Re: Alt vs Meta - Sun keyboard, redhat linux

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 03.01.2011 um 21:25 schrieb chengiz:

> Which of these "Mod?"s does emacs use for its Alt modifier? My current
> xmodmap already has Alt_L at Mod1. I want emacs to treat this like
> Emacs-alt (ie. the rarely used Alt modifier mentioned at
> http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Windows-Keyboard.html)
> rather than Emacs-meta.

Why do you think the Alt and Meta key modifiers have something to do  
with MS Losedos?

The Meta modifier is the M in, for example, M-x. M-ESC is ESC-ESC. The  
Meta modifier is accepted by GNU Emacs as the "Meta" modifier.

The Alt modifier can select up to two (two, because with and without  
Shift pressed) character keyboard layouts. On my keyboard, for  
example, Alt-a produces å and Alt-S-a Å. The Alt modifier is accepted  
by GNU Emacs as the "Alt" modifier.

If you want to find out what some "Alt" named key on your keyboard  
produces, then use xev (best launched from a *shell* buffer in GNU  
Emacs), give it the focus and press that key. Xev will produce some  
cryptic output that can be deciphered to some meaning. Similarly  
proceed with the "Meta" titled key on your keyboard. With the  
information of the key codes these keys generate when pressed or  
released, you can reset "key bindings" in X11:

        keycode <whichever> = Alt_R
        keycode <whatever> = Meta_L

Actually my first example was incomplete, because changing the  
sequence of modifiers does not change their meaning because the keys  
have also a keysym by which they are understood.

When you write that you have the Alt_L modifier already defined, then  
find out which key produces this modifier event. Xev can be your  
friend. Once you've located the Alt_L key on your keyboard, you can  
use it in GNU Emacs. The xkeycaps utility might be able to have your  
keyboard layout loaded. Then you'll see graphically what you press.

--
Greetings

  Pete

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                                (Paul Eluard)