Xev is a command that displays X events (input actions such as mouse or keyboard). This information is commonly used to determine the keybinding name of keyboard custom keys such as the volume or email shortcut buttons.

for installation help, follow this guide.

sudo apt-get install xev

1. Launch terminal.

2. Run 'xev' command.

3. Hit the button you want to know the keybinding of.

4. Read the output.

CodeKeyPress event, serial 35, synthetic NO, window 0×2400001, root 0x1a7, subw 0×0, time 9065053, (28,3), root:(1067,615), state 0×10, keycode 123 (keysym 0x1008ff13, XF86AudioRaiseVolume), same_screen YES, XLookupString gives 0 bytes: XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes: XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 35, synthetic NO, window 0×2400001, root 0x1a7, subw 0×0, time 9065190, (28,3), root:(1067,615), state 0×10, keycode 123 (keysym 0x1008ff13, XF86AudioRaiseVolume), same_screen YES, XLookupString gives 0 bytes: XFilterEvent returns: False Text

• XF86AudioRaiseVolume is the keybinding for the volume up key on my keyboard.

• The two paragraghs of output seem identical, but one is for when the key is pressed, and the other is for when it's released. For general purposes just pick either one and ignore the other.

• Also, the keycode can be useful, but for rc.xml that's not what we're looking for here.

• Use this information to configure your rc.xml keybindings.

KeyPress event, serial 35, synthetic NO, window 0×2400001, root 0x1a7, subw 0×0, time 10722202, (7,3), root:(1046,615), state 0×10, keycode 71 (keysym 0xffc2, F5), same_screen YES, XLookupString gives 0 bytes: XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes: XFilterEvent returns: False

The keybinding for F5 is F5.