Re: /etc/default/keyboard not loaded at startup

[David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk>]

On Sat 25 Apr 2020 at 16:39:24 (+0000), gwinship wrote:
> I added following configuration to my /etc/default/keyboard
> 
> XKBMODEL="pc105"
> XKBLAYOUT="gb,de"
> XKBVARIANT=""
> XKBOPTIONS="grp:win_space_toggle"
> 
> BACKSPACE="guess"
> 
> however. This does not load at boot.

Have you tested that fact on a VC? (You might need to
boot without going into graphics mode.)

> My configuration
> 
> Debian 10.3
> 
> i3, xdm
> 
> ThinkPad E580
> 
> The /var/log/Xorg.log is
> 
> [   268.754] (**) Power Button: Applying InputClass "libinput keyboard catchall"
> [   268.754] (**) Power Button: Applying InputClass "system-default"
> [   268.754] (II) LoadModule: "libinput"
> [   268.755] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/libinput_drv.so
> [   268.763] (II) Module libinput: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
> [   268.763]    compiled for 1.20.4, module version = 0.28.2
> [   268.763]    Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
> [   268.763]    ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 24.1
> [   268.763] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'Power Button'
> [   268.763] (**) Power Button: always reports core events
> [   268.763] (**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/event3"
> [   268.763] (**) Option "_source" "server/udev"
> [   268.766] (II) event3  - Power Button: is tagged by udev as: Keyboard
> [   268.766] (II) event3  - Power Button: device is a keyboard
> [   268.767] (II) event3  - Power Button: device removed
> [   268.781] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXPWRBN:00/input/input5/event3"
> [   268.781] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Power Button" (type: KEYBOARD, id 6)
> [   268.781] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
> [   268.781] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "gb,de"
> [   268.781] (WW) Option "xkb_variant" requires a string value
> [   268.781] (**) Option "xkb_options" "grp:win_shift_toggle"
> [   268.832] (II) event3  - Power Button: is tagged by udev as: Keyboard
> [   268.832] (II) event3  - Power Button: device is a keyboard

I don't see your keyboard there. If you type
$ xinput
it should be clearer which ID corresponds to your keyboard.
Mine is ID 13.

$ xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer                          id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Logitech M325                             id=10   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad                id=14   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ ELAN Touchscreen                          id=9    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard                         id=3    [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard               id=5    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                              id=6    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                                 id=7    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                              id=8    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Lenovo EasyCamera: Lenovo EasyC           id=11   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Ideapad extra buttons                     id=12   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard              id=13   [slave  keyboard (3)]
$ 

> I also tried adding the setting using localectl, but this didn't yield any results either.

I've never knowingly used any of that. But I do see on the man page:
   "Note that the changes performed using this tool might require the
    initramfs to be rebuilt to take effect during early system
    boot. The initramfs is not rebuilt automatically by localectl."
which could explain why something doesn't work when booting.

Cheers,
David.