Re: Dvorak layout except when modifier key is pressed

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 28.12.2007 um 04:05 schrieb B. T. Raven:

> > then ad(d)just:
> >     add    Shift   = Shift_L    Shift_R
>
>  !     add    Lock    = Caps_Lock !! I want this to be Hyper_L .  
> Will this conflict with your Mod4 assignment below?

You don't need to follow my examples. I was not trying to solve your  
keyboard layout problem, just giving hints. The Lock "function" can  
of course be performed by a key that also supplies the Hyper_L  
modifier. With funny results.

> >     add    Control = Control_L    Control_R
>
> !     add    Mod1    = Mode_switch    Mode_switch !! This I don't  
> understand at all. Is it the M$ Menu key?

If no keycode is mapped to produce the Mode_switch keysymbol, you  
can't assign Mode_switch  to Mod1 modifier. If you don't want to have  
a Mod1 modifier, you don't need to assign it. You can choose any  
defined key(symbol) to perform a modifier function.

> !     add    Mod2    = Meta_L        Meta_R  !! I don't need this  
> since I don't have a Meta key, right?

So leave it cleared! All modifier and control and shift and lock keys  
are optional.

> >     add    Mod3    = Alt_L        Alt_R
> >     add    Mod4    = Hyper_L    Hyper_R
> >     add    Mod5    = Super_L    Super_R
> > Generally you can set the "key bindings" like:
> >     keycode 0x35 =  n               N                
> > dead_tilde      U203A
> >     keycode 66 = Meta_L
>
> This keycode method seems like the easiest way to swap keys since I  
> can get the keycodes from xev.

Or 'xmodmap -pke'?

> Are the above "clear" and "add" lines still needed?

Not all. They were meant as a complete example.

> In my /etc/X11/Xmodmap file (all commented out) I read:
>
>
> ! keycode and keysym remapping should generally be used only if the X
> ! server config file has been configured to disable the XKEYBOARD
> ! extension
>
> Where is the server config file? Is this something I have to worry  
> about or can I just add these lines to that file? :

/etc or /etc/X11. The file names will probably contain the  
extension .conf. Man <the X server used> will reveal more details.  
There are configuration programmes for these files. 'apropos  
configure' might reveal the programmes and the files. Mistakes can  
prevent X11 to launch, so better make a backup of the file you want  
to change!

If you have a package with XKeyCaps in it, install it. XKeyCaps can  
be quite helpful in many ways.

> clear Lock
> !.
> !. maybe other expressions
> !.
> add Lock = Hyper_L !! Is that meaningful?

No. The Lock key can't be a modifier key, your car not a bike. (But  
the key that emits the Lock symbol can be changed to emit Hyper_L  
symbol.)

> keycode 66 = Hyper_L !! is this needed even with the above add Lock  
> expression?

You can set:

        my modifier Nº 1 is my right pinky.

As long as there is no keysymbol "right pinky" defined as being  
emitted by some key, you can't assign that symbol to a "function"  
like Mod<whatsoever>.

> keycode 37 = Super_L
> keycode 115 = Alt_L  !! It says Alt on the keycap.

So what? Aren't you going to tell your Linux PC that X is U?

> keycode 64 = Control_L
> keycode 113 = Control_R
> keycode 116 = Alt_R !! Again that's on keycap. Can't I just say alt- 
> is-meta or something somewhere?

Of course you can set it to Meta, either right side or left side.  
You're free to do what you want, since your computer can't read what  
its keys are imprinted with. The keycode is something like a "scan  
code" that a controller IC sends to the CPU. This same "scan code"  
can have in different environments different meanings ("switching  
keyboards [encodings/layouts]"). With 'keycode equals keysymbol' you  
assign the dumb "scan code" to something meaningful an user (high  
level) programme can work with.

> I read that there can be eight columns but that most apps don't  
> support beyond four. Does Emacs?

I don't know. Make a try: assign on the fly some key some more  
keysymbols. For example a, emitting the usual "a symbols," then b and  
B, and finally c and C. So you'll easily see what Modx-a or Modx-A  
deliver. And it's easy to restore: M-p, some delete, RET.

> Could I globalsetkey something to [(shift control alt super hyper  
> h)] ?

Emacs key-bindings are independent of those in X11 or any other  
windowing system. GNU Emacs receives the keysymbols, not the  
keycodes. It can handle only those keysymbols it receives. What you  
tell it to do with the received keysymbols is up to you. So it's  
surely possible to leave the keyboard's layout in X as is and change  
it to Dvořak only in GNU Emacs.

> > Multi_key is a nice thing: pressing Multi_key o / could produce ø.  
> > Not sure whether it's still supported ...
>
> I want to do all this sort of thing with Emacs (leim) input methods.

Fedora 8 should be capable to substitute leim. Doing so will enable  
you to have the same wealth in all applications. At least with  
Unicode Emacs 23.0.60 you don't leim at all.

--
Greetings

  Pete

What is this talk of 'release?' Klingons do not make software  
'releases.'  Our software 'escapes,' leaving a bloody trail of  
designers and quality assurance people in its wake.