Delete emitting a backspace "^?" in linux term

arobinson74 · 01-12-2006, 03:10 PM

I'm having problems with my backspace key and have looked all around in google without finding the issue.

In TERM=xterm (inside of Xwindows/xfce), my backspace and delete keys work file. Typing in "C-v <key>" I get the following:

Code:

Main delete: ^[[3~
NumPad delete: ^[[3~
Backspace: ^?

However in the normal terminal (TERM=linux) (not-X), I get the following:

Code:

Main delete: ^?
NumPad delete: ^[[3~
Backspace: ^?

So when in an X terminal (like konsole), I get the proper delete/backspace behavior, but in the normal linux terminal, only the number pad delete key (the '.') works, and the main delete key acts as a backspace.

Environment:
Slackware 10.2
Kernel: 2.6.15
Computer: ThinkPad T43
Keyboards: laptop & Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite

This may or may not help:

Code:

bind -p | grep del
"\C-h": backward-delete-char
"\C-?": backward-delete-char
"\C-d": delete-char
"\M-[3~": delete-char
# delete-char-or-list (not bound)
"\M-\\": delete-horizontal-space
# forward-backward-delete-char (not bound)
# vi-delete (not bound)
# vi-delete-to (not bound)
# vi-overstrike-delete (not bound)

In the docs I found online, people try to fix the backspace, but not the delete key. I've tried numerous things, but nothing seems to affect this behavior.

kodon · 01-13-2006, 03:57 PM

have you taken a look at your inputrc and termcap entries?

arobinson74 · 01-13-2006, 08:10 PM

Yes

My inputrc:

Code:

# /etc/inputrc
# This file configures keyboard input for programs using readline.
# See "man 3 readline" for more examples.

# Configure the system bell.  Options are none, visible, and audible.
set bell-style visible

# Enable 8 bit input.
set meta-flag On
set input-meta On
set convert-meta Off
set output-meta On

# Set various nice escape sequences:
"\eOd": backward-word
"\eOc": forward-word

# for linux console
"\e[1~": beginning-of-line
"\e[4~": end-of-line
"\e[5~": beginning-of-history
"\e[6~": end-of-history
"\e[3~": delete-char
"\e[2~": quoted-insert

# for xterm
"\eOH": beginning-of-line
"\eOF": end-of-line

# for freebsd console
"\e[H": beginning-of-line
"\e[F": end-of-line

As for the terminfo/termcap, I don't know that much about them and couldn't find much useful information searching on the internet to try to fix the issue using them, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if the solution lies in that.

Here is a portion from my '/etc/termcap-Linux' that seems relevant:

Code:

# Slackware 3.1 linux termcap entry (Sat Apr 27 23:03:58 CDT 1996):
lx|linux|console|con80x25|LINUX System Console:\
        :do=^J:co#80:li#25:cl=\E[H\E[J:sf=\ED:sb=\EM:\
        :le=^H:bs:am:cm=\E[%i%d;%dH:nd=\E[C:up=\E[A:\
        :ce=\E[K:cd=\E[J:so=\E[7m:se=\E[27m:us=\E[36m:ue=\E[m:\
        :md=\E[1m:mr=\E[7m:mb=\E[5m:me=\E[m:is=\E[1;25r\E[25;1H:\
        :ll=\E[1;25r\E[25;1H:al=\E[L:dc=\E[P:dl=\E[M:\
        :it#8:ku=\E[A:kd=\E[B:kr=\E[C:kl=\E[D:kb=^H:ti=\E[r\E[H:\
        :ho=\E[H:kP=\E[5~:kN=\E[6~:kH=\E[4~:kh=\E[1~:kD=\E[3~:kI=\E[2~:\
        :k1=\E[[A:k2=\E[[B:k3=\E[[C:k4=\E[[D:k5=\E[[E:k6=\E[17~:\
        :k7=\E[18~:k8=\E[19~:k9=\E[20~:k0=\E[21~:K1=\E[1~:K2=\E[5~:\
        :K4=\E[4~:K5=\E[6~:\
        :pt:sr=\EM:vt#3:xn:km:bl=^G:vi=\E[?25l:ve=\E[?25h:vs=\E[?25h:\
        :sc=\E7:rc=\E8:cs=\E[%i%d;%dr:\
        :r1=\Ec:r2=\Ec:r3=\Ec:

# Some other, commonly used linux console entries.
lx|con80x28:co#80:li#28:tc=linux:
lx|con80x43:co#80:li#43:tc=linux:
lx|con80x50:co#80:li#50:tc=linux:
lx|con100x37:co#100:li#37:tc=linux:
lx|con100x40:co#100:li#40:tc=linux:
lx|con132x43:co#132:li#43:tc=linux:

kodon · 01-14-2006, 12:11 AM

have you read this one?
http://www.ibb.net/~anne/keyboard.html

kodon · 01-14-2006, 01:13 AM

also, check showkey values against your keymap

arobinson74 · 01-16-2006, 03:02 PM

Okay I'm confused. When to test out the content from the http://www.ibb.net/~anne/keyboard.html link and found that my terminal is working now. I'm not sure what I did to fix it (something I did earlier must have required a reboot to take affect). So all is working now, but sorry to say for others with this problem, I'm not sure how I fixed it (maybe my inputrc file?).