KEYBOARD & MOUSE TRICKS FOR GNU/LINUX

[ Index ] This keyboard come from Amilo A laptop, but those tricks may be easly adapted for other keyboards.

KEYBOARD

Keyboard : ~85+1+2 keys, French Mapping (azerty) , soft & silent w/ 2 extra keys (web+mail)

This keyboard needs some kernel modules to be loaded. Someone said to me that it is a USB device and requieres 'usb-ohci' module (ohci alias?)
I can't explain why but it some case (custum kernels) the keyboard is not active (even if the magic keys are pressed) until gdm start, can u help ?
Kernel 2.6-test2 driver may be 'atkbd'
Under X : The '<' / '>' keys don't work (AltGr+Shift+Z / X) (keycode 94), This fix the keyboard layout

!# file://~/.Xmodmap
!# Amilo A keyboard French (azerty)
!# @author: www.Philippe.COVAL.free.fr

keycode  94 = less greater bar brokenbar bar brokenbar
keycode  22 = BackSpace
keycode 107 = Delete
keycode  49 = twosuperior asciitilde notsign notsign notsign notsign
keycode  59 = semicolon period

!# xev show multimedia keys code :
!# magic=178 & 236 # win=115 menu=117 # print=110 brk=111
keycode 178 = XF86AudioLowerVolume XF86AudioPrev XF86AudioPlay XF86Back XF86WWW
keycode 236 = XF86AudioRaiseVolume XF86AudioNext XF86AudioStop XF86Forward XF86

! keycode 117 = F14
! keycode 115 = Meta_R
keycode 115 = Super_L Super_R
keycode 117 = Menu
add mod3    = Super_L

!#keysym comma = comma question
!#keysym period = semicolon period

!# xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap # xev # cat /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/XKeysymDB
!# EOF # file://~/.Xmodmap

I used xev to catch keycodes

# xev
KeyPress event, serial 27, synthetic NO, window 0x2a00001,
    root 0x40, subw 0x0, time 196266, (-118,-95), root:(724,487),
    state 0x0, keycode 236 (keysym 0x0, NoSymbol), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes:  ""

# cat /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/XKeysymDB

How to catch event of windows key ? and use it as a key modifier on kde (like win+e win+f win+r as on windows etc)
What to do with those multimedia keys ? assign to app, how ? I currently use them as KDE shortcuts.
file:///usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xkb/README

http://www.kde.com/howto/

But it would be cooler to use them as volume level +/- etc

# apt-get install klineakconfig
# zile /etc/lineakkb.def
[...]
[AMILO]
  brandname = "Laptop/notebook"
  modelname = "Fujitsu Siemens Amilo A"
  [KEYS]
    internet    = 178
    mail        = 236
  [END KEYS]
[END AMILO]
# end amilo  # @ http://rzr.online.fr/linux.htm
[...]

# klineakconfig

Can lineak support compostions keys like Shit+'Internet' etc ? Also auto repeat on long press ?
http://lineak.sourceforge.net
Feel free to sync this in any hardware database

Daemon that waits for keystrokes, Funkeyd, epist , http://hocwp.free.fr/xbindkeys

# kbd_mode
The keyboard is in raw (scancode) mode

# kbdrate
Typematic Rate set to 10,9 cps (delay = 250 ms)

[Fn] key is not a catchable event, might be hardware only.

Also the "Toggle Screen" Shortcut : [Fn] + [F5] : freeze the computer (does not even reply to ping) (i've been reported about this also when using touchpad under console)
But the other combinations of [Fn] key work fine on "Pseudo keypad" also the luminosity shortcuts [Fn] + [up] | [down] . (is it possible to go outside the 10 steps range ?, see xbrightness xgamma)

I tried Red Hat 10 : the keyboard doesnt work once the kernel is booted
Also When booting with "single" option the keyboard typing doesn't show unless I press one "Multimedia key".

When using geexbox-generator-0.90-4 : keyboard was not propelly detected. I suppose loading module usb-ohci locks it.
How to know more on my laptop's keyboard ?

On debian system, to reconfigure console keymap use

# base-config
# dpkg-reconfigure console-common # will not change /etc/console/boottime.kmap.gz
# apt-get install keylaunch
# Copy to $HOME/.keylaunchrc
#
# Format:
# key=...KeyName:Command
#
# ... No modifier
# *.. Shift
# .*. Ctrl
# ..* Alt
key=.**Return:xterm
key=.**m:mozilla
key=.**x:xchat
key=.**g:gimp
key=.**s:sylpheed
key=***Return:xterm -bg white -fg red -name RootTerminal -e su -
key=.**i:gnomeicu-client showhide

MOUSE / TOUCHPAD : ALPS ELECTRIC POINTING DEVICE

Touchpad works pretty well. I don't think it is a synaptic device but it worked.
I connected a serial mouse trough the ps/2 connector, It worked along touchpad under X, but it seems to freeze the keyboard when getting back to console (framebuffer). Or when using ps/2 mouse and keyboard at the same time under X... any Ideas ?

Winxp: ENE CB1420 CARDBUS Controler

2.6.0-test4 kernel works :
# rmmod psmouse ;  modprobe -v psmouse # when X is started , how comes ?
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.0-test4/kernel/drivers/input/mouse/psmouse.ko
#dmesg
input: PS/2 Generic Mouse on isa0060/serio4

Then how to enable gpm to work user X ? (RTFM?) Here is mouse Middle button down event (no up)

# xev
MotionNotify event, serial 26, synthetic NO, window 0x2400001,
    root 0x40, subw 0x2400002, time 948749, (54,10), root:(896,592),
    state 0x0, is_hint 0, same_screen YES

EnterNotify event, serial 26, synthetic NO, window 0x2400001,
    root 0x40, subw 0x0, time 948779, (53,9), root:(895,591),
    mode NotifyNormal, detail NotifyInferior, same_screen YES,
    focus YES, state 0

KeymapNotify event, serial 26, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    keys:  64  0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
           0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0

MotionNotify event, serial 26, synthetic NO, window 0x2400001,
    root 0x40, subw 0x0, time 948790, (52,7), root:(894,589),
    state 0x0, is_hint 0, same_screen YES

MotionNotify event, serial 26, synthetic NO, window 0x2400001,
    root 0x40, subw 0x0, time 948799, (51,6), root:(893,588),
    state 0x0, is_hint 0, same_screen YES

Misc

man kxkb


http://www.synaptics.com/support/downloads.cfm

http://RzR.online.FR

Last modified: Wed Jul 27 20:31:42 CEST 2005