[ltp] How to set "compose" key, T520 with no DE

[Tamas Papp]

Hi Keith,

Just use XKBOPTIONS.  Here is my /etc/default/keyboard:

# Check /usr/share/doc/keyboard-configuration/README.Debian for
# documentation on what to do after having modified this file.

# The following variables describe your keyboard and can have the same
# values as the XkbModel, XkbLayout, XkbVariant and XkbOptions options
# in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

XKBMODEL="pc105"
XKBLAYOUT="us,us"
XKBVARIANT=",altg-intl"
XKBOPTIONS="grp:shift_caps_switch,terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp,compose:prsc"

# If you don't want to use the XKB layout on the console, you can
# specify an alternative keymap.  Make sure it will be accessible
# before /usr is mounted.
# KMAP=/etc/console-setup/defkeymap.kmap.gz
BACKSPACE="guess"

This setup

1. disables CapsLock's original function, Shift+CapsLock switches to the
us-intl layout, CapsLock switches back to US (grp:..., you might want to
remove this if you don't need it),

2. terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp allows me to kill X with this key
combination,

3. compose:prsc makes PrtSc the compose key.

I find this particularly convenient on my T430s.

Best,

Tamas

On Thu, Dec 20 2012, keitho@strucktower.com wrote:

> Hi All-
>
> I can't figure out how to use a "compose" key with my ThinkPad T520.
>
> I do not use a DE. Currently I am using the i3 tiling wm with Debian.
>
> I tried using
>
> $ sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration
>
> Using the menus I set the compose key to be the Right Alt key. I then
> checked:
>
> *************************
> $ cat /etc/default/keyboard
> # Check /usr/share/doc/keyboard-configuration/README.Debian for
> # documentation on what to do after having modified this file.
>
> # The following variables describe your keyboard and can have the same #
> values as the XkbModel, XkbLayout, XkbVariant and XkbOptions options # in
> /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
>
> XKBMODEL="pc105"
> XKBLAYOUT="us"
> XKBVARIANT=""
> XKBOPTIONS="lv3:ralt_switch"
>
> # If you don't want to use the XKB layout on the console, you can
> # specify an alternative keymap.  Make sure it will be accessible
> # before /usr is mounted.
> # KMAP=/etc/console-setup/defkeymap.kmap.gz
> BACKSPACE="guess"
> ***********************************
>
> Maybe I am doing it wrong? I press the right alt key, release, then press
> (for example) "o" then "c" which should give me the copyright symbol, but
> does not work. Does not work if I press and hold the right alt key either .
> I have tried other key combinations as well.
>
> I don't see "what to do after having modified this file" message means-
> that file doesn't tell me.
>
> I can generate special characters using the "Ted" word processing
> program's internal symbol creator for documents.
>
> Is there some default I should be aware of? is there some way to query the
> system to tell what character has been mapped to the compose key?
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Keith Ostertag