GDM-Gnome keyboard layout acting funny (arrow keys, special keys, ...)

sairge · 2017-02-25 10:47:40

Hi !
This is my first post, but I've used this forum for years as my main ressource when I needed help with issues that I had... unfortunately, this time, I can't seem to find anyone who's had the exact problem that I'm having... So here's a cry for help.

I'm using Gnome with GDM and, for a few weeks now I've noticed that my keyboard doesn't exactly act the way it's supposed to. The arrow keys seems to be bound to other functions, and there are issues with AltGr as well.
For reference, my layout is configured as "fr".
When I bring up the keyboard layout, here are the keys pressed on my keyboard and what the layout is telling me I'm pressing :

Up arrow - (doesn't show anything, but takes a screenshot)
Left arrow - Level3 Super (so, AltGr)
Right arrow - (doesn't show anything, and doesn't seem to do anything)
Down arrow - Super R
Super L - (doesn't show anything, and doesn't seem to do anything)
Super R - (doesn't show anything, and doesn't seem to do anything)
Alt Gr - Numpad Enter
Menu - (doesn't show anything, and doesn't seem to do anything)
Ctrl R - Page Down
Insert - (doesn't show anything, and doesn't seem to do anything)
Home - Pause
Page Up - Numpad /
Delete - (doesn't show anything, and doesn't seem to do anything)
End - (doesn't show anything, but brings up the Activites view)
Page Down - Menu
Numpad / - Insert
Numpad Enter - Down arrow
Printscreen - Delete
Pause - (doesn't show anything, and doesn't seem to do anything)

The rest is acting the way it's supposed to.

I've tried :

Switching the layout to something else, like "us", but the issue stays the same. I only tried te Upper arrow that took a screenshot, but if you need me to do the same process as above, tell me and I'll do it. I'm desperate.
Removing the layout, putting it back, restarting Xorg/GDM in between, nothing worked.
Adding the layout inside /etc/Xorg/xorg.conf, didn't work.
Looking for a weird setting in dconf-editor org.gnome.desktop.input-sources, but found nothing.
Searching for a solution on the internet, and found some people having issues with the Upper arrow taking a screenshot, but nothing as chaotic as what I have.

Another piece of information : the arrow keys work fine inside my ttys, but don't in GDM or Gnome.
My other layout is fr/bepo for my dvorak-bepo keyboard, where the "special keys" and arrow keys have the same issue.

I've been using Linux for a few years but I'm not that confident in my abilities in distinguishing what could be the problem between Xorg, GDM, Gnome, evdev,...
I'll be monitoring this thread in case you need any conf file or commands being tested since this issue is, although not critical, VERY annoying. To register here, I had to copy/paste an at sign from its wikipedia page, and that's just sad..

seth · 2017-02-25 13:36:13

Is this GDM + Gnome on xorg or wayland (wayland is the default, check "loginctl session-status" in gnome)
In case of xorg, try using evdev as keyboard driver, compare https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 0#p1693190

In case of wayland, select gnome on xorg and configure GDM to use xorg (check the GDM page on https://wiki.archlinux.org/) and either wait or try to figure the cause of the bug (it's probably in libinput)

sairge · 2017-02-28 16:58:08

I checked with loginctl session-status, and I'm definitely launching Xorg... so i added evdev as my keyboard driver, rebooted (just to be safe), but nothing has changed, unfortunately.

Maybe it's a sign that I should switch to wayland...

seth · 2017-02-28 17:02:10

sairge wrote:

so i added evdev as my keyboard driver

How? Did you confirm usage with the xorg log?

sairge · 2017-02-28 18:06:56

Yes, sorry, I should have added a bit of output. There you go :

[root@sairgebox-linux ~]# cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep evdev
[     4.978] (II) LoadModule: "evdev"
[     4.979] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/evdev_drv.so
[     4.979] (II) Module evdev: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[     5.912] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Keyboard0'
[     5.912] (EE) evdev: Keyboard0: No device specified.
[     5.912] (II) UnloadModule: "evdev"
[     5.915] (**) Power Button: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.927] (**) Power Button: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.927] (**) Sleep Button: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.929] (**) Generic Turtle Beach P11 Headset: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.930] (**) TypeMatrix.com USB Keyboard: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.931] (**) TypeMatrix.com USB Keyboard: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.932] (**) Logitech Gaming Mouse G400: Applying InputClass "evdev pointer catchall"
[     5.987] (**) CHICONY HP Basic USB Keyboard: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.989] (**) HD Webcam C525: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.991] (**) Speakup: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[     5.992] (**) TypeMatrix.com USB Keyboard: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[root@sairgebox-linux ~]# cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep Keyboard0
[     4.915] (**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
[     5.912] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Keyboard0'
[     5.912] (**) Keyboard0: always reports core events
[     5.912] (EE) evdev: Keyboard0: No device specified.
[     5.912] (EE) PreInit returned 2 for "Keyboard0"

After having noticed that evdev: Keyboard0: No device specified., I searched around on the Internet, and maybe I'e got something : my xorg.conf has a InputDevice section, but no InputClass... I'm trying that :

#Section "InputDevice"
#    # generated from default
#    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
#    Driver         "evdev"
#    Option         "XkdModel" "pc105"
#    Option         "XkbLayout" "fr,fr"
#    Option         "XkbVariant" ",bepo"
#EndSection

Section "InputClass"
    Identifier     "evdev keyboard catchall"
    Driver         "evdev"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "fr,fr"
    Option         "XkbVariant" ",bepo"
EndSection

I'm restarting Xorg, see you in a bit.

sairge · 2017-02-28 18:19:44

Okay, I'm leaving my previous message for posterity, but I've been a jackass : of course Xorg would crash without it's InputDevice.
So I've spent a few minutes tinkering with it and, well, decided to leave both uncommented... and it worked ! I now have my arrow keys and everything !

If anyone is having the same issue as I had, maybe your /etc/X11/xorg.conf isn't up to date, and maybe you should add an InputClass section that looks a bit like mine.

Thanks, seth !

(edit : I can't seem to be able to edit the title of this thread myself, but my issue is definitely [SOLVED] !)

Last edited by sairge (2017-02-28 18:21:01)

seth · 2017-02-28 21:02:05

You need to edit the title of your initial post.

Arch Linux

#1 2017-02-25 10:47:40

GDM-Gnome keyboard layout acting funny (arrow keys, special keys, ...)

#2 2017-02-25 13:36:13

Re: GDM-Gnome keyboard layout acting funny (arrow keys, special keys, ...)

#3 2017-02-28 16:58:08

Re: GDM-Gnome keyboard layout acting funny (arrow keys, special keys, ...)

#4 2017-02-28 17:02:10

Re: GDM-Gnome keyboard layout acting funny (arrow keys, special keys, ...)

#5 2017-02-28 18:06:56

Re: GDM-Gnome keyboard layout acting funny (arrow keys, special keys, ...)

#6 2017-02-28 18:19:44

Re: GDM-Gnome keyboard layout acting funny (arrow keys, special keys, ...)

#7 2017-02-28 21:02:05

Re: GDM-Gnome keyboard layout acting funny (arrow keys, special keys, ...)

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