Fn Key on a Dell?

Levitate · 08-21-2004, 09:13 AM

I'm trying to figure out how to get the Fn key(s) to work correctly on my inspiron 5100...running debian, sarge with the 2.6.7 kernel. it seems like a few things work (like pressing Fn+; returns a - sign like it's supposed to, Fn+/ returns a + sign, Fn+arrow key up changes the brightness, same with Fn+arrow key down)

but other ones like the sound don't work (not a big deal for me...) my main issue is getting the "keypad" to work. with the Fn key, several keys on the right side of the keyboard can be used as a keypad...i want this to work (I"m pretty used to using it to play nethack actually...) but for the most part they all return the wrong values. even the repeat ones (# keys 7, 8, and 9 are all supposed to still return 7, 8, and 9 with the Fn key pressed) don't work right

does anyone have any ideas on how to get this to work? i haven't really found much useful info by searching around the boards here and on google...i just kinda want my full keyboard functionality here

also...i remember when installing sarge it asked me for info on my keyboard (i think) and i just put the default...which was like a 104 key keyboard...this laptop keyboard is actually a 85 key (so it says) could that cause any problems? and if so how can i change it?

thanks if anyone can shed some light on this...oh and i've tried installing the i8k module and it didn't do anything...

leonardoce · 08-21-2004, 01:05 PM

Hello.

I've made work the audio-related fn-keys of my sony vaio with hotkeys (http://sourceforge.net/projects/hotkeys).
You must capture the keycodes with xev and then create your definition file.
You can follow this article: Link.

For the keypad I think you can capture the keycodes and then adjust your xkb configuration files in "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xkb" (or similiar...).

I don't know if it is the fastest solution but I think that should work.
Excuse me for my poor english. Hope this helps.

Levitate · 08-21-2004, 01:13 PM

will that work in the regular terminal mode though?

i like to work in there as well as in X windows

thanks

leonardoce · 08-21-2004, 02:19 PM

No

. Hotkeys will only work in xwindows mode.
In console mode you can try to capture the keycode with "showkey" and then adjust your keyboard map.
I've done this to add braceleft and braceright on my vaio and now the keys are working also in console mode.

Levitate · 08-21-2004, 04:44 PM

ok, what you just mentioned was what i was thinking...i mean the Fn key DOES do SOMETHING...it just doesn't seem to return the values it should...so it seems to me that if i adjust the keyboard mapping that i could tell it to return whatever value i wanted

how do you change the keyboard map?

leonardoce · 08-22-2004, 01:47 AM

First of all you must capture the keycodes of the fn-keys+key with
"showkey". Fn key should modify the keycodes of the other keys if
it is pressed (verify this, for me it is true).

For example (in my computer):

Code:

# showkey
kb mode was XLATE

press any key (program terminates 10s after last keypress)...
keycode  28 release  # The release of Enter key
keycode  22 press    # I pressed the "u" key
keycode  22 release
keycode  75 press    # I pressed the fn key and the "u" key
keycode  75 release

Then you should create a new keymap file starting with the keymap you corrently use.
For example if I want to map the fn-key+"u" sequence to "four" I add at the end of
my new keymap file:

Code:

keycode  75 four

Verifying that the keycode 75 isn't already mapped to something.
If it is already mapped you should modify the existing line.

Then you should load your new keymap file.
Like this:

Code:

# loadkeys it-leonardo.map

And now fn-u is mapped to 4!
Do it for one key at time and verify that other keys works.
Hope this helps,

Leonardo

Levitate · 08-22-2004, 08:50 AM

yeah that helps, thanks