Using super key for launching programs

vinzv · 2018-01-04 22:25:13

Hi,

I'm used to Xfce's whiskermenu and the super key to get some sort of "launcher". To get something similar with gmrun I added the following line to .config/openbox/autostart:

xcape -e 'Super_L=Alt_L|F2'

This runs as daemon in the background for modding the left super key onto Alt+F2 and launches gmrun, but only on release so it doesn't interfere with any other super key combinations. The package xcape is in Debian's repository. You can tweak the expression for any modifier and add multiple remappings according to this structure:

'ModKey=Key[|OtherKey][;NextExpression]'

Maybe it's useful for someone else!

tynman · 2018-01-05 03:59:13

Great tip. There have been discussions in the past on this forum about how to use the "windows logo" key by itself as a hot key. The xcape software seems to be a good solution. I added this to the openbox autostart script:

xcape -e 'Super_L=Super_L|space' &

which now brings up my menu with "only" the windows key. Using the windows key as a modifier (e.g., "w-t" to open a terminal) still works good.

Thanks vinzf!

vinzv · 2018-01-05 16:07:56

You're welcome, glad it was useful!

ututo · 2018-01-05 20:02:09

very interesting!. thanks for the tip, @vinzv

nore · 2018-01-05 20:05:54

Thanks, clever solution. Marking this up for future use.

malm · 2018-01-05 22:05:54

There is also the fork

https://github.com/hanschen/ksuperkey

which is used by ArchLabs

https://github.com/ARCHLabs/Archlabs-User-Home/blob/master/etc/xdg/autostart/ksuperkey.desktop

vinzv · 2018-01-05 22:31:06

Yeah, that's what I used for quite a while as well. The dev explains his fork quite good:
https://github.com/hanschen/ksuperkey/i … t-69687618

Meanwhile xcape is on par with ksuperkey and as it's already in Debian's repositories I prefer using that.

malm · 2018-01-06 12:17:30

Thanks. That's a useful link. I'll stick with xcape too.

nore · 2018-01-06 14:20:18

tynman wrote:

I added this to the openbox autostart script:
xcape -e 'Super_L=Super_L|space' &

I suggest this as default in Bunsenlabs Lithium.

vinzv · 2018-01-06 15:04:47

Currently super + space opens the main menu so I'm not sure if this default behaviour should be broken.
But on the other hand: https://xkcd.com/1172/

nore · 2018-01-06 15:13:55

^Super+Space would still be available, nothing would be broken.
Ok, maybe that xcape line could be commented out in autostart as default, with explanation.

vinzv · 2018-01-06 15:20:17

nore wrote:

^Super+Space would still be available, nothing would be broken.

Gosh, you're right, my bad. I had some knot inside my brain.

nore wrote:

Ok, maybe that xcape line could be commented out in autostart as default, with explanation.

That of course would be a good thing!

johnraff · 2018-01-18 08:35:50

nore wrote:

^Super+Space would still be available, nothing would be broken.
Ok, maybe that xcape line could be commented out in autostart as default, with explanation.

This sounds good.
Once Helium is released we can't push changes to peoples' autostarts, so things like this, even if commented-out, should go in from the start.

johnraff · 2018-02-09 08:50:07

xcape works nicely here.
Has anyone had any problems with starting it up in openbox/autostart?

If not, let's add it to the install list (it's a very small package) and enable Super>menu in autostart for Helium.
The xcape command returns in a few ms so there's no need to fork with an ampersand.
RAM usage doesn't seem too dire for this modern age...

There's still time (just) to put it in.

johnraff · 2018-06-07 05:46:56

This is in BL Helium - thanks @vinzv for the idea!

#1 2018-01-04 22:25:13

Using super key for launching programs

#2 2018-01-05 03:59:13

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#3 2018-01-05 16:07:56

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#4 2018-01-05 20:02:09

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#5 2018-01-05 20:05:54

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#6 2018-01-05 22:05:54

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#7 2018-01-05 22:31:06

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#8 2018-01-06 12:17:30

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#9 2018-01-06 14:20:18

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#10 2018-01-06 15:04:47

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#11 2018-01-06 15:13:55

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#12 2018-01-06 15:20:17

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#13 2018-01-18 08:35:50

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#14 2018-02-09 08:50:07

Re: Using super key for launching programs

#15 2018-06-07 05:46:56

Re: Using super key for launching programs

Board footer