Keyboard functions keys not functioning

almcneill · 03-15-2009, 09:28 PM

Running Opensuse 11.1, I have a Microsoft wirelss keyboard and mouse, they have worked fine up til i installed opensuse 11.1. Suddenly my function keys (f1-f12) no longer work in any programs, desktop, application workspace, and so on. I have searched these forums, and the net, but have only found certain problems involving laptops and their "FN" keys.

So if anyone has any ideas, it would be great to have suggestions.

I am running KDE 4.1 desktop with compiz-fusion.

ciotog · 03-16-2009, 12:12 AM

Whenever I have keyboard issues (or hear about them) I usually use (or recommend) using xev to see what keyboard events are being generated for X. With the function keys, when running xev you should see the following lines reported:

Code:

KeyPress event, serial 32, synthetic NO, window 0x2200001,
    root 0x1a6, subw 0x2200002, time 1405600160, (42,48), root:(1281,686),
    state 0x10, keycode 67 (keysym 0xffbe, F1), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 32, synthetic NO, window 0x2200001,
    root 0x1a6, subw 0x2200002, time 1405600301, (42,48), root:(1281,686),
    state 0x10, keycode 67 (keysym 0xffbe, F1), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XFilterEvent returns: False

Naturally the keycodes and keysyms will increment 1 for each function key (68: 0xffbf for F2, 69: 0xffc0 for F3, etc).

If these aren't being reported properly then I would suspect your keyboard layout setting in xorg.conf. If they are then something in KDE is probably overriding X.