Exaile shortcuts/multimedia keys. How do I do?

Izuil · 2007-02-06 15:40:20

How do I make multimedia keys work?
I know I have to download the source and build mmkeys but since I'm not pro I don't know how to do
If anybody helps me I'll change this post/topic to a How to.
As soon as I'm done

pelle.k · 2007-02-06 16:02:23

I'm not sure i follow you?
mmkeys is a library, included in exaile pkg. (/usr/share/exaile/mmkeys.so)
How did i find that out?

pacman -Qpl /var/cache/pacman/pkg/exaile-0.2.8-1.pkg.tar.gz

So if you've used mmkeys before, this time shouldn't be any diffrent.
(If you haven't, it is probably a setting in exaile gui)

Izuil · 2007-02-06 20:50:47

I have never used mmkeys before I'm pretty new to linux...
I can't seem to find it anywhere in the gui but you were right it was in: usr/share/exaile/mmkeys.so

EDIT: If you by mmkeys mean mmkeys.so then I've never used it but if you mean multimedia keys I have set it up and used them in amarok.

Last edited by Izuil (2007-02-06 20:52:17)

pelle.k · 2007-02-07 20:27:10

At first, i thought - why do they include global hotkey support (mmkeys), if there is no such utility to set hotkeys? But after some research, i found out how you can control exaile.
Apparently, if you fire up exaile, you can access it through command line, using switches, like this

exaile -a

which means "play".

So if you've got multimedia keys (or an ir remote+reciever hooked in) you have two (2) methods, and several options.

method 1;
run "xev" in a terminal. make sure the window you get with it is "active" or "focused" if you will.
press the keys you're interested in. in the terminal you will see it's keycode. a "play" button often have 162 as keycode, but you mileage may differ.
When you know all relevant keycodes, run gedit/kwrite/nano (whatever...) and map them like this.

keycode 162 = space
keycode 164 = s

if you like to map them to "space" and "s" which work great in for example totem/kaffeine. (you can even map to Shift_L+s if you want to)

or the generic

keycode 162 = XF86AudioPlay
keycode 174 = XF86AudioRaiseVolume

and map those shortcuts in totem/kaffeine as "alternative" shortcuts

save it as "/home/<yourusername>/xmodmap-keys.conf"
you will then to run this file with "xmodmap /home/<yourusername>/xmodmap-keys.conf" for example from gnome menu > system > configuration > sessions.

method 2;
this method applies to the option we have with exaile, where you need to run a command from a key on you keyboard.
install xbindkeys. run (as user, _not_ root) "xbindkeys --defaults > /home/<yourusername>/.xbindkeysrc".
now, run "xbindkeys -k". that will spit out something like this when you hit a multimedia key.

"NoCommand"
m:0x0 + c:162
NoSymbol

Now, NoSymbol means it's not mapped like ordinary keys. You can take the two upper lines and paste them in .xbindkeysrc (in your home directory), and substitute NoCommand with the command of you choice. like "exaile -a", that is "play":)
BTW, notice 162 number. Yeah, thats right. It's the same "play" key (keycode) as in my other examples.
If you chose to use methos nr 2, you have to run "xbindkeys" every time you log into gnome/xfce/kde. In gnome you can run it from gnome menu > system > configuration > sessions.

happy tweaking. If you wan't to know more, then just use "man xmodmap" and "man xbindkeys", and of course "exaile --help".

Izuil · 2007-02-07 22:11:31

Okey now all buttons except raise/lower volume and mute works... any idea?

Stalwart · 2007-02-07 23:15:22

{ 0, /* Mute */ XF86XK_AudioMute, spawn, { .cmd = "exec amixer set Headphone toggle" } }, \
{ 0, /* Volume - */ XF86XK_AudioLowerVolume,spawn, { .cmd = "exec amixer set Headphone 4-%" } }, \
{ 0, /* Volume + */ XF86XK_AudioRaiseVolume,spawn, { .cmd = "exec amixer set Headphone 4+%" } }, \

This is part of my dwm config

pelle.k · 2007-02-08 00:01:41

Okey now all buttons except raise/lower volume and mute works... any idea?

Yes, i have.

The fact is that, if you use method 1 and map those keys to XF86AudioRaiseVolume, XF86AudioLowerVolume, XF86AudioMute - the soundsystem might already be listening to such requests.
if not, then add those keys. Take a look on this excellent gentoo HOWTO (you got to love those gentoo guys...) http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Use_Multimedia_Keys#GNOME
This guide is very resourceful to anyone interested in what i've been explaining to you.

Arch Linux

#1 2007-02-06 15:40:20

Exaile shortcuts/multimedia keys. How do I do?

#2 2007-02-06 16:02:23

Re: Exaile shortcuts/multimedia keys. How do I do?

#3 2007-02-06 20:50:47

Re: Exaile shortcuts/multimedia keys. How do I do?

#4 2007-02-07 20:27:10

Re: Exaile shortcuts/multimedia keys. How do I do?

#5 2007-02-07 22:11:31

Re: Exaile shortcuts/multimedia keys. How do I do?

#6 2007-02-07 23:15:22

Re: Exaile shortcuts/multimedia keys. How do I do?

#7 2007-02-08 00:01:41

Re: Exaile shortcuts/multimedia keys. How do I do?

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