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Re: gdm3 cancels/ignores Control/CapsLock swap



On Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:44:37 -0400, Dan B. wrote:

> What is it about gdm3 that undoes (or otherwise ignores) swapping of
> Control and Caps Lock keys configured via /etc/default/keyboard?

AFAIK, GNOME (as others DEs) -and thus GDM3- follows its own way when it 
comes to configure the input devices... this is have been so since years.
 
> I have XKBOPTIONS="ctrl:swapcaps" in /etc/default/keyboard.  That works
> (the Control and Caps Lock keys are swapped) for virtual consoles and
> for X11 displays started with "startx"--both without and with GNOME
> installed.

Yup.

> However, when I start gdm3, then in the X11 display managed started by
> gdm3, the keys are _not_ swapped any more.  (That's both initially (when
> gdm3 prompts for username and password) and later (with the GNOME
> environment displayed).)

Do you have GNOME installed? If so, have you tried to set this option 
from GNOME keyboard configuration? It has to be under layout → advanced 
settings or something similar.

Another option, if GNOME is not installed, would be setting this manually 
using gconf or by tweaking the equivalent place/file... sorry, I don't 
know where the gdm3 settings for keyboard are defined.

> Some Debian documentation or discussion says that the settings in
> /etc/default/keyboard are supposed to work for both virtual consoles and
> X11 (so one doesn't have to configure consoles and X11 separately).

Mmm...
 
> Why doesn't gdm3 follow that?

I don't know, but as far as I can remember it has been always so, at 
least for the GNOME environment.

> Does it sound like I have a configuration problem, or does gdm3 have a
> bug (with respect to the intent that /etc/default/keyboard configures
> both VCs and X11 displays)?

I would try first to use the gnome keyboard configuration tool, if that 
makes no change in GDM3 the I would consider it can be a bug or something 
that can be reported, though I think this is a known issue...

Greetings,

-- 
Camaleón


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