This is a question and an answer to it. I post it for help other users fighting against the same problem.

I use Slackware 12.1 together with the standard X.org 1.4.0 and Window Maker 0.92.0.

When I run Window Maker, autorepeat keyboard function sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t work. I checked KDE and XFCE for a few times. I tried also Midnight Commander in the console mode. Autorepeat works good in all these environments. The problem concerns Window Maker only.

I tried to alternate Option "AutoRepeat" "500 30" in xorg.conf by commenting and uncommenting it but it has nothing to the problem.

Moreover if I quit and enter Window Maker for a few times, autorepeat option sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t work. If it works, it works in all applications and circumstances. If it doesn’t work... it doesn’t work.

When autorepeat doesn’t work and I run xset q command it replies:

auto repeat: on key click percent: 0 LED mask: 00000000
auto repeat delay: 660 repeat rate: 25
auto repeating keys: 00ffffffdffffbbf
fadfffdfffdfe5ef
ffffffffffffffff
ffffffffffffffff

It replies that autorepeat is on despite it doesn’t work.

Fortunately there is possible to turn autorepeat function on without quiting and entering Window Maker for several times by use of the command xset r. The latter method is much more convenient than the former.

To avoid that problem I made .xinitrc file in my home directory and filled it with the content:

wmaker
xset r

This is nondeterministic bug – very difficult to establish and repair. Great thanks to Cride5 for some hint.

Have a nice day...

w1k0