Bug 21624

Summary:	keyboard mapping of win/alt to control_L fails
Product:	xkeyboard-config	Reporter:	brian smith <akabdog>
Component:	General	Assignee:	xkb
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED	QA Contact:
Severity:	normal
Priority:	medium
Version:	unspecified
Hardware:	Other
OS:	Linux (All)
Whiteboard:
i915 platform:		i915 features:
Attachments:	xkbcomp :0 -xkb failed_out.xkb xkbcomp :0 -xkb working_out.xkb

Description brian smith 2009-05-07 16:54:12 UTC

I filed this with Gnome but they sent me to you, hope you can help:

I use gnome-keyboard-properties to change my Alt/Win key behavior to be the
same as my control key. This works initially but fails over time. When I'm not
using the machine it doesn't fail.

Steps to reproduce:
1. gnome-keyboard-properties
2. Layouts tab
3. Keyboard model "Apple" (unnecessary I think)
4. Layout USA
5. Layout Options...
6. Alt/Win key behavior
7. Control is mapped to the Win-keys (and the usual Ctrl keys).
8. Use your computer for a few days, it will work initially then fail.

Actual results:
I'll notice the alt/win key no longer works and then I run "xmodmap -pke | grep
133" which shows:
keycode 133 = Super_L NoSymbol Super_L NoSymbol Super_L

Expected results:
When the keys are mapped correctly I can run "xmodmap -pke | grep 133" which
shows:
keycode 133 = Control_L NoSymbol Control_L NoSymbol Control_L

Does this happen every time?
Yes, in any given 72 hour period, it will happen at least once. If I'm not
using my computer, it doesn't happen.

Other information:
I'm using an apple A1048 keyboard, I don't think that's related.
I've been having this problem for over a month, I haven't been able to diagnose
a cause yet.
The workaround is to check change the Alt/Win key behavior back to Default,
then change it back again.

Comment 1 Sergey V. Udaltsov 2009-05-08 13:54:48 UTC

xmodmap is not interesting. Would you attach results of "xkbcomp :0 -xkb out.xkb" before and after the failure

Comment 2 brian smith 2009-05-13 16:15:46 UTC

Created attachment 25842 [details]
xkbcomp :0 -xkb failed_out.xkb

ran command after failure

Comment 3 brian smith 2009-05-13 16:17:41 UTC

Created attachment 25843 [details]
xkbcomp :0 -xkb working_out.xkb

ran command while mapping was working
thanks!

Comment 4 Sergey V. Udaltsov 2009-05-14 01:39:53 UTC

The second file shows that your XKB is reset (and even reset incorrectly - the second file lacks the geometry part). Do you do some suspend/resume? Or perhaps plug the keyboard out, then plug in again?

BTW, what is the version of GNOME you're using? What distro?

Comment 5 brian smith 2009-06-24 01:19:29 UTC

I'm not using any suspend/resume, however I am using a USB kvm (IOGEAR). The KVM switching doesn't seem to correspond with the failure, so I never considered that to be a possible cause.

Upon the release of Fedora Core 11, I've reinstalled and no longer experience this issue (I waited a couple of weeks, no problems).
Regardless, thanks for your help with this.
I have the old install on another drive so if you need me to pull files off it I can do so.

Comment 6 brian smith 2009-06-24 01:21:50 UTC

in response to comment#4, I was running Fedora Core 10 with all updates installed (except kernel updates).

Comment 7 Sergey V. Udaltsov 2009-06-24 01:28:02 UTC

It was because of KVM/USB. The keyboard (from the X and OS POV) was plugged out/plugged in. The earlier versions of GNOME keyboard stack did not process these events. Now they should (if built properly).

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