alt and Meta keys (emacs, X, and Alt key)
Mark Phillips wrote:
> I, like Thomas Vaughan, have been having problems getting emacs to
> recognise the Alt key under X. (The system is a Toshiba laptop.)
>
> keycode 64 = Alt_L
> keycode 113 = Alt_R
> keycode 115 = Meta_L
> keycode 116 = Meta_R
What does emacs say when you invoke describe-key:
`C-h k Alt-x'
`C-h k Meta-x'
Do you *really* want an Alt key? Or do you want a Meta key?
When Emacs has separate Alt and Meta keys, I think it doesn't use the
Alt key as Meta anymore. You appear to have both available
My keyboard has this bottom row; the keycode are as shown by the `xev'
command:
+----+ +---+ +---+ +-----------+ +---+ +---+ +----+ +----+
|Ctrl| |Win| |Alt| | Space | |Alt| |Win| |Menu| |Ctrl|
+----+ +---+ +---+ +-----------+ +---+ +---+ +----+ +----+
keycode: 37 115 64 113 116 117 109
If XFree is setup correctly, then the `Windows' key (identified above as
Win), are Meta keys and the Alt keys are really seen in Emacs as Alt keys.
I use the Alt key to insert 8-bit characters, like "é".
The `Menu' key really works and is a synonym for `Meta-x' in Emacs
(and pops up a buffer-specific menu in XEmacs).
When XFree isn't properly set up, or gets confused for some reason, you can
use `xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap' in some X initialisation file. Here's my
~/.Xmodmap file:
---
clear Mod1
clear Mod2
clear Mod3
keycode 64 = Alt_L
keycode 113 = Alt_R
keycode 115 = Meta_L
keycode 116 = Meta_R
keycode 117 = Menu
add Mod2 = Alt_L
add Mod2 = Alt_R
add Mod1 = Meta_L
add Mod1 = Meta_R
remove Lock = Caps_Lock
keysym Caps_Lock = Hyper_L
add Mod3 = Hyper_L
keycode 22 = BackSpace
---
In addition to setting Alt and Meta keys, I disable the silly Caps_Lock key
and set a `Hyper' key so I can define more user keys in Emacs (Most people
just set an extra Control key here). Also, I make sure to set the
BackSpace key correctly.
Hope this helps you and others,
--
Peter Galbraith, research scientist <galbraith@mixing.qc.dfo.ca>
Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
P.O. Box 1000, Mont-Joli Qc, G5H 3Z4 Canada 418-775-0852 - FAX 418-775-0546
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