Converting linux keycodes to X keycodes

[Zephaniah E. Hull]

On Thu, Jun 01, 2006 at 09:12:16AM +0200, Marvin Raaijmakers wrote:
> I made this table for the x86. The following translations are done:
> 
> |------------------kernel---------------------|-----------X server------------|
>  scancode -> kernel keycode -> scancode related to kernel keycode -> X keycode
>            |                 |
>            V                 V
>   +-----------------+ +-------------+
>   | table can be    | | Fixed table |
>   | modified using  | +-------------+
>   | setkeycodes     |
>   +-----------------+
> 
> 
> So my table translates a kernel keycode to an X keycode. I do not know
> how the X server does the scancode to X keycode translation, but if this
> is done by using a fixed table (or 1:1), then the translation from
> kernel keycode to X keycode can be done by using a fixed table.
> As you can see the translation from kernel keycode to scancode related
> to kernel keycode is quite useless, but must be done because xorg only
> excepts scancodes.

> So it would be great if there was an input driver for
> X that wants to receive kernel keycodes (from the evdev driver) and uses
> them as the X keycodes (so: kernel keycode = X keycode). This is
> actually the intent of the kernel keycode story in kernel 2.6.

You just described xf86-input-evdev actually, it works fairly well.

> Note that a kernel keycode is something like a X keysym for a scancode.
> So no matter what platform (arm, x86, etc) or keyboard connection (USB,
> PS/2, etc) you are using, the kernel keycode for key 'a' will always be
> KEY_A.

However there are some complications, specificly that the kernel keycode
mapping is not always 100% accurate.

This, quite firmly, sucks, but using xkb this becomes a matter of
configuration.

-- 
	  1024D/E65A7801 Zephaniah E. Hull <warp at aehallh.com>
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I've always taken the position that if you can't find anything bad  to
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it. I also agree with you about the advocacy. AHS. ASS.
  -- Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz in the Scary Devil Monastery.
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