HOWTO : Create a custom keyboard shortcut

[frodon]

The goal of this small HOWTO is to create a custom keyboard shortcut to run a software (like xmms, 3ddesk, ...) or what command line you want (xkill, transset 0.5, ...). Personally i use this trick to launch xkill, different values of transset and also alltray.

A- Using xbindkeys, works for each desktop (KDE, GNOME, XFCE, ...)

1- First install xbindkeys :

sudo apt-get install xbindkeys

2- Install xbindkeys-config, it's a GTK frontend for xbindkeys so it' easy to configure xbindkeys with that.

sudo apt-get install xbindkeys-config

3- Configuration
Launch xbindkeys :

xbindkeys

Then launch the GUI :

xbindkeys-config

And then enjoy how it's easy to configure shortcuts with this GUI



B- Using metacity (the default GNOME window manager)
In the example i give, i want to start xkill (graphical kill) using "Alt + a" shortcut.
You will see some screenshots from aysiu at the bottom of the post.


1- Open GConf editor (Applications -> System Tools -> Configuration Editor), go to apps -> metacity -> keybinding_commands, and now choose a command, for my example I choose command_1. Edit command_1 writing xkill in order to run xkill (or every command you want to launch like in a terminal).

2- In the same directory go to global_keybindings. Edit command_1 (or the command you choose in part 1) with the wanted shortcut like that : <Alt>a (to use the windows key just edit the field with Super_L)


Misc
If you are looking for the name a key, the tool xev will help you. Just type xev in a terminal then you will see an output for each key you hit.
There are some output exemples of xev in this thread.

that's all !

Enjoy

[Mustard]

I like this one.

[No6]

Great!

I've been using xbindkeys... Ah well you learn something new everyday.

[bionnaki]

anyway to make a keyboard shortcut that'll show hidden files in nautilus? I'd like to change from control-H to something easier...

[Gandalf]

Great TIP Thx,
I would like to add that i've added another shortcut <Alt>z to killall xkill in case you changed your mind and want to quit xkill without killing something..
and i have a question, on my laptop Fn + F6 suppose to lock my screen ( lock PC) but it does eject the DVD-ROM, anyone knows how to change this?

Thanks

[frodon]

You can manage that in System > Preferences > keyboard shortcut in the desktop section. There is an eject field and a lock screen field to specify keyboard shortcuts.

Happy to know that you like this small TIP

[Chris Tucker]

how do you add key codes? like my custom volume up is command 'volmute increase' and button code is 0xb0 ..

[Chris Tucker]

nevermind, used another tutorial to add XF86 syms to my keys

[frodon]

nice !

May you put the link here for other users ?

Thanks

[Chris Tucker]

http://www.djlosch.com/tutorial_debi...cm_volume_link
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...city+key+codes
used those two to fix my problem where volume keys controlled Master (which affected nothing) to change to control PCM.