I can't type an exclamation mark with my keyboard. I can type other symbols that require the shift key (~ @ # $, etc) but Shift + 1 does not give an exclamation point.

Here's the intriguing part: following a tip from another thread, I changed my Visual Effects setting (System > Preferences > Appearance > Visual Effects tab) from the default "Normal" to the setting "None". Immediately after doing this, I was able to type exclamation points. Problem solved, right?

Not quite. After discovering the solution, I decided it would be a great idea to experiment to make sure the Visual Effects setting was really the culprit. So I flipped my Visual Effects back to the default "Normal", and sure enough, I stopped being able to type exclamation marks.

Having verified the (apparent) cause of the issue, I tried my solution of changing the Visual Effects to "None". Of course the "solution" didn't work this time (so much for my great idea) and I am left unable to type an exclamation point.

I have concluded that the fault must lie within my user's configuration (I can type as many exclamations as I want when logged in as other users).


Yarui has a great idea. Anybody have a recommendation as to which config files I might try first?

I would suggest you do the reverse actually. Do what he initially suggested and then logout and move back the important bits you need until it reoccurs or you're happy with your setup.

That being said, try ~/.config/compiz/* first.

I did the above method suggested by Yarui and narrowed it down to .gconf/apps/metacity. I vaguely remembered editing something in there, so I ran

Then I remembered I was in /apps/metacity/global_keybindings recently, so I brought that directory up and looked for "<Shift>1", which I immediately found as run_command_1. I disabled the keybinding by replacing the text "<Shift>1" with "disabled". I then hopped over to the corresponding file at /apps/metacity/keybinding_commands and erased the command I wrote in for command_1.

Now I've got my !! back