Extra keyboard keys in Xorg - ArchWiki

# Extra keyboard keys in Xorg

Related articles

- Extra keyboard keys
- Extra keyboard keys in console
- Map scancodes to keycodes
- Xorg
- Xmodmap

## Mapping keysyms to actions

This article or section is a candidate for merging with Keyboard Shortcuts#X11_2.

Notes: same topic (Discuss)

When we are in a graphical environment we may want to execute a command when certain key combination is pressed. There are multiple ways to do that:

- The most portable way using low level tools, such as acpid. Not all keys are supported, but configuration in uniform way is possible for keyboard keys, power adapter connection and even headphone jack (un)plugging events. It is also difficult to run programs inside X session correctly.
- The universal way using Xorg utilities (e.g. xbindkeys) and eventually your desktop environment or window manager tools.
- The quicker way using a third-party program to do everything in GUI, such as the Gnome Control Center or Keytouch.

### Desktop environments

#### Gnome

The factual accuracy of this article or section is disputed.

Reason: I am quite certain that GNOME does not override Xorg that much... (Discuss)

Gnome Control Center is quite complete for the extra keyboard keys management. In fact it can directly detect scancodes which means that it can map any key seen by the kernel.

#### KDE

This article or section is a candidate for merging with KDE.

Notes: KDE currently does not provide any information about mapping actions; provide only link after the merge. (Discuss)

Keyboard shortcuts can be configured in System Settings -> Shortcuts and Gestures.

#### Xfce4

See Xfce#Keyboard_Shortcuts

### Window managers

#### Openbox

See Openbox#Keybinds

#### PekWM

See PekWM#Hotkeys

#### Xmonad

This article or section is a candidate for merging with Xmonad.

Notes: Provide only link after the merge. (Discuss)

If you use Xmonad as a stand alone window manager, you can edit the xmonad.hs to add unbound keyboard keys. You just need to find the Xf86 name of the key (such as XF86PowerDown) and look it up in `/usr/include/X11/XF86keysym.h`. It will give you a keycode (like 0x1008FF2A) which you can use to add a line like the following in the keybindings section of your `xmonad.hs`:

    ((0,               0x1008FF2A), spawn "sudo pm-suspend")

#### i3

This article or section is a candidate for merging with i3.

Notes: Provide only link after the merge. (Discuss)

Open your ~/.i3/config and just bind the keysym to a command:

    bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec amixer -q set Master 5-
    bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec amixer -q set Master 5+
    bindsym XF86AudioMute exec $(amixer get Master | grep off > /dev/null && amixer -q set Master unmute) || amixer -q set Master mute
    bindsym XF86MonBrightnessDown  exec  xbacklight -dec 10
    bindsym Print                  exec  scrot

### Third-party tools

#### sxhkd

A simple X hotkey daemon with a powerful and compact configuration syntax.

Available as sxhkd-git and sxhkd in AUR.

#### keytouch

KeyTouch is a program which allows you to easily configure the extra function keys of your keyboard. This means that you can define, for every individual function key, what to do if it is pressed.

See the main article: keytouch.

#### actkbd

From actkbd home page:

  actkbd (available in AUR) is a simple daemon that binds actions to keyboard events. It recognises key combinations and can handle press, repeat and release events. Currently it only supports the linux-2.6 evdev interface. It uses a plain-text configuration file which contains all the bindings.

A sample configuration and guide is available here.

#### xbindkeys

xbindkeys allows advanced mapping of keysyms to actions independently of the Desktop Environment.

Tip: If you find `xbindkeys` difficult to use, try the graphical manager xbindkeys_config from the AUR.
Categories:

- Keyboards
- X Server