I was wondering how it might be possible to determine the currently used keyboard layout in a gnome session, when the user switches keyboard layouts via an applet. As of now I do not care, what programming language or libraries (gtk,x,...) I have to use for it.
I asked a similar question before on:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/155879/how-to-get-current-gnome-keyboard-layout-from-terminal
Unfortunatelly nobody could solve the issue, which is why I wanted to ask you. How do you determine the current keyboard layout in your programms/scripts.
Thanks
ftiaronsem
On the command line or from within scripts you can use setxkbmap:
$ setxkbmap -print | awk -F"+" '/xkb_symbols/ {print $2}'
gb
Or the -query option:
$ setxkbmap -query
rules: evdev
model: pc105
layout: gb
The keyboard layout is stored in the settings of X. (/etc/X11/xorg.conf)
Personally I would try parsing that file (or find a parser for it) and try to determine the layout that way.
Since I am not that experienced with X11, I do not know whether there might even be an API to query these settings.
I must say that I do not know whether that is the only place where it can be configured. Someone else might be able to confirm that.
Related
I'm coding a demon like program from Gambas on Ubuntu 13.10.
This is a GUI application which becomes visible when the user hits specific key.
Therefore, I don't want this program to appear on the task bar.
Is there a way I can bypass it? (Maybe from a Bash trick or a Gambas code?)
Thanks! :)
You need to add _NET_WM_STATE_SKIP_TASKBAR atom to _NET_WM_STATE - see 'Application window properties' part of emwh spec.
I don't know at all gambas, but what you want is the following for gtk (in python):
window.set_property("skip-taskbar-hint", True)
or for QT:
setWindowFlags(QtCore.Qt.SplashScreen)
basically, you need to find a way to change the properties or flags for the windows you want to display. Look at the API of the windows in gambas
I'm looking for a way to make my virtual desktop change without using keyboard shortcuts.
I explain: I want to do a java program that will change my current desktop to the desktop at the left for exemple, let's say by clicking on a button. I've done it using keyboard shortcuts sent by the java program, but i want it more universal (i mean, that can work for everyone). Hope I'm clear enough!
Thanks.
This will give you available workspace (virtual desktop) names:
wmctrl -d
then
wmctrl -s <workspace name>
will move to the workspace.
Take a look at here http://tomas.styblo.name/wmctrl/ to see what window managers are supported.
My previous answer was:
xrandr is probably what you want. Take a look at this wikipedia page here too.
I thought xrandr will work but couldn't figure out how. I hope someone will comment and give the definite answer whether xrandr will work or not.
In Ubuntu, for example, you can use Super-M to invert the screen colors (requires desktop effects, see [1]). Other OSes have similar abilities, although I'm not really concerned with anything other than Linux.
Which API should I look into if I want to write a simple program that, when run, inverts the screen colors?
The language that I use the API from doesn't particularly matter to me. I am familiar enough with C/C++/Bash/Perl/Python that I can hack this up in whatever language has the easiest access to this API. Working on Ubuntu is required, working on other similar *nixes is not terribly important.
[1] https://help.ubuntu.com/community/KeyboardShortcuts#Desktop%20Effects%20enabled%20shortcuts
You could use xcalib to do what you want.
For example, a simple bash script to invert the screen colors would look like this:
#!/bin/bash
xcalib -invert -alter
Here are scripts and instructions for shifting colors using compton: https://github.com/vn971/linux-color-inversion
xrandr-invert-colors worked out of the box for me.
xcalib does not work for me using xorg and a tiling window manager, with an external display and gives me the following error: "Unable to get a display calibration".
Credit to Imat.
Im runing Solaris 10 - but im having problems with the keyboard.
Instead of - i get /, and instead of y i get z, etc. I tried changing every option in the menu "Keyboard Behaviour". I also tried changing kmdconfig from xorg to xsun, but then the graphics goes all wild and ugly - although the keyboard works fine then. Also cant change resolution in xsun mode.
By the way, im runing Solaris from Vmware, but i doubt this has anything to do with this.
Leave the graphic environment to the console:
dtconfig -d
dtconfig -reset
Select the correct keyboard layout you use:
kbd -s
Load it:
loadkeys
Check the keys are working properly. If okay, enable the graphical environment again:
dtconfig -e
If that still works, make that choice persistent after a reboot by updating your eeprom. eg:
eeprom kbd-type=Spanish
This should be migrated to superuser.com
It seems that you are expecting a german keyboard layout but are getting a US layout - at least the differences you are seeing are differences between those layouts. I don't know where to change that in openSolaris, but maybe it helps you find the correct place to look. Whatever desktop environment that you are using, it should have a tool to change the keyboard layout, probably somewhere with the other internationalization settings.
Is there a way to map Cmd+C to Copy in linux? (instead of Ctrl+C)
Would be nice if I could also have the emacs style ones, like Ctrl+B to move left by one character.
Is there a way, on Linux/X, to map certain key combos to other key combos?
In the tradition of all open source projects, there's not a way, there are several. At the lowest level you've got kernel keybindings, which is probably not what you want. At the X server level you've got xkb with its myriad utilities. And then it seems that every window manager - gnome, kde, xfce or other - also has a keymapping utility. xkb seems to have lots of utils and such around it, and is likely more complete than any random window manager's keymapping utils, so I'd look at that first.
KDE 3 is probably the most flexible here; there's a pre-defined keyboard shortcut scheme named "Mac Scheme". You can set it through KControl Control Center > Regional & Accessibility > Keyboard Shortcuts or kcmshell keys and it will have effect on almost all KDE applications immediately. You might miss some of those Emacs-like "Ctrl-*" shortcuts that OS X has, but that aside, it works well (as long as your X modifiers are mapped correctly). And if it's not to your liking, it's easily customizable.
You can also set Control Center > Desktop > Behavior to enable a Mac OS-like menubar; all KDE applications will then share a menubar at the top of the screen instead of being individually attached to each window.
Update 02/03/2020
Kinto has now been rewritten in C for Ubuntu/Debian systems using x11. It also uses json config files, making it easier to manage and extend to other applications than just terminals. The app no longer maps to Super in the Terminal apps, it will now properly map to Ctrl+Shift to create the exact same feel as having a Cmd key.
Please checkout the latest release.
https://github.com/rbreaves/kinto
The main change to allow for the Super = Ctrl+Shift change is in this symbols file.
default partial xkb_symbols "mac_levelssym" {
key <LWIN> {
repeat= no,
type= "ONE_LEVEL",
symbols[Group1]= [ Hyper_L ],
actions[group1]=[ SetMods(modifiers=Shift+Control) ]
};
key <RWIN> {
repeat= no,
type= "ONE_LEVEL",
symbols[Group1]= [ Hyper_R ],
actions[group1]=[ SetMods(modifiers=Shift+Control) ]
};
};
Pjz's answer is correct in saying that an xkb solution would be ideal, sadly few have taken that route, most likely due to the difficulty of learning xkb and it seems many have gone the route of using Xmodmap files which is being deprecated while we are on our way to Wayland.
This answer may be several years too late, but here it is any ways.
Kinto is a tool I recently created that will address this problem and does so by using xkb and by listening to what app you are currently using, as it also changes the keymap while using terminals so the mac like experience can be consistent.
https://github.com/rbreaves/kinto
https://medium.com/#benreaves/kinto-a-mac-inspired-keyboard-mapping-for-linux-58f731817c0
Here's a Gist as well, if you just want to see what is at the heart of it all, it will not alternate your keymap when needed though. The Gist also does not include custom xkb keymap files that setup macOS style cursors/word-wise manipulations that use Cmd and the arrow keys.
https://gist.github.com/rbreaves/f4cf8a991eaeea893999964f5e83eebb
Edit: Posting the contents of the gist as well. I cannot realistically post the contents of Kinto.
# permanent apple keyboard keyswap
echo "options hid_apple swap_opt_cmd=1" | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/hid_apple.conf
update-initramfs -u -k all
# Temporary & instant apple keyboard keyswap
echo '1' | sudo tee -a /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/swap_opt_cmd
# Windows and Mac keyboards - GUI (Physical Alt is Ctrl, Physical Super is Alt, Physical Ctrl is Super)
setxkbmap -option;setxkbmap -option altwin:ctrl_alt_win
# Windows and Mac keyboards - Terminal Apps (Physical Alt is Super, Physical Super is Alt, Physical Ctrl is Ctrl)
setxkbmap -option;setxkbmap -option altwin:swap_alt_win
#
# If you want a systemd service and bash script to help toggle between
# GUI and Terminal applications then look at project Kinto.
# https://github.com/rbreaves/kinto
#
# Note: The above may not work for Chromebooks running Linux, please look
# at project Kinto for that.
#
# If anyone would like to contribute to the project then please do!
#
You'll get almost all of the way there if you switch Cmd and Ctrl
xmodmap -e "keycode 63 = Control_L"
That way Cmd will be Control. No other keys will be swapped
Edited: I forgot the "-e"