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#1 2012-10-06 19:36:54

Ataxia
Member
Registered: 2011-04-06
Posts: 16

fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Hello there smile

I'm hoping that this is the last little bump which I'm going to come across with this particular installation.

Like all laptops, mine has an fn key which modifies several other keys on the keyboard. Keys f3 and f4 work fine to modify the backlight on my keyboard; however the screen brightness keys which are on f5 and f6 respectively are refusing to work.

I had a poke around and checked out my keyboard presses with something called xev; this quite happily recognises fn+f3/f4 and also f5/f6; however once I hold down the fn key, f5 and f6 aren't spitting anything out. I looked around a bit more, and ended up using showkey in a TTY. As before, we get something for every key combination attempted.. excepting fn+f5/f6.

From what I've read, showkey is the lowest level of input which can be looked at for keypresses.. So I'm not 100% sure where to go from here.

I'd note that before I switched hard disks around, I had a windows drive in, which was recognising the aforementioned keypresses without issue.

I can wire up the task of altering the backlight to other keys; but these keys are really supposed to do said job; so in an ideal world they'd be dealing with this.

Any ideas or pointers would be wonderful; thank you smile

- Ataxia

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#2 2012-10-06 19:43:44

headkase
Member
Registered: 2011-12-06
Posts: 1,975

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

I believe, I may be wrong, that laptop Fn keys are at the lowest level of hardware.  I think they generate ACPI events.  You could try searching AUR with your laptop brand, e.g. Acer or something, and see if you can find any specific packages for your laptop?

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#3 2012-10-06 19:53:36

Ataxia
Member
Registered: 2011-04-06
Posts: 16

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Sounds like a plan. I've not been able to come up with anything better yet. I'll have a looksie. Thank you smile

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#4 2012-10-06 20:31:18

moetunes
Member
From: A comfortable couch
Registered: 2010-10-09
Posts: 1,033

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

I had to add boot options to the kernel to have my screen brightness keys working. afaik alot of laptops need this.
I need "acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor" to have the Fn keys working and to be able to write to a file to change the brightness. You can research if your laptop needs something similar.
HTH


You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

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#5 2012-10-07 12:23:50

David Batson
Member
Registered: 2011-10-13
Posts: 640

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

In addition to what moetunes posted, you can see if an acpi event is occurring by running acpi_listen from terminal as root.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ACPI_hotkeys

Sometimes some key combos get usurped.  More info below.

https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=603891

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#6 2012-10-07 12:58:25

Ataxia
Member
Registered: 2011-04-06
Posts: 16

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Good afternoon! smile

I'm afraid the "acpi_osi=Linux" kernel parameter didn't get the keys firing off. I had a look with acpi_listen, which effectively gave the same results as showkey.. Everything fires off an event, save for fn + f5/f6.. So I guess the Kernel isn't even registering the keypresses?

I had a look at the acpi modules wiki entry:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ACPI_modules

This lists a module called asus-laptop, which isn't currently loaded up. I can't seem to find it anywhere on this laptop, or from the repositories.. I'm assuming that it's part of another package.

Perhaps running asus-laptop will help?

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#7 2012-10-08 03:07:34

Arogers10
Member
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 68

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Hey so I'm experiencing the same issue right now. I'm on a Samsung laptop and this just started happening today. Even the volume controls don't work (FN+arrow left/right) the only tow that work are F11 and F10 numlock and mousepad respectively. Did your issue just begin recently? I am wondering if it is related to the xorg-keyboard-xf86 update which released recently.

Edit: Meant to say xf86-input-keyboard

Last edited by Arogers10 (2012-10-08 03:10:58)

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#8 2012-10-08 03:14:30

WonderWoofy
Member
From: Los Gatos, CA
Registered: 2012-05-19
Posts: 8,414

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

headkase wrote:

I believe, I may be wrong, that laptop Fn keys are at the lowest level of hardware.  I think they generate ACPI events.

@Arogers10, special keys should not be affected by something like the xf86 package.

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#9 2012-10-08 03:22:05

Arogers10
Member
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 68

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

@Arogers10, special keys should not be affected by something like the xf86 package.

Yeah I didn't think so. I just had a rather extensive update and I know the issue wasn't present for me this morning. I've restarted my X-server and laptop but it the issue still persists.

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#10 2012-10-08 03:27:14

WonderWoofy
Member
From: Los Gatos, CA
Registered: 2012-05-19
Posts: 8,414

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Arogers10, did you try appending "acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor" to the kernel command line?

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#11 2012-10-08 03:30:02

Arogers10
Member
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 68

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

WonderWoofy wrote:

Arogers10, did you try appending "acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor" to the kernel command line?

I'll give it a shot real quick

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#12 2012-10-08 03:43:21

Arogers10
Member
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 68

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Still no luck. Also if it helps none of the FN keys on my wireless USB keyboard are working either

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#13 2012-10-08 04:02:19

Arogers10
Member
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 68

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

So disabling my Testing repo and downgrading packages to stable fixed it for me. Then I just had to restart X. I don't know it it is the same issue as originally stated but now i'm just going to figure out what package breaks my FN keys

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#14 2012-10-08 05:14:51

Arogers10
Member
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 68

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Seems to be Xorg related. The culprit is either xorg-server or xf86-input-evdev of the testing repo.

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#15 2012-10-14 01:07:28

h54
Member
Registered: 2011-11-22
Posts: 96

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

This just started happening today for my desktop media keyboard and the laptop.  Will try and downgrade a few things to see what fixes it

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#16 2012-10-15 10:36:13

FernandoBasso
Member
From: Brazil
Registered: 2010-10-27
Posts: 90
Website

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

It has started happening to me too. I use only stable packages. I run gnome-settings-daemon under openbox to get fn+ volume and brightness keys working, but it just does not work anymore, neither in openbox nor running a full gnome session.

Last edited by FernandoBasso (2012-10-15 10:36:46)


There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.

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#17 2012-10-15 11:00:53

xzy3186
Member
From: Japan
Registered: 2012-02-01
Posts: 52
Website

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

FernandoBasso wrote:

It has started happening to me too. I use only stable packages. I run gnome-settings-daemon under openbox to get fn+ volume and brightness keys working, but it just does not work anymore, neither in openbox nor running a full gnome session.

That is reasonable because just one day or two ago the xorg-1.13 and its related xf86-* packages shipped from testing into extra. If I am correct, your gnome-screenshot (press PrintScreen on your keyboard) will not work neither. I heard this is an issue for gnome 3.4

Last edited by xzy3186 (2012-10-15 11:02:23)

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#18 2012-10-15 13:31:47

FernandoBasso
Member
From: Brazil
Registered: 2010-10-27
Posts: 90
Website

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Yep. Not even gnome-screenshot is working (although I have been having problems with it for a while, and have been using shutter instead).

Just for the record, I booted an ubuntu livecd, and fn combinations is working. At least I am sure it is not a hardware problem.


There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.

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#19 2012-10-15 20:09:29

alroar
Member
Registered: 2012-10-15
Posts: 27

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

same here on a thinkpad x200.  running crazy and spinning all with my acpi. got running 3.6.2-1 with systemd + xorg and gnome 3 running.

gnome is no more catching volume keys, that thinkvantage button or the power button nor the Fn Keys. Have the acpi names changed somewhat maybe?

Last edited by alroar (2012-10-15 20:10:34)

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#20 2012-10-16 00:17:53

Arogers10
Member
Registered: 2012-06-20
Posts: 68

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

so testing gnome 3.6 from gnome-unstable brings them all back. though I wouldnt suggest switiching till it's in the official repos, seems a bit buggy still. But it looks like we will just have to wait for gnome 3.6 for fn keys to work right again

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#21 2012-10-16 23:50:51

h54
Member
Registered: 2011-11-22
Posts: 96

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

Downgrading  'xf86-input-evdev, xorg-server-common, and xorg-server' worked for me.  It just required a restart of X.  In another thread, other have reported that they upgraded to Gnome 3.6 unstable and the probelms disappeared.  I'm not sure I'm willing to do that.

Last edited by h54 (2012-10-16 23:51:36)

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#22 2012-10-19 11:46:48

FernandoBasso
Member
From: Brazil
Registered: 2010-10-27
Posts: 90
Website

Re: fn + F-keys not providing a keycode

h54 wrote:

Downgrading  'xf86-input-evdev, xorg-server-common, and xorg-server' worked for me.  It just required a restart of X.  In another thread, other have reported that they upgraded to Gnome 3.6 unstable and the probelms disappeared.  I'm not sure I'm willing to do that.

I will wait because I have a lot of stuff going on here. I can't risk breaking the system.


There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.

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