#1 2016-05-05 11:07:20

andoo

Member

Registered: 2016-05-05

Posts: 10

Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

Hey,

I've been using bunsenlabs Linux for about two months now and just like to start by saying how happy i am with it: about the overall usability, how well it worked out of the box and how easy it was to find solutions for the few things that didn't. There remains one issue that can easily be worked around but is quite distracting in the everyday work flow.

I am using the German Neo 2 keyboard layout (comes preinstalled) which has the arrow keys conveniently  mapped to Alt Gr + E,D,S and F (or Alt Gr + L,A,I, and E considering the Neo mapping).

This works in bunsenlabs linux in every application, menu, prompt etc. exept the main menu.

The true arrow keys work normally in the main menu.

Using Lenovo E335, with out-of-the-box-ish bunsenlabs linux (exept for some trackpoint and touchpad tweaking). Problem persists with external usb keyboard.

I appreciate any thoughts.

Last edited by andoo (2016-05-05 15:07:30)

xaos52

The Good Doctor

From: Planet of the @pes

Registered: 2015-09-30

Posts: 695

Re: Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

It is openbox that handles the main menu.
Perhaps you only switch to your keyboard layout after openbox has already started?

I just found out that with the default bunsenlabs configuration the arrow keys on my numeric pad dont work either, only the 'dedicated' arrow keys work. Could be related to your problem.
If no one else comes up with an obvious reason, I will have a look at the openbox sources.

andoo

Member

Registered: 2016-05-05

Posts: 10

Re: Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

Thanks for your answer.
Does openbox also handle the "ToggleShowDesktop"? (found in the "openbox keybinds" in the main menu)
That's W-d and it works with the "d" key according to my layout.

Last edited by andoo (2016-05-05 15:08:22)

xaos52

The Good Doctor

From: Planet of the @pes

Registered: 2015-09-30

Posts: 695

Re: Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

Does openbox also handle the "ToggleShowDesktop"? (found in the "openbox keybinds" in the main menu)

Yes.
That key combination is defined in $HOME/.config/openbox/rc.xml. So, you can change it if you want. Only problem is to find another key that you don't use already.

xaos52

The Good Doctor

From: Planet of the @pes

Registered: 2015-09-30

Posts: 695

Re: Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

@OP,
Where exactly have you set your choice of keyboard?
Can you post output of

cat /etc/default/keyboard

That file contains the results from running

sudo dpk-reconfigure keyboard-configuration

which is the 'recommended' way of setting special keyboard configurations.

andoo

Member

Registered: 2016-05-05

Posts: 10

Re: Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

# KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION FILE

# Consult the keyboard(5) manual page.

XKBMODEL="pc105"
XKBLAYOUT="de"
XKBVARIANT="neo"
XKBOPTIONS=""

BACKSPACE="guess"

I used the recommended way you described, following the instructions on the top of this page:
https://wiki.debian.org/Keyboard

andoo

Member

Registered: 2016-05-05

Posts: 10

Re: Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

If I get this right so far..
- the problem can't be that openbox somehow uses the wrong layout because "ToggleShowDesktop" works correctly, even though the d key is in a different place from QUERTY
- also the layout itself works because the alternate arrow keys work anywhere except with openbox

I just found out that with the default bunsenlabs configuration the arrow keys on my numeric pad dont work either, only the 'dedicated' arrow keys work. Could be related to your problem.
If no one else comes up with an obvious reason, I will have a look at the openbox sources.

This seems likely because

0    C-A-Left            GoToDesktop

also only works with the dedicated arrow keys

Last edited by andoo (2016-05-05 15:06:39)

andoo

Member

Registered: 2016-05-05

Posts: 10

Re: Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

I'll give this a little bump, hope that's alright...

While I'm at it a few more questions:

1. Since there seems to be no obvious solution, should I report this as a bug? At bunsenlabs or openbox?
2. Is there a support forum for openbox?
3. I noticed that while lubuntu has the same problem for example with window positioning tasks (super + arrow)  the alternate arrow keys work in the lubuntu main menu – but that is due to the fact that openbox does not handle the lxde main menu, correct?
4. In case there is no solution to this problem can anyone recommend an alternative to openbox (lightweight & potential to be very keyboard-driven)?

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: London

Registered: 2015-09-29

Posts: 9,093

Website

Re: Alternative arrow keys not working in main menu

1. Since there seems to be no obvious solution, should I report this as a bug? At bunsenlabs or openbox?

Probably best to report this upstream to bugs.debian.org

See https://www.debian.org/Bugs/Reporting

2. Is there a support forum for openbox?

http://openbox.org/wiki/Openbox:Community_portal

4. In case there is no solution to this problem can anyone recommend an alternative to openbox (lightweight & potential to be very keyboard-driven)?

I really like PekWM

https://www.pekwm.org/projects/pekwm

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