Keyboard State?


chuckr

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Mar 30, 2009
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I find that, more than once, I find myself making keyboard errors, because I've changed the state of the CapsLock state. Am I right, are there still LEDs that haven't been assigned a regular usage yet? I want to suggest that having one of the leftover LEDs be assigned to track the state of CapsLock. Sure would be appreciated here.

If such IS a good idea but the developer time isn't yet available, tell me so, maybe I could do it. I don't want to try it if the idea sounds bad right off the block, tho.

If I wanted to be able move some keys (like, say, "$") what would be the best way to modify the actual physical labeling? I can handle the software portion of this, but I can't decide what would be a good method to permanently modify the printed physical keyboard labeling (god, I'm pretty sure someone will think I mean how to change the placement of the keys, when I only mean the printed-on labeling). I have about a dozen keys I would like to move, I can easily do the logical changes, but I can't figure out how to do the physical labeling. I mean, I can't just attack it with a indelible laundry marker, could I? That would look pretty evil.

Thanks, folks.
 
There are LED spaces, complete with code in the kernel to turn them on or off. There are not, however, LEDs soldered into those spots. End users would have to do that themselves.
Once you've soldered the LEDs into place though, it's pretty easy to do what you want.

As for the labels on the buttons, you can't change them. They were printed onto the rubber and then covered over with an epoxy.
 
- re purpose an existing LED
- find or code an onscreen Caps Lock indicator? (maybe there is one for xfce already?) Presumably our caps lock is handled in sw, not a hw keyboard thing.

jeff
 
Ok, how difficult is it for somebody to hack up a nice led assignment tool? (preferrably with gui ofcourse) Because i can personally do without the SD lights, and i find the Capslock and Fn status lights very very useful on my mobile phone keyboard.

It would absolutely need a nightrider demo mode ofcourse ("Yes Michael?" audio file optional) ;)

Cheers!
 
I coulda sworn caps, num, and scroll lock triggers were patched into the kernel a long time ago, and indeed I can find discussion and agreements that it's a good idea, complete with recommended patch, but I look at the kernel and it's not there. That would have made it so EASY! This is part of the Linux politics I don't like: it's a good idea, the patch exists, yet for some unknown reason it never made it into the trunk. Eh, whatever. I'd write one, but I have no idea how to get the capslock status in Linux. In DOS and Windows it's easy. Can't seem to find the same info in Linux :(
 
WizardStan said:
I coulda sworn caps, num, and scroll lock triggers were patched into the kernel a long time ago, and indeed I can find discussion and agreements that it's a good idea, complete with recommended patch, but I look at the kernel and it's not there.
erm... nevermind. It appears to be in the 2.6.33 kernel. Pandora's got 2.6.27. Not sure when/if the Pandora will get to that version, but when it does, changing the LEDs will be as easy as "echo capslock > /sys/class/leds/pandora::sd2/trigger"
I'll even suggest a patch to add FN-lock to the trigger list.
 
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