[SOLVED] Expose and Dashboard keys don't work (macbook 4.1)

[kosumi68]

1. would it be possible to additionally add a mapping from enter to insert (bootcamp style), just like from backspace to delete, with:

{ KEY_ENTER, KEY_INSERT },

maybe others might also need this key.

Interesting thought, but also controversial. It is true that the insert key is the only one of the navigation keys currently not mapped. It is also true that the natural key on a full-size apple keyboard is the help key (google). It may also be confusing to some people. Here is a deal: If you start a new thread about this key, where people can try it out using the hid-dkms package (yes, I'm putting it in), and the general feeling is 'wow, good idea', then we can send it to kernel.org. Otherwise, we'll have to find another solution for the macbooks. Ok?

2. this approach is likely to cause new problems (and questions) after a kernel upgrade to a major version, because the module gets rebuilt after rebooting, but again isn't incorporated into the ramdisk. what about adding the option:

REMAKE_INITRD=y

to dkms.conf?
Mario

Good catch, thanks. Incorporated and uploaded.

To everyone: if you test the Expose, Dashboard and Insert key mappings and feel comfortable with it, please send a private message with name, email and mac model; not only macbooks. Once enough people have done that, I will send a patch to kernel.org with all names listed as Tested-by. It will take some time, but at least we make sure no-one gets bitten by the change.

Cheers!

[cyberdork33]

Interesting thought, but also controversial. It is true that the insert key is the only one of the navigation keys currently not mapped. It is also true that the natural key on a full-size apple keyboard is the help key (google). It may also be confusing to some people. Here is a deal: If you start a new thread about this key, where people can try it out using the hid-dkms package (yes, I'm putting it in), and the general feeling is 'wow, good idea', then we can send it to kernel.org. Otherwise, we'll have to find another solution for the macbooks. Ok?

Curious exactly what this means....

It is just my personal opinion, but I would rather have a key perform the function that is actually marked on the key by default and allow the user an option to change its function via software (gnome keyboard layout options?). Having a key marked one thing and performing a completely different function is quite confusing. The only time I have argued different is in the case of things such as the help key on the full apple keyboard that is in place of Insert as it appears on most other PC keyboards. (Clear / Numlock is another case of this). There are also a few bugs on all this in launchpad where people have of course given differing opinions.

[Debilski]

I don’t know how it is with newer or older Macbooks (I guess it is different, because Apple liked to change some of the keys on the keyboard), but on the 3,1 on the Carriage Return Key there is a large sign saying Return (↩) which is ‘Return’ in xmodmap and a smaller one saying Enter (⌅) which should correspond to ‘KP_Enter’ in xmodmap. So for that one it would be reasonable to somehow map it that way. Users of course could change it afterwards with xmodmap to ‘Insert’ it they wanted to.

However there is this issue with different generations of the Macbooks having different layouts (possibly even being non-consistent throughout different languages) so in order to remap the keycodes as OS X like as possible there should be some switch which chooses the correkt MB version, I think. Is this in any way possible?

[cyberdork33]

I don’t know how it is with newer or older Macbooks (I guess it is different, because Apple liked to change some of the keys on the keyboard), but on the 3,1 on the Carriage Return Key there is a large sign saying Return (↩) which is ‘Return’ in xmodmap and a smaller one saying Enter (⌅) which should correspond to ‘KP_Enter’ in xmodmap.

Which I think you use Fn+Return to access...

Plus that marking is pretty rare around here. I think it is only on certain international models. (Were you the one on launchpad about this?)

[Debilski]

Which I think you use Fn+Return to access...

Yeah, unless Fn+Return yields Insert…

Plus that marking is pretty rare around here. I think it is only on certain international models. (Were you the one on launchpad about this?)

No. but the marking seems to be even on English models. Even with the explicit differentiation Return/Enter: http://www.gadget.co.za/imageLib/Hom...okKeyboard.jpg

Just a side node; I’m pretty sure it won’t work, though: But could anyone dream of a way of making Fn+Click = RightClick. As much as I‘ve got used to using one large mouse button and two finger taps for right clicks, sometimes I miss dragging a file with the right mouse button pressed.

[kosumi68]

Curious exactly what this means....

So am I

It is just my personal opinion, but I would rather have a key perform the function that is actually marked on the key by default and allow the user an option to change its function via software (gnome keyboard layout options?). Having a key marked one thing and performing a completely different function is quite confusing. The only time I have argued different is in the case of things such as the help key on the full apple keyboard that is in place of Insert as it appears on most other PC keyboards. (Clear / Numlock is another case of this). There are also a few bugs on all this in launchpad where people have of course given differing opinions.

This argument then leads to mapping FN+Return to KEY_KPENTER, as was also suggested by Debilski.

[cyberdork33]

This argument then leads to mapping FN+Return to KEY_KPENTER, as was also suggested by Debilski.

OK. I thought he was saying he wanted it to act as Insert or something...

[_alex_]

Thought I'd chime in because I've been thinking about key remapping myself lately. What I think is really missing is the ability to remap the primary *and* secondary functionality of any key, without having to recompile parts of the kernel.

I'll give you an example. I'm running a custom compiled usbhid module that maps the primary functionality of the eject key on my Macbook Pro to "Delete" and the secondary (that is fn+Eject) to "Eject". I'm a PC guy, and I like having a dedicated delete key above backspace, but note that I also can Eject CDs using (fn+Eject).

What really bothers me is that I had to compile a kernel module to get this to work (as well as fix expose and dashboard keys). The way this should really be done is as follows: The fn key should be treated just as ctrl, alt, and super. That way xmodmap could be used to map the primary and secondary functionality of *any* key.

That would also remove the necessity to patch the kernel to enable the quirks each time Apple decides to change the hardware id, because the keyboard would be treated just like any other, save for the additional xmodmap mappings for Mac keyboards. That would also mostly resolve any grudges about how fn+Enter and the "clear" key on the aluminum keyboards should work (see launchpad bickering on the latter issue ). Assuming the user can set their preferred behavior quite easily outside the kernel modules.

This is of course not a trivial patch to get working, and it'd be difficult to get it accepted upstream as it'd mess with a fair chunk of "stable" albeit hackish code in usbhid and hid-quirks.

P.S.: Henrik, thanks for the great work you've been doing with mactel's PPA and submitting patches upstream and to launchpad. Thanks to you Ubuntu runs better on my Macbook out of the box than it ever did on my old acer laptop

[cyberdork33]

Thought I'd chime in because I've been thinking about key remapping myself lately. What I think is really missing is the ability to remap the primary *and* secondary functionality of any key, without having to recompile parts of the kernel.

Oh I completely agree with that. It is ridiculous that you have to modify the kernel to make keyboard work the way you want to.

P.S.: Henrik, thanks for the great work you've been doing with mactel's PPA and submitting patches upstream and to launchpad. Thanks to you Ubuntu runs better on my Macbook out of the box than it ever did on my old acer laptop

hear, hear! It is nice to have a good programmer on our side!

[kosumi68]

Oh I completely agree with that. It is ridiculous that you have to modify the kernel to make keyboard work the way you want to.

I can only "tricond" you two. Keyboard stuff is hairy, I say.

hear, hear! It is nice to have a good programmer on our side!

*blushes*