ctrl:nocaps for Jackalope

[smooshy]

I've been bashing my head on trying to get the old xorg.conf ctrl:nocaps behaviour working after upgrading to Jackalope. I updated from Intrepid, and see that my xorg.conf got changed to:

# commented out by update-manager, HAL is now used
#Section "InputDevice"
# Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
# Driver "kbd"
# Option "CoreKeyboard"
# Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
# Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
# Option "XkbLayout" "gb"
# Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:nocaps"
#EndSection

I had to poke at HAL in Intrepid to get the touchpad accelleration set. Searching led me to believe that a keyboard.fdi file in /etc/hal/fdi/policy is the way to go, and the following is what I tried.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<deviceinfo version="0.2">
<device>
<match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.keys">
<merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">kbd</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.XkbRules" type="string">xorg</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.XkbModel" type="string">pc105</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.XkbLayout" type="string">gb</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.XkbOptions" type="string">ctrl:nocaps</merge
>
</match>
</device>
</deviceinfo>

Unfortunately this left me with an unusable keyboard that appeared to generate random gibberish on key presses. I tried several variants, but either nothing happened, or the results were the same.

So, how do I turn the caplock key into a ctrl key for 9.04?

[b100dian]

Hi,

I had the same problem. I tried to write an fdi file as said here (http://blogmal.42.org/tidbits/xorg-hald.story) and ended up with this:
<deviceinfo version-"0.2">
<device>
<match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.keyboard">
<merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">kbd</merge>
<merge key="input.xkb.Rules" type="string">xorg</merge>
<merge key="input.xkb.Options" type="string">ctrl:nocaps</merge>
</match>
</device>
</deviceinfo>


What I also tried was, from gnome-keyboard-properties, to tick the Caps lock as ctrl option, the "Apply to all users".

I honestly don't know which one did the trick..

LATER EDIT: the fdi file was incorrect (version-"2.0") so just running gnome-keyboard-properties fixed it, .. but only for that session:( still searching..

[b100dian]

Ok, next I tried to copy he fdi file from /usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-keymap.fdi and edit it.

Hal wasn't complaining about parsing (grep hal /var/log/syslog) now, but it didn't do anything.

NEeeext.. I saw that my Xorg.0.log kept on saying that it applied grp:alt_shift_toggle to keyboard devices. Which I hadn't set in the .fdi file.

So I grepped my /etc/ for this option and found /etc/defaults/console-setup which contains XKB options too.

I modified there, and now may Xorg log prints the new settings being applied. BUT THEY DONT WORK.

Anybody any other idea?:(

[b100dian]

Last update: editing the /etc/default/console-setup actually solved it *if* I disabled XFCE's keyboard applet's "Change layout option". You cannot do this in xfce4-xkb-plugin 0.5.3.2 but you will in 0.5.3.3.(because the blank option will be there in the selector).
Anyway, this is also an xfce xkb 'known issue' :( http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-xkb-plugin "Bugs and Limitations"

Now.. I have trouble understanding WHO parses /etc/default/console-setup and WHY? dpkg -S doesnt mention any package that installs it, so it must have been generated..? I miss my slackware..

[73ckn797]

If you see "Configuration Editor under Applications/System Tools you can find it in there and check caplocks on.

[b100dian]

If you see "Configuration Editor under Applications/System Tools you can find it in there and check caplocks on.

I suppose that's the gnome menu.. but I'm not sure what application is there, because I don't have a Configuration Editor in Application/System tools.
Can you at least give the name of the process launched?
Thanks

[73ckn797]

I suppose that's the gnome menu.. but I'm not sure what application is there, because I don't have a Configuration Editor in Application/System tools.
Can you at least give the name of the process launched?
Thanks

I do not know the process as in a terminal command but it can be a simple gui procedure.

If you go to System/Preferences/Main Menu you can enable it to show up in the Applications/System Tools section. Once accessible open it. Go to Desktop/gnome/peripherals/keyboard. There you can check off to "remember_numlock_state".

See if that will do the trick for you.

Here is a screen shot attached

[b100dian]

Aaaah but that's gconf-editor:)

I suppose GConf could play a role here to, but not sure if it does if you use XFCE without gnome services.

However I was trying to set up Caps Lock to work as Control with simply Xorg comfogiration. And I think the OP wished the same.

In Gnome it works already.
Thanks though:)

[mlnease]

I do not know the process as in a terminal command but it can be a simple gui procedure.

If you go to System/Preferences/Main Menu you can enable it to show up in the Applications/System Tools section. Once accessible open it. Go to Desktop/gnome/peripherals/keyboard. There you can check off to "remember_numlock_state".

See if that will do the trick for you.

Here is a screen shot attached

Hello, 73ckn797,

Attached is a screenshot of my Desktop/gnome/peripherals/keyboard settings. Still no numlockx on login. I have, of course, installed numlockx and properly edited /etc/gdm/Init/Default. Still no luck. I've overcome this particular obstacle in perhaps a dozen Hardy installs but so far no luck in Jaunty. Any further advice? Anyone?

Thanks in advance.

mike

[73ckn797]

Look under the gnome/peripherals/keyboard sub-menu in Configuration Editor. You may see one selection titled "host-computer name" (that is your computer name). See screen shot attached.

[mlnease]

Look under the gnome/peripherals/keyboard sub-menu in Configuration Editor. You may see one selection titled "host-computer name" (that is your computer name). See screen shot attached.

Thanks very much for the response, 73ckn797. I found the setting and it is checked 'on' (screenshot attached). Still no numlock on login. Any other suggestions?

Thanks for your patience.

mike

[mlnease]

Look under the gnome/peripherals/keyboard sub-menu in Configuration Editor. You may see one selection titled "host-computer name" (that is your computer name). See screen shot attached.

Thanks, done (screenshot attached)--still no numlock on login. Any other thoughts? Thanks for your patience.

mike