• ODH
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Dresden / Saxony / Germany
  • Registered: 2009-05-14
  • Posts: 32

Topic: [suggestion]Install- or config-script for FN keys

hi all,

I wonder if it should be possible to configure the FN keys of a laptop/netbook/notebook with a preinstalled script.
lets say the common keys like volume up/down keys, brightness up/down keys, screen on/off toggle, mute on/off toggle, wlan on/off toggle...and so on.

I am pretty useless and unskilled with scripts but I thought it must be possible to read out the key-code for the necessary keys with a script and as far as I know to integrate within #!.

this script/tool would be pretty nice for chruncheee and of course for every other #!.

looking forward to your feedback.

ODH's Website

  • From: U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2009-01-28
  • Posts: 531

Re: [suggestion]Install- or config-script for FN keys

ODH wrote:

hi all,

I wonder if it should be possible to configure the FN keys of a laptop/netbook/notebook with a preinstalled script.
lets say the common keys like volume up/down keys, brightness up/down keys, screen on/off toggle, mute on/off toggle, wlan on/off toggle...and so on.

I am pretty useless and unskilled with scripts but I thought it must be possible to read out the key-code for the necessary keys with a script and as far as I know to integrate within #!.

this script/tool would be pretty nice for chruncheee and of course for every other #!.

looking forward to your feedback.

I have been looking for a way to program the FN keys for quite some time. The problem I had, is that hitting just the FN key in a keymapping app to track which key number the FN represents, does not actually register anything when you press the FN key. If you figure this out, let me know.

#! 10 “Statler” r20110207 32-bit & Openbox
  • From: Mexicali, Mexico
  • Registered: 2009-07-09
  • Posts: 179

Re: [suggestion]Install- or config-script for FN keys

Yeah that would be useful! In my laptop the only Fn Combination that worked was brightness up and down (Fn + Arrow up/down) but the others (suspend, wireless, CRT/LCD, Open disc tray, mute, volume up, volume down, Print screen, does not work.

I have had managed to get volume up/down working once, but after reboot was broken again, so I ended controlling volume only with volwheel (which is pretty useful)

I hope that all my Fn keys work in future releases of the great #!

Statler: Are you running Mac or PC?

Waldorf: After that... I'm running away!

AlexMex90's Website

  • benj1
  • Wiki Wizard
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  • From: Yorkshire, England
  • Registered: 2009-09-05
  • Posts: 1,084

Re: [suggestion]Install- or config-script for FN keys

you want to use xev to get key names, this page should have more details http://crunchbanglinux.org/wiki/configuring_keybindings

- - - - - - - - Wiki Pages - - - - - - -
#! install guide           *autostart programs, modify the menu & keybindings
configuring Conky       *installing scripts
  • pvsage
  • Internal Affairs
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  • From: Section Six
  • Registered: 2009-10-18
  • Posts: 5,979

Re: [suggestion]Install- or config-script for FN keys

AlexMex90 wrote:

Yeah that would be useful! In my laptop the only Fn Combination that worked was brightness up and down (Fn + Arrow up/down) but the others (suspend, wireless, CRT/LCD, Open disc tray, mute, volume up, volume down, Print screen, does not work.

I have had managed to get volume up/down working once, but after reboot was broken again, so I ended controlling volume only with volwheel (which is pretty useful)

I hope that all my Fn keys work in future releases of the great #!

Here's the rub - the same code doesn't work with all laptops.  The codes are the same in general, but they have to be tweaked according to your specific hardware.  The amixer commands for the XF86Audio* keys are a perfect example.  Ideally apt could conceivably detect your hardware and install a hardware-specific version of an external shell script that would be called by rc.xml.

while ( ! ( succeed = try() ) );