SUMMARY2: keyboard: function keys and numlock

From: Osvaldo Gold (osvaldo@platinum.apexvoice.com)
Date: Wed Sep 25 1996 - 16:51:06 CDT


A couple of weeks ago I posted a question asking how to turn the NUM LOCK
key on and program the function keys at boot time or on starting Openwindows.

I got some requests for a SUMMARY from this list but I did not have an answer
at that time on turning on the NUM LOCK key.

After talking to SUN tech support I got the following that I would like
to share with you.

--> Included message
The *state* of a Num_Lock modifier (or any modifier) can only be
altered by user action, not X client requests.

However, the problem you describe above lends itself nicely to the
simple solution of just mapping the keypad keys such that the only
possible interpretations are numeric. Presto! - global and permanent
"Num_Lock".

Run "xmodmap -pk | grep KP_ >some_file". Edit the file (.xmodmaprc
might be a good choice for the name) to change the lines to xmodmap
expressions that eliminate non-numeric keysyms from the mappings
(you can also eliminate any lines where the mapping is already numeric
keypad only), e.g.:

     75 0xffd8 (F27) 0xffd8 (F27) 0xffb7 (KP_7) 0xff50 (Home)

becomes:

keycode 75 = KP_7

Then modify the .xinitrc or .xsession file to invoke "xmodmap .xmodmaprc".

(BTW, newer versions of xmodmap have a "-pke" option that makes this a
little easier.)

-- End of included message.

Enjoy

-- Osvaldo Gold, Apex Voice Communications
-- osvaldo@apexvoice.com



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