[SOLVED] Cannot type/paste lowercase 'x' in terminal within X session

minimal · 2014-07-02 21:43:43

I just completed a fresh install of Arch yesterday and today got X working. I am convinced this issue is down to my user profile not being in the right groups/permissions issue. I say this because if I 'su' I am able to type lowercase x but not with my normal user.

This only occurs inside X session (I use Openbox). I know it's not related to my ~/.Xresources since I deleted this file and still cannot type x across Xterm, uxterm and rxvt-unicode. I also had razor window manager and started that and also same issue so it's not Window manager-specific. In the virtual terminals I can type x no problem. I can also bash-complete items containing 'x' character.

My groups:

peter ~ $ groups
wheel video users peter

~/.bashrc

export VISUAL="/usr/bin/vim -p -X"

# If not running interactively, don't do anything
[[ $- != *i* ]] && return

alias ls='ls --color=auto'
PS1='\[\e[0;32m\]\u\[\e[m\] \[\e[1;34m\]\w\[\e[m\] \[\e[1;32m\]\$\[\e[m\] \[\e[1;37m\]'

# Peter: bash hiory completion enabled with arrow keys:
bind '"\e[A": history-search-backward'
bind '"\e[B": history-search-forward'

# Peter: change title to full current working directory
export PROMPT_COMMAND='echo -ne "\033]0;$PWD\007"'
# Peter: proper Java font rendering:
export _JAVA_OPTIONS='-Dswing.defaultlaf=com.sun.java.swing.plaf.gtk.GTKLookAndFeel'

# Peter: a variety of shortcuts
alias diff='colordiff'              # requires colordiff package
alias grep='grep --color=auto'
alias more='less'
alias df='df -h'
alias du='du -c -h'
alias mkdir='mkdir -p -v'
alias nano='nano -w'
alias ping='ping -c 5'

# Privileged access
if [ $UID -ne 0 ]; then
    alias sudo='sudo '
    alias scat='sudo cat'
    alias svim='sudoedit'
    alias root='sudo -s'
    alias reboot='sudo systemctl reboot'
    alias poweroff='sudo systemctl poweroff'
    alias update='sudo pacman -Su'
    alias netctl='sudo netctl'
fi

## ls ## {{{
alias ls='ls -hF --color=auto'
alias lr='ls -R'                    # recursive ls
alias ll='ls -l'
alias la='ll -A'
alias lx='ll -BX'                   # sort by extension
alias lz='ll -rS'                   # sort by size
alias lt='ll -rt'                   # sort by date
alias nano='nano -w'
alias ping='ping -c 5'

# Privileged access
if [ $UID -ne 0 ]; then
    alias sudo='sudo '
    alias scat='sudo cat'
    alias svim='sudoedit'
    alias root='sudo -s'
    alias reboot='sudo systemctl reboot'
    alias poweroff='sudo systemctl poweroff'
    alias update='sudo pacman -Su'
    alias netctl='sudo netctl'
fi

## ls ## {{{
alias ls='ls -hF --color=auto'
alias lr='ls -R'                    # recursive ls
alias ll='ls -l'
alias la='ll -A'
alias lx='ll -BX'                   # sort by extension
alias lz='ll -rS'                   # sort by size
alias lt='ll -rt'                   # sort by date
alias lm='la | more'
alias p="sudo /usr/bin/pacman"          # default action        - install one or more packages
alias pup="sudo /usr/bin/pacman -Syu"           # '[u]pdate'            - upgrade all packages$
alias up="sudo /usr/bin/pacman -Su"
alias y="sudo /usr/bin/yaourt"
alias yup="sudo /usr/bin/yaourt -Syu"

I am running out of ideas here, what could be preventing me from typing the x character? AFAIK this is the only character I cannot type.

Many thanks,

Last edited by minimal (2014-07-03 19:01:27)

minimal · 2014-07-02 22:58:01

OK, I installed xorg-xev and here is my output..

x as normal user:

KeyPress event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x1800001,
    root 0x2ba, subw 0x0, time 16221278, (-321,-425), root:(1388,64),
    state 0x0, keycode 53 (keysym 0x78, x), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (78) "x"
    XmbLookupString gives 1 bytes: (78) "x"
    XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x1800001,
    root 0x2ba, subw 0x0, time 16221342, (-321,-425), root:(1388,64),
    state 0x0, keycode 53 (keysym 0x78, x), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (78) "x"
    XFilterEvent returns: False

x as root:

KeyPress event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x1600001,
    root 0x2ba, subw 0x0, time 16176733, (1223,603), root:(1224,627),
    state 0x0, keycode 53 (keysym 0x78, x), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (78) "x"
    XmbLookupString gives 1 bytes: (78) "x"
    XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x1600001,
    root 0x2ba, subw 0x0, time 16176840, (1223,603), root:(1224,627),
    state 0x0, keycode 53 (keysym 0x78, x), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (78) "x"
    XFilterEvent returns: False

typing c as normal user:

KeyPress event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x1a00001,
    root 0x2ba, subw 0x0, time 16482682, (1918,262), root:(1919,286),
    state 0x0, keycode 54 (keysym 0x63, c), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (63) "c"
    XmbLookupString gives 1 bytes: (63) "c"
    XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x1a00001,
    root 0x2ba, subw 0x0, time 16482805, (1918,262), root:(1919,286),
    state 0x0, keycode 54 (keysym 0x63, c), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (63) "c"
    XFilterEvent returns: False

This does not seem to be helping get to the bottom of this at all. Any help here anyone?! Going to comment out lines in my .bashrc and see if that makes any difference..

Last edited by minimal (2014-07-03 13:27:53)

minimal · 2014-07-03 19:00:33

FIXED IT!

I created a user archie as per the post install wiki and noted that there was no issues with typing 'x' when logged in as archie.

In the end, the offending line was in my /home/peter/.inputrc:

xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources

It seems that .Xresources is still read upon starting Openbox from some other place so it's redundant and inorrect in the .inputrc file and causes this weird issue.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-07-02 21:43:43

[SOLVED] Cannot type/paste lowercase 'x' in terminal within X session

#2 2014-07-02 22:58:01

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot type/paste lowercase 'x' in terminal within X session

#3 2014-07-03 19:00:33

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot type/paste lowercase 'x' in terminal within X session

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