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Cloney
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Joined: 10 Oct 2003
Posts: 65
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 Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:43 am Post subject: HOWTO: Multimedia keys on a Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro |
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I've just discovered something rather interesting, and fixed it, so I thought I'd share.
While playing with KHotkeys, I noticed that some of the multimedia buttons on my MS Natural Keyboard Pro didn't work. A bit of websearching revealed the strange truth - the MS NK Pro has different keymaps if connected by USB or PS2. Strange but true.
Anyway, the Xkb keymap is based on the PS2 keymap, so some of the keys aren't mapped correctly (a few are common, such as Mail, back, forward, etc). Here's how to fix the rest:
As root, open /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/inet in your editor of choice - I'll use nano for this example for compatability's sake, but I'd recommend something GUI based good for cut and pasting:
| Code: | | nano -w /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/inet |
Search for Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro until you find its entry. Now paste the following into the file after the original MS NK Pro entry:
| Code: | partial alphanumeric_keys
xkb_symbols "microsoftprousb" {
name[Group1]= "Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro USB";
// Multimedia Section -- Right Side
key <I1F> { [ XF86AudioPlay, XF86AudioPause ] };
key <I24> { [ XF86AudioPrev ] };
key <I17> { [ XF86AudioStop ] };
key <I22> { [ XF86AudioNext ] };
key <I01> { [ XF86AudioMedia ] };
key <I25> { [ XF86AudioLowerVolume ] };
key <I1E> { [ XF86AudioRaiseVolume ] };
key <I26> { [ XF86AudioMute ] };
// Internet Section -- Left Side
key <I02> { [ XF86HomePage ] };
key <I6C> { [ XF86Mail ] };
key <I66> { [ XF86Favorites ] };
key <I65> { [ XF86Search ] };
key <I68> { [ XF86Stop ] };
key <I6A> { [ XF86Back ] };
key <I69> { [ XF86Forward ] };
key <FK16> { [ XF86Reload ] };
// My Computer Section -- Far Right
// My computer maps to printscreen, so leaving commented out for now
// key <PRSC> { [ XF86MyComputer ] };
key <I21> { [ XF86Calculator ] };
key <I63> { [ XF86Standby ] };
}; |
Note that the My Computer key shares a keymap with Printscreen, so there's not really any point in remapping it, so it's commented out here.
Next, you need to add your new keymap to X's various list files.
| Code: | | nano -w /etc/X11/xkb/rules/xfree86 |
Find the section that's headed "! model", where the other Microsoft boards should be listed. Add the following:
| Code: | | microsoftprousb = microsoft(natural) |
Now find the "! $inetkbds" section, and add the following line to the list:
Next, the keyboard list:
| Code: | | nano -w /etc/X11/xkb/rules/xfree86.lst |
Find the "! model" section and add the following to the list:
| Code: | | microsoftprousb Microsoft Natural Keybard Pro USB |
Lastly, the XML file that will ultimately replace the old list:
| Code: | | nano -w /etc/X11/xkb/rules/xfree86.xml |
Do a search for "Natural Pro" to find the original layout, then add this after </model>:
| Code: | <model>
<configItem>
<name>microsoftprousb</name>
<description>Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro USB</description>
</configItem>
</model> |
Lastly, update your XF86Config to use your new keyboard.
| Code: | | nano -w /etc/X11/XF86Config |
Find the Keyboard section, then look for the line:
| Code: | | Option "XkbModel" <somemodel> |
Change this to:
| Code: | | Option "XkbModel" "microsoftprousb" |
Restart X, and everything should be great. Note for KDE users - Keyboard Layout in Kontrol Centre overrides any XF86Config Xkb settings, but uses the same config files, so be sure to select your new board from the Layout menu (which should now include our new options).
Enjoy! I'm off to file a XF86 bugreport.
Cloney |
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shiftless
Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 08 Oct 2003
Posts: 128
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| Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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| The simple solution would be to just use the already defined "microsoftprose" keyboard deffinition. |
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Cloney
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Joined: 10 Oct 2003
Posts: 65
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| Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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| shiftless wrote: | | The simple solution would be to just use the already defined "microsoftprose" keyboard deffinition. |
Isn't that defined for Swedish Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro's, though? My board has a UK keymap. That said, looking at the files shows that the microsoftprose keymap does have the right inet key mappings.
Weird.
Cloney |
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shiftless
Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 08 Oct 2003
Posts: 128
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| Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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Well this only deals with the inet keys, so it wouldnt affect any other mappings you used with it for the regular keyboard keys.
As far as the Swedish bit goes... I dont know... My guess is it was sent in by someone from Sweden who used it as USB and everyone else used it as PS/2 so they thought there were 2 revisions of the same keyboard... |
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Cloney
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Joined: 10 Oct 2003
Posts: 65
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| Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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| shiftless wrote: | | As far as the Swedish bit goes... I dont know... My guess is it was sent in by someone from Sweden who used it as USB and everyone else used it as PS/2 so they thought there were 2 revisions of the same keyboard... |
That's about as close as I could guess. Anyway, I've filed an XF86 bug report on it, so hopefully it'll be fixed for the next release in some way shape or form.
Out of curiousity, how did you know about the Swedish thing?
Cloney |
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shiftless
Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 08 Oct 2003
Posts: 128
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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I was too lazy to actually try and figure out how to add a new deffinition so i just went through the entries hoping i would find one that was close enough to use the few keys i actually used  |
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Cloney
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Joined: 10 Oct 2003
Posts: 65
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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Well, the XF86 bug report's been dealt with. They're going to rename the swedish map to say that it's actually a USB map, and also probably unbind the printscreen key (as mapping over it limits functionality).
Ah well, I got it working, learnt a lot and fixed a bug. I still can't help feeling I wasted a morning, though 
Cloney |
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