Monday, 14 November 2016

My crazy keyboard configuration

I have this in my .Xmodmap file.
  clear mod5
  clear mod4
  clear lock
  clear control
  keycode 49 = ISO_Level3_Shift
  keycode 66 = Menu NoSymbol Menu
  keycode 37 = Super_L NoSymbol Super_L
  keycode 133 = Control_L NoSymbol Control_L
  keycode 108 = Alt_L
  keycode 134 = Control_R NoSymbol Control_R
  add mod5 = ISO_Level3_Shift
  add mod4 = Super_L Hyper_R
  add control = Control_L Control_R
  keycode  10 = 1 exclam 1 exclam grave onesuperior exclamdown
  keycode  11 = 2 quotedbl 2 quotedbl notsign twosuperior trademark
  keycode  12 = 3 sterling 3 sterling brokenbar threesuperior copyright

It turns my Windows keys into Ctrl keys, my left Ctrl key into a Windows key, my Caps Lock key into a menu (▤) key, my AltGr key into a regular Alt key and it turns the key directly below Esc (I call it backtick) into an AltGr. To access the characters that were on that key I type my new AltGr + 1 or 2 or 3.

Why these changes?

  • I need a symmetrical ctrl key arrangement (on both my desktop and laptop).
  • I need a symmetrical alt key arrangement. (I'm an Emacs user.)
  • But I still need an AltGr key
  • I have customized Emacs to make the menu key very useful (following Xah Lee's advice), that's why I've moved it to the easy-to-reach Caps Lock position.

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