How to readjust your keyboard map to your liking.
Contents
Introduction
Sometimes, esp. when working in an X environment, the default keyboard layouts aren't enough...
xbindkeys
Program that allows you to launch shell commands with your keyboard or mouse under X. It links commands to keys or mouse buttons.
cd /usr/pkgsrc/x11/xbindkeys make install clean
Create a default file
xbindkeys --defaults > $HOME/.xbindkeysrc
Grab a key code
xbindkeys -k
or
xbindkeys -mk
for multi-keys respectively.
Examples
.xbindkeysrc
# control+shift+d starts an xterm (it's a comment) "xterm" control+shift + q # Menu key starts xbindkeys_show "xbindkeys_show" Menu # Control + mouse button 1 starts an xterm "xterm" Control + b:1 # Control+Shift+a release event starts rxvt "rxvt" release+control+shift + a # Control + mouse button 2 release event starts rxvt "rxvt" Control + b:2 + Release
xmodmap
X utility for modifying keymaps and pointer button mappings. Call it from .xinitrc or .xsession, depending on whether you use 'startx' or the X display manager, like:
xmodmap ~/.xmodmaprc
German umlauts with en_US keyboards
I use the [right-Alt]+[vowel] key combination. For that, add the following to your .xmodmaprc
! Alt_R + aAeEoOuUs für Umlaute auf US-Tastaturen. clear mod1
add mod1 = Alt_L
add mod3 = Alt_R
keysym Alt_R = Mode_switch
keysym u = u U udiaeresis Udiaeresis
keysym a = a A adiaeresis Adiaeresis
keysym o = o O odiaeresis Odiaeresis
keysym s = s S ssharp
Swap Caps_Lock and Control_L
This comes in handy esp. when using Emacs, screen and similar programs.
! Swap Caps_Lock and Control_L remove Lock = Caps_Lock remove Control = Control_L keysym Control_L = Caps_Lock keysym Caps_Lock = Control_L add Lock = Caps_Lock add Control = Control_L
Alternatively you can add in the InputDevice section of your keyboard in /etc/X11/xorg.conf (dunno if Xfree.conf works):
Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:swapcaps"
Mouse emulation mode with Num_Lock
remove Lock = Num_Lock
add Lock = Control+Mod2 + Num_Lock