super_l and Fn not detected by xev

vitor · 2017-10-20 14:27:37

Hi, everyone, I'm starting to use i3 (wm) and I want to configure Super_L to be my mod key, but the xev program can't detect it. I already start a new clean X session with just xterm and it is not detected. Could be a hardware problem? My notebook is an XPS 15z (l511z).

Is there a way to get more info about this situation? Thanks!

Trilby · 2017-10-20 14:48:51

vitor wrote:

I want to configure Super_L to be my mod key, but the xev program can't detect it.

It's been a while since I used i3, but isn't that the default? Often if a key is already bound xev will not give the normal output. Does xev not report anything at all when Super_L is pressed?

vitor · 2017-10-20 15:17:06

The first time you run i3 it automatically ask which key do you want to use (Alt or Super). I choose Alt, but now I want to change to Super

xev stays completely empty while I press Super_L and Fn function. But I guess is a hardware problem. I connect another keyboard, press Super key, and xev output the following code. Sadly the keyboard does not have a Fn key.

KeyPress event, serial 34, synthetic NO, window 0x2c00001,
    root 0x102, subw 0x0, time 7384381, (174,212), root:(1138,765),
    state 0x0, keycode 133 (keysym 0xffeb, Super_L), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XFilterEvent returns: False

seth · 2017-10-20 15:33:12

The "Fn" key is a HW feature - you won't see it in the OS ever.
The Super_L key is a different matter, check whether evtest or showkey detects it (unless you're trying Fn+Super_L - that's likely not gonna work)

vitor · 2017-10-23 13:24:56

I didn't know about the Fn key factor. I'm not trying to press Fn+Super_L, was just an example of 2 keys that do not work (and they are side-by-side).
I tried both programs with X and without X. Sadly, none of these programs detect Super_L. Is there some output that can help you to help me?

seth · 2017-10-23 13:40:37

This means that the kernel doesn't generate events for those keys. While expectable in case of the Fn key, this smells like a HW issue on the Super_L key (which unlike some multimedia keys should rather not depend on specific kernel modules to be loaded - and I found no known issues on this either)
Things to try would be the lts kernel and windows - but expect this to be a HW issue. You can probably change the keyboard, though.

Arch Linux

#1 2017-10-20 14:27:37

super_l and Fn not detected by xev

#2 2017-10-20 14:48:51

Re: super_l and Fn not detected by xev

#3 2017-10-20 15:17:06

Re: super_l and Fn not detected by xev

#4 2017-10-20 15:33:12

Re: super_l and Fn not detected by xev

#5 2017-10-23 13:24:56

Re: super_l and Fn not detected by xev

#6 2017-10-23 13:40:37

Re: super_l and Fn not detected by xev

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