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

[Hebus95]

How to use the key between Ctrl and Alt ? You know the key with a flag ?

I would create a win+E shortcut to launch nautilus.

[frodon]

I think you should enter <Super_L>e, however run "xev" in a terminal it will tell you the keysim of each key you hit.

[Hebus95]

<Super_L> doesn't work, but I finally found how to do the trick :

use <Mod4> to create a shortcut with the Windows key.

It would be good to add a table with such equivalents in the wiki.

[frodon]

Happy that you found what you was looking for

With my keyboard Super_L works but it might be different for some keyboards.
I don't think a table is needed in the wiki because xev is a tool which allow you to know the keysim of each key of the keyboard, then all you have to do to know the keysim (even for multimedie buttons) is to run xev and hit the wanted key.