SUMMARY: Keyboard Mapping

From: Steve Dickson (sdickson@gumby.for.gov.bc.ca)
Date: Wed Nov 23 1994 - 17:28:46 CST


SYNOPSIS OF PROBLEM::
        Type-4/Type-5 keyboard, SPARC 2/Classic running OpenWindows
        under Solaris 2.3. Intermittently find '|' key producing
        blanks on command line and \046 in vi.

SOLUTION::
        Problem is due to user hitting Alt-Graph key. This key
        apparently becomes a toggle modifier rather than a normal
        modifier under one of the patches (101362-xx ; we have
        101362-08 installed), causing the '|' key to produce
        unexpected characters.
        
        Short-Term: Hit Alt-Graph key again to toggle off modifier.
        Long-Term: Install fixed patch (101362-24??). I don't have this
                patch available, so was unable to check if this fixes
                the problem.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSES::

===============================================================================
>From miked@mcegate.fujitsu.oz.au Tue Nov 22 23:40 PST 1994

Are you running under openwindows? If so, run xmodmap -pk to see what
the current keyboard mappings are. The relevant line on my type-4 is:
     95 0x005c (backslash) 0x007c (bar) 0x00a6 (brokenbar)
If this line is different after the problem hits (at least for the type-4)
you at least have a less messy fix - use xmodmap to map the keys back
to what they should be.

Also, bug report 1152594 might be relevant.
===============================================================================

===============================================================================
>From casper@fwi.uva.nl Wed Nov 23 01:22 PST 1994

We've seen this problem too. In our case it turned out to be a combination of:
        - an Xsun jumbo patch (fixed in 101362-24)
        - and a user inadvertedly pressing the diamond, alt-graph or
          compose key (I don't remember which)
The patch made the key sticky like capslock, instead of a normal modifier.
Press the key again and the problem is gone.
===============================================================================

===============================================================================
>From kevin@uniq.com.au Wed Nov 23 05:16 PST 1994

Interesting - I've seen it too, but just restarting windows was enough for me...
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>From fitz@FRC2.FRC.RI.CMU.EDU Wed Nov 23 06:32 PST 1994

Yes, some application or user is redefining your keyboard. Trying to
track this down is almost impossible - it happened to me not to long
ago. What you can do is reset the keyboard at login which might clear it.
===============================================================================

===============================================================================
>From rice@husc.harvard.edu Wed Nov 23 09:13 PST 1994

If you haven't already, try: /usr/openwin/bin/xview/kbd_mode
This program will usually fix such problems.
===============================================================================

Thanks to all who answered.



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