[gentoo-user] OT: keys that don't create keycodes

[gentoo-user] OT: keys that don't create keycodes

[Iain Buchanan]

It seems that every multimedia keyboard out there (especially the usb
ones) have some or all "extra" keys that just aren't visible outside of
Winblows.

I have a couple of them!  I've tried all the usual ways of detecting
them - xev and others that do a similar thing but they just don't
register as keypresses in any standard way.

I would like comments on why, and what methods, if any, may be available
to detect such keys.  Surely with the plethora of cheap multimedia
keyboards out there, there is some way.
-- 
Iain Buchanan <iain at pcorp dot com dot au>

Don't worry about the world coming to an end today.  It's already tomorrow
in Australia.
                -- Charles Schulz

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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: keys that don't create keycodes

[Petr Kocmid]

On Tuesday 19 of July 2005 08:56, Iain Buchanan wrote:
> It seems that every multimedia keyboard out there (especially the usb
> ones) have some or all "extra" keys that just aren't visible outside of
> Winblows.
>
> I have a couple of them!  I've tried all the usual ways of detecting
> them - xev and others that do a similar thing but they just don't
> register as keypresses in any standard way.
>
> I would like comments on why, and what methods, if any, may be available
> to detect such keys.  Surely with the plethora of cheap multimedia
> keyboards out there, there is some way.

In X, once you analyze scan codes generated by those keys with xev, you can 
assign keycodes locally wih xmodmap. In keyboard maps, you can reuse some 
exotic Fn key names available from historical mainframe terminals, unused on 
PC platform, such as F26 and Shift+F26 and so, I can't now remember the exact 
number limit for function key names, depends on how x libraries built. Works 
great for KDE, which recognizes these names well for shortcuts.

Petr
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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: keys that don't create keycodes

[Patrick Börjesson]

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On 05/07/19 17:31, Petr Kocmid wrote:
> On Tuesday 19 of July 2005 08:56, Iain Buchanan wrote:
> > It seems that every multimedia keyboard out there (especially the usb
> > ones) have some or all "extra" keys that just aren't visible outside of
> > Winblows.
> >
> > I have a couple of them!  I've tried all the usual ways of detecting
> > them - xev and others that do a similar thing but they just don't
> > register as keypresses in any standard way.
> >
> > I would like comments on why, and what methods, if any, may be available
> > to detect such keys.  Surely with the plethora of cheap multimedia
> > keyboards out there, there is some way.
> 
> In X, once you analyze scan codes generated by those keys with xev, you can 
> assign keycodes locally wih xmodmap. In keyboard maps, you can reuse some 
> exotic Fn key names available from historical mainframe terminals, unused on 
> PC platform, such as F26 and Shift+F26 and so, I can't now remember the exact 
> number limit for function key names, depends on how x libraries built. Works 
> great for KDE, which recognizes these names well for shortcuts.

I think the originator is rather pointing out the problem that the newer
keyboards (e.g. those with the F-Lock key) doesn't even generate a
scancode. So xev for example won't even register a keypress when one of
those extra multimedia keys is pressed by the user... 

I had the same problem when I bought a new keyboard, but I just couldn't
find a solution for it so I returned it and went back to one of my old
IBM-clicky-click keyboards ;)

-- 
Regards,
  Patrick Börjesson

PGP signature: http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x21792A5D
PGP fingerprint: 74AF D4EF 6BDE CF77 16BE  6A29 CDB8 7607 2179 2A5D

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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: keys that don't create keycodes

[Sami Samhuri]

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* On Tue Jul-19-2005 at 04:26:05 PM +0930, Iain Buchanan said:
> It seems that every multimedia keyboard out there (especially the usb
> ones) have some or all "extra" keys that just aren't visible outside of
> Winblows.
> 
> I have a couple of them!  I've tried all the usual ways of detecting
> them - xev and others that do a similar thing but they just don't
> register as keypresses in any standard way.
> 
> I would like comments on why, and what methods, if any, may be available
> to detect such keys.  Surely with the plethora of cheap multimedia
> keyboards out there, there is some way.

Perhaps this blog entry[1] has some useful information for you. I jumped
on the same boat as Patrick and now use my Happy Hacking Lite 2 keyboard
and some old Honeywell AT keyboard. xbindkeys is your friend, although I
admit the "shortcuts" can get obscure quickly. If anyone wants a
multimedia keyboard I'll sell it to you cheap. Complete with
disabled-on-boot F1-12 keys! :P

[1] http://planet.gentoo.org/developers/flameeyes/2005/06/15/and_the_keyboard_lose_the_match

-- 
Sami Samhuri

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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: keys that don't create keycodes

[Iain Buchanan]

On Tue, 2005-07-19 at 19:41 -0700, Sami Samhuri wrote:
> * On Tue Jul-19-2005 at 04:26:05 PM +0930, Iain Buchanan said:
> > It seems that every multimedia keyboard out there (especially the usb
> > ones) have some or all "extra" keys that just aren't visible outside of
> > Winblows.
> > 
> > I have a couple of them!  I've tried all the usual ways of detecting
> > them - xev and others that do a similar thing but they just don't
> > register as keypresses in any standard way.
> > 
> > I would like comments on why, and what methods, if any, may be available
> > to detect such keys.  Surely with the plethora of cheap multimedia
> > keyboards out there, there is some way.
> 
> Perhaps this blog entry[1] has some useful information for you.
> 
> [1] http://planet.gentoo.org/developers/flameeyes/2005/06/15/and_the_keyboard_lose_the_match
> 

thanks, that looks really interesting...
-- 
Iain Buchanan <iaindb@netspace.net.au>

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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: keys that don't create keycodes

[Robert Svoboda]

* Iain Buchanan <iain@pcorp.com.au> [2005-07-19 09:10]:
> I have a couple of them!  I've tried all the usual ways of detecting
> them - xev and others that do a similar thing but they just don't
> register as keypresses in any standard way.

did you try lineak (it's in portage)? I think there are others, maybe more
advanced.

http://lineak.sourceforge.net/

Robert
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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: keys that don't create keycodes

[Iain Buchanan]

On Wed, 2005-07-27 at 09:47 +0200, Robert Svoboda wrote:
> * Iain Buchanan <iain@pcorp.com.au> [2005-07-19 09:10]:
> > I have a couple of them!  I've tried all the usual ways of detecting
> > them - xev and others that do a similar thing but they just don't
> > register as keypresses in any standard way.
> 
> did you try lineak (it's in portage)? I think there are others, maybe more
> advanced.

I've tried lots of programs, including lineak, but trying another
program isn't going to fix it if xev itself can't even see the
keypresses.  It has to be a deeper issue like the X keyboard driver or
something.  Hence the interesting link someone else posted:
http://planet.gentoo.org/developers/flameeyes/2005/06/15/and_the_keyboard_lose_the_match
-- 
Iain Buchanan <iaindb@netspace.net.au>

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