Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

Username · 2009-09-06 18:20:55

I've figured out how to setup most everything else on my own (usb wireless, etc) through research so I'd like to think I have a slight degree of competence, and I've done everything to find something related to this issue, but I can't figure this out for the life of me. Saying that, its probably a stupidly simple fix.

My 'left' and 'down' arrow keys don't scroll the icon continuously when held down, just one space over (ie, I have to tap them to move the text cursor past one space). The 'up' and 'right' keys work fine. This issue apparently fixed itself at one point (when I was editing grub), but then stopped again once I restarted, and I can't replicate the fix. The arrow keys work fine in my other partition (ubuntu), so it's not a hardware problem...

Thanks in advance.

thisoldman · 2009-09-06 19:56:04

Please, which application(s) on what desktop?

Username · 2009-09-06 19:59:02

Ah, sorry, KDE4 desktop; entire system. I'm not sure what other types of information you would need for this issue, or even where to start with it (everything else with my keyboard works).

I have this horrible feeling its something really simple I overlooked...

Last edited by Username (2009-09-06 20:13:22)

thisoldman · 2009-09-06 21:24:01

Quickest diagnostic test -- borrow a keyboard and see if it's a hardware problem.

KDE should have a setting for keyboard repeat and repeat interval. That probably isn't the problem, but it should be checked. I'm also working from my memory of my wife's Opensuse KDE 3.5 machine. I think it's "System Settings > Keyboard and Mouse > Enable keyboard repeat"

Look for anything suspicious from the output of

grep -i "keyboard" /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Xorg errors and warnings begin with "(EE)" and "(WW)" in that file. A line that says "Disabling Keyboard0" is normal, unless you've disabled hot-plugging in xorg.conf.

Edit: You should also search Xorg.0.log for "xkb"

Last edited by thisoldman (2009-09-06 21:26:35)

Username · 2009-09-06 22:05:04

1) Its not a hardware problem, its fine when booting in ubuntu partition.
2) Keyboard repeat is turned on, the up and right arrow keys do it fine.

grep -i "keyboard" /var/log/Xorg.0.log
(**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
(II) Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
(II) config/hal: Adding input device AT Translated Set 2 keyboard
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: always reports core events
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Device: "/dev/input/event1"
(II) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Found keys
(II) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Configuring as keyboard
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "AT Translated Set 2 keyboard" (type: KEYBOARD)
(II) Power Button: Configuring as keyboard
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Power Button" (type: KEYBOARD)
(II) Power Button: Configuring as keyboard
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Power Button" (type: KEYBOARD)

Xorg.0.log, everything remotely keyboard-related:

(II) config/hal: Adding input device AT Translated Set 2 keyboard
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: always reports core events
(**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Device: "/dev/input/event1"
(II) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Found keys
(II) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Configuring as keyboard
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "AT Translated Set 2 keyboard" (type: KEYBOARD)
(**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
(**) Option "xkb_model" "evdev"
(**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
(II) config/hal: Adding input device Power Button
(**) Power Button: always reports core events
(**) Power Button: Device: "/dev/input/event4"
(II) Power Button: Found keys
(II) Power Button: Configuring as keyboard
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Power Button" (type: KEYBOARD)
(**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
(**) Option "xkb_model" "evdev"
(**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
(II) config/hal: Adding input device Power Button
(**) Power Button: always reports core events
(**) Power Button: Device: "/dev/input/event3"
(II) Power Button: Found keys
(II) Power Button: Configuring as keyboard
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Power Button" (type: KEYBOARD)
(**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
(**) Option "xkb_model" "evdev"
(**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"

So, would that make evdev the source of the problem?
And why would there be two instances of the power button in a row, and as type: KEYBOARD?

Note: for the sake of possible convenience, my related xorg.conf:

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen       0 "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "AllowEmptyInput" "off"
    Option         "AllowAddDevices" "false"
EndSection

(...)

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

I have no idea when/how the 'CoreKeyboard' and 'CorePointer' got in there, they weren't when I set it up. I had to add the two server flags to get it to start up X initially, should I remove them now, or would I need a fire extinguisher if I did that?

thisoldman · 2009-09-06 23:02:27

The power button messages seem normal, I have them too. They are from using ACPI. In fact, nothing seems wrong.

The only thing I see in xorg.conf is that "AllowEmptyInput" and "AllowAddDevices" aren't found as valid options in the manpage for xorg.conf. You could comment the two lines out.

The problem has been seen before, I've Googled it. It always seems to involve the left arrow key. It's probably an Xorg bug because it appears in Gnome and Xfce.

Last gasp ideas.
Use the numpad direction keys.
Change the repeat rate and key press delay-to repeat settings to something different, wildly different, and see if the problem continues.
If you've installed accessibility packages in KDE, check their settings.
Try a different port for the keyboard.

Again, borrow a keyboard. It could be this version of Xorg coupled with your particular keyboard just has problems.

Username · 2009-09-06 23:14:14

Ok, thanks for the help. If it spontaneously fixes itself again I'll post back and give a record of everything I did before that.

kij · 2009-10-06 09:57:29

Hey
I just had the same problem with my first arch linux install. My keys (down/left) repeated fine in the console but did not start repeating in Xorg.

Sadly i cant reproduce it. But the problem went away when I led hal take control.
Try to comment out InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard" and InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"

This is what is working for me:

 Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier     "X.org Configured"
        Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0

#       Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
#       Option "AllowEmptyInput" "False"
#        InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
#       InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Arch Linux

#1 2009-09-06 18:20:55

Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

#2 2009-09-06 19:56:04

Re: Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

#3 2009-09-06 19:59:02

Re: Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

#4 2009-09-06 21:24:01

Re: Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

#5 2009-09-06 22:05:04

Re: Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

#6 2009-09-06 23:02:27

Re: Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

#7 2009-09-06 23:14:14

Re: Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

#8 2009-10-06 09:57:29

Re: Left and Down arrow key continuous scroll [keyboard-related issue]

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