Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

Biganon · 2009-04-13 16:25:24

Hi,
I've been using ArchLinux for about 10 days, I'm a real newbie, but I could install what I needed, Xorg and XFCE and Compiz Fusion etc.
I've got a problem with my keyboard : I can't type letters with accents (like è for example, which I copypasted from another page.)
The other keys work, a b c etc work, the special characters too, so the mapping itself seems correct (fr_CH-latin1.map.gz, yes I'm Swiss.)
So I don't understand why those keys won't work... Here are some informations :

xorg.conf (which I configured with my feet)

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder63)  Mon Mar 23 15:33:27 PST 2009

# Auto-generated by Archie mkxcfg
# Auto-generated by Archie mkxcfg

Section "ServerLayout"

# PS/2 Mouse not detected
# Serial Mouse not detected
    Identifier     "Xorg Configured"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "USB Mouse" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice    "SynapticsTouchpad" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "Files"

# Additional fonts: Locale, Gimp, TTF...
#    FontPath     "/usr/share/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/75dpi"
#    FontPath     "/usr/share/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/100dpi"
# True type and type1 fonts are also handled via xftlib, see /etc/X11/XftConfig!
    ModulePath      "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/misc"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/PEX"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/ttf/western"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/ttf/decoratives"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/truetype/openoffice"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-bitstream-vera"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/latex-ttf-fonts"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/defoma/CID"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/defoma/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "ddc"  # ddc probing of monitor
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "glx"
    Load           "bitmap" # bitmap-fonts
    #Load           "type1"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "record"
    Load  "synaptics"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "AllowMouseOpenFail" "true"
    Option         "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "keyboard"
    Option         "CoreKeyboard"
    Option         "XkbRules" "xorg"
    Option         "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "fr_CH-latin1.map.gz"
    Option         "XkbVariant" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Serial Mouse"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "Microsoft"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/ttyS0"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
    Option         "Emulate3Timeout" "70"
    Option         "SendCoreEvents" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "PS/2 Mouse"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
    Option         "Emulate3Timeout" "70"
    Option         "SendCoreEvents" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "USB Mouse"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option         "SendCoreEvents" "true"
    Option         "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    Option         "Buttons" "5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Identifier  "SynapticsTouchpad"
   Driver      "synaptics"
   Option      "AlwaysCore"        "true"  # send events to CorePointer
  #Option      "Device"            "/dev/input/mice"
   Option      "Device"            "/dev/psaux"
   Option      "Protocol"          "auto-dev"
   Option      "SHMConfig"         "true" # configurable at runtime? security risk
   Option      "LeftEdge"          "1700"  # x coord left
   Option      "RightEdge"         "5300"  # x coord right
   Option      "TopEdge"           "1700"  # y coord top
   Option      "BottomEdge"        "4200"  # y coord bottom
   Option      "FingerLow"         "25"    # pressure below this level triggers release
   Option      "FingerHigh"        "30"    # pressure above this level triggers touch
   Option      "MaxTapTime"        "180"   # max time in ms for detecting tap
   Option      "VertEdgeScroll"    "true"  # enable vertical scroll zone
   Option      "HorizEdgeScroll"   "true"  # enable horizontal scroll zone
   Option      "CornerCoasting"    "true"  # enable continuous scroll with finger in corner
   Option      "CoastingSpeed"     "0.30"  # corner coasting speed
   Option      "VertScrollDelta"   "100"   # edge-to-edge scroll distance of the vertical scroll
   Option      "HorizScrollDelta"  "100"   # edge-to-edge scroll distance of the horizontal scroll
   Option      "MinSpeed"          "0.10"  # speed factor for low pointer movement
   Option      "MaxSpeed"          "0.60"  # maximum speed factor for fast pointer movement
   Option      "AccelFactor"       "0.0020"    # acceleration factor for normal pointer movements
   Option      "VertTwoFingerScroll"   "true"    # vertical scroll anywhere with two fingers
   Option      "HorizTwoFingerScroll"  "true"    # horizontal scroll anywhere with two fingers
EndSection


Section "Monitor"

 # Warning: This may fry old Monitors
 # Very conservative. May flicker.
#    VertRefresh  50.0 - 62.0 # Extreme conservative. Will flicker. TFT default.
    #  Default modes distilled from
    #      "VESA and Industry Standards and Guide for Computer Display Monitor
    #       Timing", version 1.0, revision 0.8, adopted September 17, 1998.
    #  $XFree86: xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/etc/vesamodes,v 1.4 1999/11/18 16:52:17 tsi Exp $
    # 640x350 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 37.9kHz
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 96.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 75.0
    ModeLine       "640x350" 31.5 640 672 736 832 350 382 385 445 +hsync -vsync
    ModeLine       "640x400" 31.5 640 672 736 832 400 401 404 445 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "720x400" 35.5 720 756 828 936 400 401 404 446 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "640x480" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync
    ModeLine       "640x480" 31.5 640 664 704 832 480 489 491 520 -hsync -vsync
    ModeLine       "640x480" 31.5 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -hsync -vsync
    ModeLine       "640x480" 36.0 640 696 752 832 480 481 484 509 -hsync -vsync
    ModeLine       "800x600" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "800x600" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "800x600" 50.0 800 856 976 1040 600 637 643 666 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "800x600" 49.5 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "800x600" 56.3 800 832 896 1048 600 601 604 631 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1024x768" 44.9 1024 1032 1208 1264 768 768 776 817 +hsync +vsync interlace
    ModeLine       "1024x768" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
    ModeLine       "1024x768" 75.0 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
    ModeLine       "1024x768" 78.8 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1024x768" 94.5 1024 1072 1168 1376 768 769 772 808 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1152x864" 108.0 1152 1216 1344 1600 864 865 868 900 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x960" 108.0 1280 1376 1488 1800 960 961 964 1000 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x960" 148.5 1280 1344 1504 1728 960 961 964 1011 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x1024" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x1024" 135.0 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x1024" 157.5 1280 1344 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1072 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1600x1200" 162.0 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1600x1200" 175.5 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1600x1200" 189.0 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1600x1200" 202.5 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1600x1200" 229.5 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1792x1344" 204.8 1792 1920 2120 2448 1344 1345 1348 1394 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1792x1344" 261.0 1792 1888 2104 2456 1344 1345 1348 1417 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1856x1392" 218.3 1856 1952 2176 2528 1392 1393 1396 1439 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1856x1392" 288.0 1856 1984 2208 2560 1392 1393 1396 1500 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1920x1440" 234.0 1920 2048 2256 2600 1440 1441 1444 1500 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1920x1440" 297.0 1920 2064 2288 2640 1440 1441 1444 1500 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1800x1440" 230 1800 1896 2088 2392 1440 1441 1444 1490 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1800x1440" 250 1800 1896 2088 2392 1440 1441 1444 1490 +hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "640x480" 43.16 640 680 744 848 480 481 484 509 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "768x576" 34.96 768 792 872 976 576 577 580 597 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "768x576" 42.93 768 800 880 992 576 577 580 601 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "768x576" 45.51 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 602 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "768x576" 51.84 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 605 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "768x576" 62.57 768 816 896 1024 576 577 580 611 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "800x600" 68.18 800 848 936 1072 600 601 604 636 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1024x768" 113.31 1024 1096 1208 1392 768 769 772 814 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1152x864" 81.62 1152 1216 1336 1520 864 865 868 895 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1152x864" 119.65 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 907 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1152x864" 143.47 1152 1232 1360 1568 864 865 868 915 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x960" 124.54 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1001 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x960" 129.86 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1002 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x960" 178.99 1280 1376 1520 1760 960 961 964 1017 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1280x1024" 190.96 1280 1376 1520 1760 1024 1025 1028 1085 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1400x1050" 122.61 1400 1488 1640 1880 1050 1051 1054 1087 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1400x1050" 149.34 1400 1496 1648 1896 1050 1051 1054 1094 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1400x1050" 155.85 1400 1496 1648 1896 1050 1051 1054 1096 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1400x1050" 179.26 1400 1504 1656 1912 1050 1051 1054 1103 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1400x1050" 214.39 1400 1512 1664 1928 1050 1051 1054 1112 -hsync +vsync
    ModeLine       "1600x1200" 280.64 1600 1728 1904 2208 1200 1201 1204 1271 -hsync +vsync
    Option         "DPMS" "true"
#    HorizSync    28.0 - 78.0 # Warning: This may fry very old Monitors
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Card0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "All"
    BoardName      "All"
    Option "RenderAccel" "True"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Card0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       1
        Modes      "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       4
        Modes      "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes      "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       15
        Modes      "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes      "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x800" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       32
        Modes      "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

rc.conf

#
# /etc/rc.conf - Main Configuration for Arch Linux
#

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# LOCALIZATION
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# LOCALE: available languages can be listed with the 'locale -a' command
# HARDWARECLOCK: set to "UTC" or "localtime"
# USEDIRECTISA: use direct I/O requests instead of /dev/rtc for hwclock
# TIMEZONE: timezones are found in /usr/share/zoneinfo
# KEYMAP: keymaps are found in /usr/share/kbd/keymaps
# CONSOLEFONT: found in /usr/share/kbd/consolefonts (only needed for non-US)
# CONSOLEMAP: found in /usr/share/kbd/consoletrans
# USECOLOR: use ANSI color sequences in startup messages
#
LOCALE="fr_CH.utf8"
HARDWARECLOCK=""
USEDIRECTISA="no"
TIMEZONE="Europe/Paris"
KEYMAP="fr_CH-latin1.map.gz"
CONSOLEFONT=
CONSOLEMAP=
USECOLOR="yes"

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# HARDWARE
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# MOD_AUTOLOAD: Allow autoloading of modules at boot and when needed
# MOD_BLACKLIST: Prevent udev from loading these modules
# MODULES: Modules to load at boot-up. Prefix with a ! to blacklist.
#
# NOTE: Use of 'MOD_BLACKLIST' is deprecated. Please use ! in the MODULES array.
#
MOD_AUTOLOAD="yes"
#MOD_BLACKLIST=() #deprecated
MODULES=(nvidia snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm-oss snd-hwdep snd-page-alloc snd-pcm snd-timer snd-hda-intel soundcore fuse)

# Scan for LVM volume groups at startup, required if you use LVM
USELVM="no"

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# NETWORKING
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# HOSTNAME: Hostname of machine. Should also be put in /etc/hosts
#
HOSTNAME="horatio"

# Use 'ifconfig -a' or 'ls /sys/class/net/' to see all available interfaces.
#
# Interfaces to start at boot-up (in this order)
# Declare each interface then list in INTERFACES
#   - prefix an entry in INTERFACES with a ! to disable it
#   - no hyphens in your interface names - Bash doesn't like it
# 
# DHCP:     Set your interface to "dhcp" (eth0="dhcp")
# Wireless: See network profiles below
#
eth0="eth0 192.168.0.2 netmask 255.255.255.0 broadcast 192.168.0.255"
INTERFACES=(eth0)

# Routes to start at boot-up (in this order)
# Declare each route then list in ROUTES
#   - prefix an entry in ROUTES with a ! to disable it
#
gateway="default gw 192.168.0.1"
ROUTES=(!gateway)
 
# Enable these network profiles at boot-up.  These are only useful
# if you happen to need multiple network configurations (ie, laptop users)
#   - set to 'menu' to present a menu during boot-up (dialog package required)
#   - prefix an entry with a ! to disable it
#
# Network profiles are found in /etc/network.d
#
# This now requires the netcfg package
#
NETWORKS=(midi)

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# DAEMONS
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# Daemons to start at boot-up (in this order)
#   - prefix a daemon with a ! to disable it
#   - prefix a daemon with a @ to start it up in the background
#
DAEMONS=(syslog-ng network netfs crond net-profiles dbus fam hal slim @alsa)

Thank you, ++

Last edited by Biganon (2009-04-13 16:27:49)

Neo_The_User · 2009-04-13 16:31:14

Well I don't know how to answer this question but I've now learned from you how I can have a 32-bit color depth rather than 24. Thank you.

Mektub · 2009-04-13 17:49:13

Hi, Biganon,

the correct entry for xorg.conf for swiss French should be:

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier  "Keyboard0"
    Driver      "kbd"
    Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option "XkbLayout" "ch"
    Option "XkbVariant" "fr"
EndSection

The value you are using, "fr_CH-latin1.map.gz" is for a plain TTY terminal session and doesn't concern X.

By the way, your xorg.conf is overly complicated, X doesn't need that anymore.

However, start by fixing the keyboard as it is.

Mektub

Biganon · 2009-04-13 18:09:45

Thank you very much Mektub, it works perfect now.

I agree my xorg.conf is overly complicated, I would like to understand ArchLinux better to be able to simplify it. But I'm happy it works, so I'm not trying to modify everything.

DarkVenger · 2009-04-14 10:40:22

BTW, in response to your "maybe HAL?" your xorg.conf disables HAL with this line,

Option         "AutoAddDevices" "False"

Good luck and welcome to Arch

Biganon · 2009-04-14 23:33:10

Thank you DarkVenger, I set it to "True", then I had to set my keyboard mapping in XFCE options and then to manually modify speed values for my cursor, but now I have it's comfortable and I think it's better with this option enabled.

Mektub · 2009-04-15 04:55:39

Biganon,

If you are willing to experiment, you could try the following simple xorg.conf:

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Configured Video Device"
    Driver        "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Default Screen"
    Device        "Configured Video Device"
    DefaultDepth    24
EndSection

This minimal xorg.conf is only needed because xorg must be told to use the nvidia drivers.
It should figure everything else by itself.

For the Keyboard and mouse handling, install xf86-input-evdev, if not already there.

Start hal from the daemons Line in /etc/rc.conf:

DAEMONS=(syslog-ng network netfs !dbus hal ....

For the Keyboard layout, copy the file:

/usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-keymap.fdi

to

/etc/hal/fdi/policy/10-keymap.fdi

and edit this copy as follows:

<merge key="input.xkb.layout" type="string">ch</merge>
<merge key="input.xkb.variant" type="string">fr</merge>

I don't particularly appreciate this fdi thing, but, from experience, letting a particular
Desktop/Window Manager manage the keyboard layout is even worse.

Further info at:

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xor … otplugging

Needless to say, if you try this, backup your original xorg.conf.

Mektub

Biganon · 2009-04-15 12:47:05

Thank you for answering, but I really don't understand, it's not like that on my computer :
I put exactly the lines you said in my xorg.conf, rebooted and everything was exactly the same. No problem, perfect. So I checked the package xf86-input-evdev, I already had it.
Then I copied the file you told me to, but I've got the same problem than with the file 99-x11-synaptics.fdi, which I also put here and which should manage my touchpad : changing their parameters has absolutely no effect ! I restart HAL, X, even the whole computer but no effect. The layout in 10-keymap.fdi is "us", but my keyboard is still Swiss !
How is it ?
Oh and a last thing : shouldn't there be, in xorg.conf, the line enabling hotplugging ?
++

Mektub · 2009-04-15 13:32:28

Oh and a last thing : shouldn't there be, in xorg.conf, the line enabling hotplugging ?

No, hotplugging is the default, you only need a line if you want to disable it.

For synaptics, you can re-insert in your xorg.conf the synaptics section you had in your former xorg.conf.

It will be read, hotplugging only ignores the sections with kbd/keyboard and mouse drivers.

I don't understand what is happening with 10-keymap.fdi.

Mektub

Arch Linux

#1 2009-04-13 16:25:24

Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

#2 2009-04-13 16:31:14

Re: Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

#3 2009-04-13 17:49:13

Re: Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

#4 2009-04-13 18:09:45

Re: Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

#5 2009-04-14 10:40:22

Re: Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

#6 2009-04-14 23:33:10

Re: Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

#7 2009-04-15 04:55:39

Re: Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

#8 2009-04-15 12:47:05

Re: Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

#9 2009-04-15 13:32:28

Re: Problem with keyboard mapping (maybe HAL ?)

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