Modifier keys in X...

As an experiment, I mapped the buttons on an iPAQ to also be modifier
keys in the X server (by default: this was always possible using xmodmap
or equivalent).

For those of you not intimately involved in X programming, a modifier
key is, for example, control, or shift, or lock (actually, X provides
up to 8 modifier keys).

If a modifier key is down when a keyboard event is sent, a bit is sent
in the keyboard event indicating the modifier is down. This saves having
to track the state of the modifier keys on the keyboard, which experience
from early versions of X taught us was very error prone.

What does this mean?

It means, for example, that anytime any button is sent, you'll see the
state of the modifier keys. The effect of this is that you can easily
push a button and do a "c" character in xscribble, and the "right" thing
happens in an xterm, for example.

The iPAQ currently isn't doing all it ought to with the buttons, from
what I understand, but the intent is to make it much easier to use
various chording sorts of operations.

Comments? (The server bits implementing this will be in our next release:
if people want a server in the meanwhile, I can put it up for FTP).
                        - Jim
                                         

--
Jim Gettys
Technology and Corporate Development
Compaq Computer Corporation
jg_at_pa.dec.com
Received on Fri Sep 08 2000 - 06:14:33 EDT