Re: xkb options
On Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:27:29 -0400
cga2000 <cga2000@optonline.net> wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 17, 2007 at 11:55:33PM EDT, Celejar wrote:
> > On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:34:08 -0400
> > cga2000 <cga2000@optonline.net> wrote:
> >
> > > On Tue, Apr 17, 2007 at 03:36:13PM EDT, Celejar wrote:
> > > > Hi,
> > > > I'm setting up Xorg to switch between keyboard layouts using keyboard
> > > > combinations like 'ctrl_shift'. 'grp:win_switch' works correctly, as
> > > > does 'grp:ctrl_shift_toggle'. One thing I can't get to work is
> > > > 'grp:win_shift_toggle' or 'grp:win_ctrl_toggle'. In other words,
> > > > AFAICT the win key is recognized by itself, but combos involving it and
> > > > another modifier aren't, even though combos such as 'ctrl_shift' work
> > > > fine. Any ideas? Am I missing something? In 'xev', 'shift' and 'ctrl'
> > > > show up as "Shift_L" and "Control_L" (for the left ones), and 'win'
> > > > shows up as "Super_L" (unless I set 'grp:win_switch', in which case it
> > > > shows up as "Mode_switch". Any help will be appreciated, as well as a
> > > > pointer to good docs on this stuff.
> > >
> > > Unfortunately, I can't answer the above.. but since I'm genuinely
> > > interested in everything keyboard-related I do hope somebody else will.
> > >
> > > I would like to understand why you want to use _two_ modifiers
> > > concurrently. Doesn't X support five modifiers? If I'm correct .. on a
> > > standard keyboard, this adds up to something like 400 separate actions
> > > or thereabout.. To me this sounds like plenty .. I mean _400_ keyboard
> > > actions to memorize .. to the point where you can use them automatically
> > > without thinking .. implying that if you have to think .. ponder their
> > > mnemonic value .. or worse look them up on a cheat sheet .. it kind of
> > > defeats the purpose of keyboard shortcuts, no..?
> > >
> > > What I'm driving at .. is that synchronizing modifier+<key> is already a
> > > considerably more difficult task than just hitting <key>. As a result, I
> > > have banned modifier1+modifier2+<key> from my personal landscape.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > cga
> >
> > Well, to be perfectly honest, the various guides to keyboard switching (e.g. this one [1]), had mentioned 'grp:win_shift_toggle', which I couldn't get to work, and I then became frustrated trying to understand why. Since I understand very little about Xkb options, I have no idea whether all 400 single modifier combinations (I assume you mean 5 modifiers multiplied by about 80 keys) are allowed in this context; they may very well be.
>
> Celejar .. do you realize the above is just _one_ single line ..
Sorry; my MUA (Sylpheed) has a "wrap on input" mode, which I don't
enable, since IIUC, it inserts hard line breaks, which cause problems
if I then edit the message and delete some text, for example. I rely on
manual wrapping, meaning that I have to hit "Linewrap" (or alt-ctrl-l)
before sending, and I often forget. AFAICT, Sylpheed has no
"automatically wrap before sending" mode. I suppose _really_ need to
learn mutt ...
> And now I have to figure out why my mutt setup didn't reformat it to 72
> columns as it should .. per all my tweaking ..
>
> :-(
>
> As to your initial question I still have nothing to offer.
>
> If you need to switch keyboard layout wouldn't it make better sense to
> have a single keyboard action mapped to "select next keyboard layout" ..
> I mean it's not something you do hundreds of time an hour, is it?
>
> So if you use the "windows key" modifier for something like "terminal
> config changes" .. wouldn't it be adequate to hit <winkey>+<L> to
> switch to the next keyboard layout..?
I don't understand enough about keyboard mapping to fully understand
what you're suggesting; once again, any pointers to readable
documentation on this topic would be much appreciated.
> I do understand the above may not be your primary concern .. as well as
> your frustration and the desire to figure out why it's not working the
> way it's advertised, though. I'm curious as well.
>
> I have only one Windows key on this laptop and I have remapped to CTRL
> so I can reach it comfortably with my left thumb.
>
> Please let us know when you find something.
>
> Thanks,
> cga
A bit more information (and a correction) about my issues:
Here's what various option settings do on my system:
win_switch - either win key temporarily switches keyboard layout
win_toggle - no effect (either win key)
rwin_switch - right win key temporarily switches keyboard layout
rwin_toggle - right win key permanently switches keyboard layout
shift_win_switch - no effect
shift_rwin_switch - no effect
ctrl_shift_switch - no effect (keys seem to behave just as they do when
pressed together with ctrl_shift without the option being set)
ctrl_shift_toggle - permanently switch keyboard layout
Can someone point me to an explanation of how to interpret these
combinations?
Incidentally, here's the output of 'xmodmap -pm':
> xmodmap: up to 3 keys per modifier, (keycodes in parentheses):
>
> shift Shift_L (0x32), Shift_R (0x3e)
> lock Caps_Lock (0x42)
> control Control_L (0x25), Control_R (0x6d)
> mod1 Alt_L (0x40), Alt_L (0x7d), Meta_L (0x9c)
> mod2 Num_Lock (0x4d)
> mod3
> mod4 Super_L (0x7f), Hyper_L (0x80)
> mod5 Mode_switch (0x5d), ISO_Level3_Shift (0x7c)
According to 'xev', the win keys produce 'Super_L' and 'Super_R'
Celejar
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