Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

ralvez · 2007-01-22 02:07:57

I got a new Logitech Multimedia Keyboard and using xbindkeys I got almost all the keys mapped.
There is one key, however, (the Messenger key) that does not seem to be recognized at all.
It does not show when I use "xbindkeys -k", nor when I use "xev" and there is no "action" whatsoever when I press this key. Yet, being the key there I should be able to map it.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how could I find out and/or map this key?
In all honesty, it is not just about the key ... I can just as well use key-combinations and get Gaim going, but I want to know why it is "invisible". I other words, I want to understand the problem.

Thanks in advance.

R

picpak · 2007-01-22 02:14:15

Copied from gentoo-wiki (and edited for Arch):

If pressing a key doesn't do anything at all (ie, xev produeces no output), run the following command in an X terminal:
dmesg
You will probably see some lines like these:
Code: Output of dmesg
atkbd.c: Unknown key released (translated set 2, code 0x96 on isa0060/serio0).
atkbd.c: Use 'setkeycodes e016 <keycode>' to make it known.

This means that the kernel doesn't have keycodes mapped to your keyboard's scancodes. You will have to add one line in /etc/rc.local for each missing key as follows:
File: /etc/rc.local
setkeycodes e008 136
setkeycodes e016 150
... And so on ...
Where the first number (e008) is what you see in dmesg, and the second number (136) is an unused keycode in your kernel. In general you can find a good keycode by taking the last 2 digits of this first number, converting it from hex (base-16) to decimal (base-10) and adding 128.
This will set up the proper scancode - keycode mapping every boot. To set them up without rebooting, run the following as root:
sh /etc/rc.local
After you have the proper mappings setup, restart X and try running xev again, to ensure that a keycode is displayed for each multimedia key you want to use.

ralvez · 2007-01-22 02:21:38

picpak,

Thank you for your reply.
I did try that approach already. Matter of fact, I have researched the problem before posting and I have tried a good number of things to no avail.

"dmesg" and even "tail -f /var/log/messages.log" (for an interactive response) show no action on the key.
Also used "showkey" (not with X running) and ... nothing.

Any other ideas?

R

picpak · 2007-01-22 02:22:58

Try reading what the Gentoo wiki has to offer, it certainly helped me out.

ralvez · 2007-01-22 02:50:40

picpack,

I already tried following it but as I said, so far no luck.
Any other ideas any one?

R

con · 2007-01-26 18:04:19

is the keyboard connected to comp with usb? if so, read somewhere that theres a bug or something in the hid driver that causes this. not 100% sure.

ralvez · 2007-01-26 22:28:20

Thanks for your response.
I have an adapter to go from usb to ps2 I'll try with it see if it works.

R

con · 2007-02-03 18:00:48

Any progress? Did it help? Just curios...

con · 2007-02-03 18:18:41

Here some more info on the problem...
http://kerneltrap.org/node/6460
http://www.mail-archive.com/linux-usb-u … 17023.html
http://bugme.osdl.org/show_bug.cgi?id=7352

Arch Linux

#1 2007-01-22 02:07:57

Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

#2 2007-01-22 02:14:15

Re: Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

#3 2007-01-22 02:21:38

Re: Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

#4 2007-01-22 02:22:58

Re: Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

#5 2007-01-22 02:50:40

Re: Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

#6 2007-01-26 18:04:19

Re: Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

#7 2007-01-26 22:28:20

Re: Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

#8 2007-02-03 18:00:48

Re: Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

#9 2007-02-03 18:18:41

Re: Logitech Multimedia Keyboard (key not working)

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