Modifying the kernel keymap

Modifying the kernel keymap

[Cory Maccarrone]

All,

I'm working with the Wing Linux and Linwizard projects in porting
various omap850-based devices to Linux, and was wondering about
keymaps.

In particular, I'm working with the HTC Herald, which uses an Alt key
to access things like numbers and symbols on a physical keyboard.  In
Linux, the keymappings are wrong for this -- Alt does something
different and doesn't allow access to those extra characters.

In Linwizard, we've modified the defkeymap and added makefile rules to
compile our modified defkeymap when a specific board was selected, but
this isn't portable when building a kernel for many boards at once,
each having a different mapping.

So, my question is, what is the best way to go about changing the
defkeymap, or supplying a keymap that allows all the keys to function
correctly, but doesn't require non-portable makefile hacks?

Thanks,
Cory

Re: Modifying the kernel keymap

[Felipe Balbi]

Hi,

On Sun, 2009-11-15 at 12:06 -0800, Cory Maccarrone wrote:
> All,
> 
> I'm working with the Wing Linux and Linwizard projects in porting
> various omap850-based devices to Linux, and was wondering about
> keymaps.
> 
> In particular, I'm working with the HTC Herald, which uses an Alt key
> to access things like numbers and symbols on a physical keyboard.  In
> Linux, the keymappings are wrong for this -- Alt does something
> different and doesn't allow access to those extra characters.
> 
> In Linwizard, we've modified the defkeymap and added makefile rules to
> compile our modified defkeymap when a specific board was selected, but
> this isn't portable when building a kernel for many boards at once,
> each having a different mapping.
> 
> So, my question is, what is the best way to go about changing the
> defkeymap, or supplying a keymap that allows all the keys to function
> correctly, but doesn't require non-portable makefile hacks?

how about letting xmodmap handle that ? If you use alt key, then kernel
passes alt key. Userland can later remap that key to some other
function.

-- 
balbi

Re: Modifying the kernel keymap

[Cory Maccarrone]

On Sun, Nov 15, 2009 at 2:31 PM, Felipe Balbi <me@felipebalbi.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> On Sun, 2009-11-15 at 12:06 -0800, Cory Maccarrone wrote:
>> All,
>>
>> I'm working with the Wing Linux and Linwizard projects in porting
>> various omap850-based devices to Linux, and was wondering about
>> keymaps.
>>
>> In particular, I'm working with the HTC Herald, which uses an Alt key
>> to access things like numbers and symbols on a physical keyboard.  In
>> Linux, the keymappings are wrong for this -- Alt does something
>> different and doesn't allow access to those extra characters.
>>
>> In Linwizard, we've modified the defkeymap and added makefile rules to
>> compile our modified defkeymap when a specific board was selected, but
>> this isn't portable when building a kernel for many boards at once,
>> each having a different mapping.
>>
>> So, my question is, what is the best way to go about changing the
>> defkeymap, or supplying a keymap that allows all the keys to function
>> correctly, but doesn't require non-portable makefile hacks?
>
> how about letting xmodmap handle that ? If you use alt key, then kernel
> passes alt key. Userland can later remap that key to some other
> function.
>
> --
> balbi
>
>
>

For X-based interfaces that would work, and there's an equivalent for
Android too.  My question is more geared towards the console (i.e. no
X or Android, just plain linux console).

- Cory
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Re: Modifying the kernel keymap

[Tony Lindgren]

* Cory Maccarrone <darkstar6262@gmail.com> [091115 14:49]:
> On Sun, Nov 15, 2009 at 2:31 PM, Felipe Balbi <me@felipebalbi.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > On Sun, 2009-11-15 at 12:06 -0800, Cory Maccarrone wrote:
> >> All,
> >>
> >> I'm working with the Wing Linux and Linwizard projects in porting
> >> various omap850-based devices to Linux, and was wondering about
> >> keymaps.
> >>
> >> In particular, I'm working with the HTC Herald, which uses an Alt key
> >> to access things like numbers and symbols on a physical keyboard.  In
> >> Linux, the keymappings are wrong for this -- Alt does something
> >> different and doesn't allow access to those extra characters.
> >>
> >> In Linwizard, we've modified the defkeymap and added makefile rules to
> >> compile our modified defkeymap when a specific board was selected, but
> >> this isn't portable when building a kernel for many boards at once,
> >> each having a different mapping.
> >>
> >> So, my question is, what is the best way to go about changing the
> >> defkeymap, or supplying a keymap that allows all the keys to function
> >> correctly, but doesn't require non-portable makefile hacks?
> >
> > how about letting xmodmap handle that ? If you use alt key, then kernel
> > passes alt key. Userland can later remap that key to some other
> > function.
> >
> > --
> > balbi
> >
> >
> >
> 
> For X-based interfaces that would work, and there's an equivalent for
> Android too.  My question is more geared towards the console (i.e. no
> X or Android, just plain linux console).

Maybe post the patch for reference to linux-input list? Please Cc this
list too, it will be interesting to see what Dmitry suggests.

IMHO, we should find a way to support various keyboards with platform_data
specified keymaps in order to use the shell with standard distros.

Tony
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