[SOLVED] xkeycaps -- Persistent Modified Keymap

Tyro65 · 07-15-2019, 11:31 PM

I would like to use the xkeycaps program to make the "ins" key persistently act like the <Down> cursor key.

Please help.

rtmistler · 07-16-2019, 06:41 AM

I think you'd have better luck with xmodmap(1) which is what xkeycaps uses to accomplish its feats.

DavidMcCann · 07-16-2019, 10:26 AM

An alternative is to simply modify your keyboard driver. The key-codes are set out in the file /usr/share/X11/xkb/keycodes/evdev
That contains the lines
<DOWN>=116;
<INS>=118;
Edit the file as root: swap the numbers and the keys swap functions. If you don't want a key to work, comment-out the entry with # at the start of the line and that key is no longer recognised. Changes take effect after the next log-in.

Tyro65 · 07-17-2019, 03:32 PM

A simple solution to remapping a couple of keys, but it didn't work for me. It's as if the altered evdev file is not being read at boot up. What am I missing?

Thanks.

Stan

Geist · 07-18-2019, 06:35 AM

There is a chance that it IS working, but some other device messes with it.
My whole keyboard layout settings get borked whenever I turn on my wacom tablet, to the point where I have written udev rules that re-run the script I use to set all the things.

DavidMcCann · 07-18-2019, 10:27 AM

That's an odd problem. Try the command

Code:

setxkbmap -print

and tell us what it says. Also, what distro and hardware have you got?

Tyro65 · 07-18-2019, 11:25 AM

$ setxkbmap -print
xkb_keymap {
xkb_keycodes { include "evdev+aliases(qwerty)" };
xkb_types { include "complete" };
xkb_compat { include "complete+ledscroll(group_lock)" };
xkb_symbols { include "pc+us+inet(evdev)+group(alt_shift_toggle)+terminate(ctrl_alt_bksp)" };
xkb_geometry { include "pc(pc105)" };
};

Tyro65 · 07-18-2019, 11:27 AM

I think it worked partially. The down cursor quit working, but the INS key did not act as the down arrow.

Tyro65 · 07-18-2019, 01:14 PM

I am using a Debian -- MX-18.

What hardware should I list? Run lshw and post the results?

DavidMcCann · 07-19-2019, 10:35 AM

The set-up looks fine. Let's check that the two keys are 116 and 118. Run the program xev in a terminal. That tells you what the keys are doing when you press them. When I press DOWN and INS, the third line of the output reads
state 0x0, keycode 116 (keysym 0xff54, Down), same_screen YES,
and
state 0x0, keycode 118 (keysym 0xff63, Insert), same_screen YES,
Do you get that, or something else?

Tyro65 · 07-19-2019, 12:34 PM

Thanks, David.

When I press DOWN, I get state 0x0, keycode 116 (keysym 0xff54, Down), same_screen YES,
When I press INS, I get: state 0x0, keycode 90 (keysym 0xff9e, KP_Insert), same_screen YES,

Tyro65 · 07-19-2019, 12:42 PM

The Numeric Key Lock is not on.

Tyro65 · 07-20-2019, 07:55 AM

It seems that the main keyboard keys do not like to swap with numeric key pad keys. I tried other ones and they worked fine.