LinuxQuestions.org - [SOLVED] Configuring multimedia keys on Debian Squeeze and /dev/console

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Configuring multimedia keys on Debian Squeeze and /dev/console

Hi everyone,
I just reconfigured my keyboard following the instructions given in the Debian portal for keyboard information. That led me to read the information on how to configure multimedia keys as well using the showkey command (yes, they might no be of much use in a server that is not running X, but I wanted to have a learning experience).
That being said, I gave it a couple of tries and ended up happy with it.
I noticed the following line after hitting a multimedia key, though:

Code:

kb mode was UNICODE

[ if you are trying this under X, it might not work since the X server is also reading /dev/console ]

My (kind of lame) question is: what does the X server have to do with my keyboard? I understand that the X server must read the /dev/console file (BTW, that file represents the current display, right?) but I am having a hard time to understand how the keyboard and /dev/console are related.

Hi:

From the articles I found the console starts disabled by default.
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/...eloper_Console
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_console

I don't know how dev/console and the keyboard are related; sorry-
I did find out on my system using the terminal-

Code:

ztcoracat:~$  ls -l /dev/console

crw------- 1 root root 5, 1 Apr 13 11:57 /dev/console

ztcoracat:~$ 

ztcoracat:~$ file /dev/console

/dev/console: character special

Maybe one of our members that knows will see your thread and share.