[SOLVED] Special characters can't be obtained since PL431...

Benny7440 · 01-03-2012, 11:25 AM

I was amazed at how simple the developers of PL 4.31 made it with respect to special characters introduction into a page: a combination of <Alt> key & the special character itself plus the regular character. The system took care of it automatically, with respect to interpretation.

Now, in PL 5.11 can't use any keyboard combination to obtain any. I would like to know/learn what has changed between those puppies.

Is it fixable by just downloading & installing something?

Note: The speicial characters I need are for spanish. The way I used to obtain them with PL431 was by pressing Alt + <the special character> releasing all keys & then the regular character.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Karl Godt · 01-07-2012, 10:51 AM

Do you mean the so called ^ dead keys ^ ?

Keys that show up as third hidden key like

" ßæ«»¢“” "

_?

Use the mouse-keyboard wizard and select advanced keyboard configuration .

It is actually /usr/local/apps/XkbConfigurationManager/* running .

Make sure the directory /var/lib/xkb exist and probably delete all mapfiles in there .

XkbConfigurationManager writes into /etc/X11/xorg.conf and when you are running on USB with different pc and monitors all the time , xorg.conf gets written new each boot and your changes get lost , so you would need to run XkbConfigurationManager everytime you boot .

The syntax to adjust the keyboard settings is written in /usr/local/apps/XkbConfigurationManager/XkbApplyNow

and applies as

Code:

INFILE="/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
MODEL=`fgrep '"XkbModel"' $INFILE | grep -v '^#' | cut -d'"' -f4`
LAYOUT=`fgrep '"XkbLayout"' $INFILE | grep -v '^#' | cut -d'"' -f4`
VARIANT=`fgrep '"XkbVariant"' $INFILE | grep -v '^#' | cut -d'"' -f4`
OPTIONS=`fgrep '"XkbOptions"' $INFILE | grep -v '^#' | cut -d'"' -f4`
setxkbmap -rules xorg -model $MODEL -layout "$LAYOUT" -variant "$VARIANT" -option "$OPTIONS"

which would be possible to be put into ~/.xinitrc
like in my case

Code:

setxkbmap -rules xorg -model pc102 -layout us,de -variant "" -option grp:rwi
n_toggle,lv3:ralt_switch

so it would be run every time X is started .

Benny7440 · 01-08-2012, 08:05 AM

Thanks for responding Karl Godt, I tried all the available (for the case) choices but no one gave me the expected results. I even have lost some functionality.

Benny7440 · 01-16-2012, 05:59 PM

Have been trying to gain back some 'tricks' (shortcuts) that I previously enjoyed but now can't make them to work.

For ex., in any document or editor I was able to move forward/backward with the ctl+(<left_arrow> or <right_arrow>) word by word, instead of character by character. It wouldn't be that bad if I could have some special chrs like forward accent over vowels or even just the tilde over the n, but I don't have any, yet.

Do you know a way to go back as it was before, Karl Godt? Thanks in any case!

Benny7440 · 01-18-2012, 12:52 PM

It seems that I got it back as it was before: location, location, location.

I missed/used the wrong location when trying to undo the changes introduced trying to get those special characters: my fault!

The issue remains, still. What can I do to have them & avoiding the shuffle within the keyboard's keys? It was working ok in Puppy 331...

Karl Godt · 01-18-2012, 01:26 PM

Hmmmm ...

running mp in the console

selecting word bz F9 , Control+c to copy

AND CONTROL+RightArrow gives me this :

Code:

abc defg hjk 1;5C1;5C1;5Chjk

So the word 'hjk' gets moved but with '1;5C' in front of it .

Cannot find such KeyShortcuts in geany and abiword for now .

I did not knew that they would exist there either .

Will look into it , when i have time .

Sorry for not responding until now , but i have to setup the mail accounts for every partition that i am porting at the moment . Every client has its own configuration files and i am struggling with these also .

Otherwise i think the software section would have been the better place to post this , or the murga forum , where puppians are logging in more regular .

As said use Menu > Setup > Mouse and Keyboard wizard > Advanced keyboard configuration .

One thing i could think of are /etc/inputrc /etc/keymap to look for differences in Puppy Versions .

{running MacpupF3-430 atm]

Benny7440 · 01-26-2012, 11:58 AM

Thank you a lot, Karl Godt!

I´m not so sure exactly what I did but now I´ve all the interesting special characters for Spanish by way of selecting the ´modifier' key & then the key to be modified.
In case I need the ´modifier´ itself I just have to press it twice. Have to get used to it but that is ok.

I think I used Menu>Setup>Mouse/Keyboard wizard (after using the others above it).