test-repo/g910-gkeys-setup.org

• Alternative settings for g910-gkeys
  • Preamble
  • g910-gkeys configuration file (/etc/g910-gkeys/config.json)
  • User configuration

Alternative settings for g910-gkeys

This document will explain how to setup g910-gkeys by limiting as much as possible the usage of a global config, the idea being to setup global mapping in a static manner, and let the user set the actions in his/her own environment.

Preamble

g910-gkeys allows different actions : `typeout`, `shortcut` and `run`. All of these actions will be performed on the process environment, that is `root`. Also, these actions are global.

g910-gkeys configuration file (/etc/g910-gkeys/config.json)

The configuration chosen will ba basic: assign each g-key to a key which does not exist on physical keyboard. Any key could be used, like specific localized keys which do not exist on your keyboard (example: Japanese keys for an English keyboard), or function keys above F12.

We will choose to map them to Function keys `F13` to `F21`. It is possible that some of these F-keys are already used on your system (example: some media keys may be assigned to `F20`). In this case, simply use another F-key.

The g910-gkeys will be (skipping F20 on my system):

{
    "__comment": "I was unable to use F20, even xev does not show the keycode. It just mutes/unmutes sound, same as the G910's <mute> button",
    "keyboard_mapping": "en",
    "g1": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
        "do": "F13"
    },
    "g2": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
        "do": "F14"
    },
    "g3": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
        "do": "F15"
    },
    "g4": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
	    "do": "F16"
    },
    "g5": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
        "do": "F17"
    },
    "g6": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
        "do": "F18"
    },
    "g7": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
        "do": "F19"
    },
    "g8": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
        "do": "F21"
    },
    "g9": {
        "hotkey_type": "shortcut",
        "do": "F22"
    }
}

User configuration

Note: Configuration below will make the G-keys active only when user is logged-on, as any other key.

We will assign the F-keys we defined in `config.json` to any program (this includes graphical programs), or to send a string to active window (using xvkbd¹).

xvkbd not only allows to send strings ("hello, World!"), but also modifiers (as Control-A, Alt-B, Control-Left), mouse events (motion, buttons), etc… This is a subset of the typeout option of config.json. See xbkbd man page for more details.

Below are some examples (screenshots from Xubuntu 22.10). We will define the following actions :

• G1 will make the Emacs main window (whose title is always "GNU Emacs") active.
• G2 will launch a Gnome Terminal.
• G3 will send the string "Hello, World !" to active window.
• G4 will send the current date to active window.
• G5 will be assigned to a Hyper modifier: `G5 + a` will be `Hyper-a`, as `Control + a` is `Control-a`.

All settings below (except for G5) are configurable in `Settings/keyboard`, `Application Shortcuts` tab :

./img/g910-keyboard-settings.png

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¹

xvkbd is in package of same name on debian and derivatives. If your distribution does not have this package, you can download it at : http://t-sato.in.coocan.jp/xvkbd/.