Mapping a keyboard button to a function

[Manni]

Re: Mapping a keyboard button to a function

It's not mounted on, or near the touch pad, but it could be wired to it I suppose. The button is on the left hand side of the laptop, next to my vol + & -, head phones & Mic jacks. Do you think this could be the case? Any ideas how I can check this?

[Manni]

Re: Mapping a keyboard button to a function

After googling long and hard, I have come across this post:

http://www.linuxpackages.net/forum/v...affbf3fb3afe0c

The interesting bit is this:

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It does appear to be a known problem with the 2.6 kernel. On my logitech keyboard, I got around the problem using setkeycodes, as below.

First press one of the non functioning keys. Then take a look at /var/log/syslog. Towards the bottom, you should find something along the lines of the following:

Code:

Jul 31 07:35:52 proton kernel: atkbd.c: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0x85 on isa0060serio0).
Jul 31 07:35:52 proton kernel: atkbd.c: Use 'setkeycodes e005 <keycode>' to make it known.
Jul 31 07:35:52 proton kernel: atkbd.c: Unknown key released (translated set 2, code 0x85 on isa006/serio0).
Jul 31 07:35:52 proton kernel: atkbd.c: Use 'setkeycodes e005 <keycode>' to make it known.


Then run getkeycodes. This lists the currently assigned keycodes with output similar to the following:

Code:

Plain scancodes xx (hex) versus keycodes (dec)
for 1-83 (0x01-0x53) scancode equals keycode

0x50: 80 81 82 83 99 0 86 87
0x58: 88 117 0 0 95 183 184 185
0x60: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0x68: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0x70: 93 0 0 89 0 0 85 91
0x78: 90 92 0 94 0 124 121 0

Escaped scancodes e0 xx (hex)

e0 00: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
e0 08: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
e0 10: 165 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
e0 18: 0 163 0 0 96 97 0 0
e0 20: 113 140 164 0 166 0 0 0
e0 28: 0 0 255 0 0 0 114 0
e0 30: 115 0 150 0 0 98 255 99
e0 38: 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
e0 40: 0 0 0 0 0 119 119 102
e0 48: 103 104 0 105 112 106 118 107
e0 50: 108 109 110 111 0 0 0 0
e0 58: 0 0 0 125 126 127 116 142
e0 60: 0 0 0 143 0 217 156 173
e0 68: 128 159 158 157 155 226 0 112
e0 70: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
e0 78: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


Then it is simply a case of making the unrecognised key known by finding an unassigned keycode (in this case I chose 154), and assigning it using setkeycodes:

Code:
n I look in the log there is no mention of
setkeycodes e005 154


Restart X, and xev should now detect the keypress.

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However when I look in the syslog I don't get an unknown keypress.

[flarson]

Re: Mapping a keyboard button to a function

Notice the date on that exchange. There have been tremendous changes in the linux kernel since 2004. Particularly since you are seeing no messages in /var/log/syslog, I would think this is entirely different.

[flarson]

Re: Mapping a keyboard button to a function

This appears to be very much the same thing.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...al/+bug/120856

[flarson]

Re: Mapping a keyboard button to a function

This is probably of interest. The package console-setup sets up the console, duh! If you run

sudo dpkg-reconfigure console-setup

Youwill see many possibilities to choose from. One of those is
Laptop/notebook Compaq (eg. Presario) Internet Keyboard

I think this might activate you button. Then again , it might not.

[Manni]

Re: Mapping a keyboard button to a function

Hi all.

I tried the "sudo dpkg-reconfigure console-setup" and went through the process of setting up, selecting "Laptop/notebook Compaq (eg Presario) Internet Keyboard", an at the end of the setup I got this:

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laptop@Laptop:~$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure console-setup
[sudo] password for laptop:
* Saving console font and keymap for next boot...WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 148
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 152
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 153
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 158
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 159
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 160
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 162
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 163
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 164
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 174
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 176
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 178
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 223
WARNING: Undefined kernel key code for 245
[ OK ]
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-11-generic
laptop@Laptop:~$

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I restarted the laptop and tried the mute key and nothing happened. I opened a terminal and used xev to see if I was now getting any key code, and again nothing. Since this my left hand "alt" key has stopped working, although it does give out a key code in xev. I think going back to the my previous set-up would solve the alt key though.

Any idea what all the warnings are for? It sounds like I have 14 keys that don't work, but this isn't so. I checked all my extra keys (Never thought to checked them before, don't ask me why).

The keys which don't give any keycode are as follows:

Mute (A mute symbol)
Search (A magnifying glass)
Lock (A locked padlock symbol)
Help (A question mark)

however the following keys give a keycode in xev, but are as yet not assigned to anythng:

Mail (A picture of an envelope)
Information (An information logo, "i")

My additional volume up / down keys work fine.

[Manni]

Re: Mapping a keyboard button to a function

Like you said mando_hacker, this bug is simular to the problem I am having:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...al/+bug/120856

Also found this, but no reply as yet:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/296507

Does this look like a problem with the kernel, with no work around as of yet?
I'm starting to lose hope.

[flarson]

Re: Mapping a keyboard button to a function

I think you have reached a point where what you want has never shown up on a kernel developers radar. I expect that the right person could probably provide a fix in short order with hardware to work with. It is just not easy to engineer that situation. So it is probably time to think of it as a long term project and keep noticing until it gets implemented.