Using modifier keys for special characters
 

Hallo,

Thanks to those who posted answers to a previous HD problem question (my colleague did a back-up, reformatted HD, etc.; then was okay).

My current question... on my old Windows system the laptop was set up for "International keyboard" meaning that I could type diacritical marks (German umlauts, for example) by typing a modifier key and then the appropriate key.

This I would like to do under Linux (SuSE, KDE). I don't want another keyboard layout, I just want to type these accents, umlaut marks, etc.

I did a search here, but haven't managed to find the answer yet (or didn't recognize it).

-Kevin

I think you go to peripherals in the control center and click on keyboard....then make sure you enable keyboard layouts and select a layout with (Intl) at the end...i think that stands for International...i'm not sure, but its worth a try...

Garry :D

Tried ages okay; unfortunately it doesn't work (for me). Perhaps there are other settings that need to be included? I'm using a Siemens Fujitsu Lifebook, with (by my count) 88 keys (just like a piano?). There is a keyboard setting select menu, but nothing with 88 keys.

hmmm whats Primary Layout - w/ ISO9995-3 or w/ dead keys...you could try them....

other than that, i am not sure my friend...

Garry :D

Hi
maybe look here for some reading and pick out what you
need. First the suse database answers, (note; i gave them in german, others can use the english section same database)

http://sdb.suse.de/de/sdb/html/maddi...atur_suse.html
http://sdb.suse.de/cgi-bin/sdbsearch...searchtype=and
http://www.mandrakeuser.org/docs/xwin/index.html#in
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Keyboard-a...ole-HOWTO.html

the tlpd contains more info take a look at the danish or thai
howto there is a section on keyboard setup also
enjoy

Thanks, I also got a good answer on the SuSE-KDE list. The default was a three-key combination (Right-CTRL, Right Shift, and Left Windows key I think) that then set up this "dead key effect": i.e. press '"' (nothing happens) then press 'a' and you get "ä".

Using this information and more I then modified my .Xmodmap file to make the Capslock a modifier key, so now I press Capslock and 'a' to get ä.

So I can type ä, à, â, á and ß, §, ¹²³, «¸»¸ and even ? (the Euro). Life is beautiful again.