Permanently change xkb keybindings?
I have a custom keyboard layout located in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/us. Every time an update happens, this file is updated to the standard keyboard layout. Is there either a way to change this permanently, or a way to change this in userspace away from distro-level config?
If there is a better way to approach custom keyboard layouts, please let me know. As far as I am aware, the best way to approach this is with xkb symbols files, and there is not much documentaion for these.
Thanks.
x11 keyboard keyboard-layout xkb
asked Mar 3 at 21:45
milquetoastmilquetoast
161
add a comment |
I have a custom keyboard layout located in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/us. Every time an update happens, this file is updated to the standard keyboard layout. Is there either a way to change this permanently, or a way to change this in userspace away from distro-level config?
If there is a better way to approach custom keyboard layouts, please let me know. As far as I am aware, the best way to approach this is with xkb symbols files, and there is not much documentaion for these.
Thanks.
x11 keyboard keyboard-layout xkb
asked Mar 3 at 21:45
milquetoastmilquetoast
161
Which Linux distribution are you using? Debian-based distributions (usingdpkg) have a concept ofdivertwhich allow you to tell them not to override a custom file of yours...
– filbranden
Mar 3 at 22:51
That's why you don't modify existing layouts, but instead you make your own layout based on an existing layout, copying and modifying files as necessary.
– dirkt
Mar 5 at 8:07
1
@filbranden: debian has bitten me with this before, so it could be debian/ubuntu.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:25
1
@dirkt: an explanation for someone who isn't familiar with where custom layouts are stored or how they are loaded would be appreciated. I've seen this advice before but never a "for dummies" guide.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:26
@Wyatt8740: There's no for dummies guide because the whole thing is a bit complex, and depending on what you want to do you may need to copy and modify quite a few files. The best introduction to XKB I know is the Unreliable guide to XKB configuration by Doug Palmer.
– dirkt
Mar 14 at 6:41
add a comment |
I have a custom keyboard layout located in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/us. Every time an update happens, this file is updated to the standard keyboard layout. Is there either a way to change this permanently, or a way to change this in userspace away from distro-level config?
If there is a better way to approach custom keyboard layouts, please let me know. As far as I am aware, the best way to approach this is with xkb symbols files, and there is not much documentaion for these.
Thanks.
x11 keyboard keyboard-layout xkb
asked Mar 3 at 21:45
milquetoastmilquetoast
161
I have a custom keyboard layout located in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/us. Every time an update happens, this file is updated to the standard keyboard layout. Is there either a way to change this permanently, or a way to change this in userspace away from distro-level config?
If there is a better way to approach custom keyboard layouts, please let me know. As far as I am aware, the best way to approach this is with xkb symbols files, and there is not much documentaion for these.
Thanks.
x11 keyboard keyboard-layout xkb
x11 keyboard keyboard-layout xkb
asked Mar 3 at 21:45
milquetoastmilquetoast
161
asked Mar 3 at 21:45
milquetoastmilquetoast
161
asked Mar 3 at 21:45
milquetoastmilquetoast
161
asked Mar 3 at 21:45
milquetoastmilquetoast
161
asked Mar 3 at 21:45
milquetoastmilquetoast
161
161
Which Linux distribution are you using? Debian-based distributions (usingdpkg) have a concept ofdivertwhich allow you to tell them not to override a custom file of yours...
– filbranden
Mar 3 at 22:51
That's why you don't modify existing layouts, but instead you make your own layout based on an existing layout, copying and modifying files as necessary.
– dirkt
Mar 5 at 8:07
1
@filbranden: debian has bitten me with this before, so it could be debian/ubuntu.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:25
1
@dirkt: an explanation for someone who isn't familiar with where custom layouts are stored or how they are loaded would be appreciated. I've seen this advice before but never a "for dummies" guide.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:26
@Wyatt8740: There's no for dummies guide because the whole thing is a bit complex, and depending on what you want to do you may need to copy and modify quite a few files. The best introduction to XKB I know is the Unreliable guide to XKB configuration by Doug Palmer.
– dirkt
Mar 14 at 6:41
add a comment |
Which Linux distribution are you using? Debian-based distributions (usingdpkg) have a concept ofdivertwhich allow you to tell them not to override a custom file of yours...
– filbranden
Mar 3 at 22:51
That's why you don't modify existing layouts, but instead you make your own layout based on an existing layout, copying and modifying files as necessary.
– dirkt
Mar 5 at 8:07
1
@filbranden: debian has bitten me with this before, so it could be debian/ubuntu.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:25
1
@dirkt: an explanation for someone who isn't familiar with where custom layouts are stored or how they are loaded would be appreciated. I've seen this advice before but never a "for dummies" guide.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:26
@Wyatt8740: There's no for dummies guide because the whole thing is a bit complex, and depending on what you want to do you may need to copy and modify quite a few files. The best introduction to XKB I know is the Unreliable guide to XKB configuration by Doug Palmer.
– dirkt
Mar 14 at 6:41
Which Linux distribution are you using? Debian-based distributions (using
dpkg) have a concept of divert which allow you to tell them not to override a custom file of yours...– filbranden
Mar 3 at 22:51
Which Linux distribution are you using? Debian-based distributions (using
dpkg) have a concept of divert which allow you to tell them not to override a custom file of yours...– filbranden
Mar 3 at 22:51
That's why you don't modify existing layouts, but instead you make your own layout based on an existing layout, copying and modifying files as necessary.
– dirkt
Mar 5 at 8:07
That's why you don't modify existing layouts, but instead you make your own layout based on an existing layout, copying and modifying files as necessary.
– dirkt
Mar 5 at 8:07
1
1
@filbranden: debian has bitten me with this before, so it could be debian/ubuntu.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:25
@filbranden: debian has bitten me with this before, so it could be debian/ubuntu.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:25
1
1
@dirkt: an explanation for someone who isn't familiar with where custom layouts are stored or how they are loaded would be appreciated. I've seen this advice before but never a "for dummies" guide.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:26
@dirkt: an explanation for someone who isn't familiar with where custom layouts are stored or how they are loaded would be appreciated. I've seen this advice before but never a "for dummies" guide.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:26
@Wyatt8740: There's no for dummies guide because the whole thing is a bit complex, and depending on what you want to do you may need to copy and modify quite a few files. The best introduction to XKB I know is the Unreliable guide to XKB configuration by Doug Palmer.
– dirkt
Mar 14 at 6:41
@Wyatt8740: There's no for dummies guide because the whole thing is a bit complex, and depending on what you want to do you may need to copy and modify quite a few files. The best introduction to XKB I know is the Unreliable guide to XKB configuration by Doug Palmer.
– dirkt
Mar 14 at 6:41
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
Make a directory tree under /home/<user>/ which has the same structure as /usr/share/X11/xkb/. In other words:
$ tree -L 1
.
├── compat
├── geometry
├── keycodes
├── rules
├── symbols
└── types
So put the relevant files in compat, symbols, etc. You obviously don’t need to make empty directories, just the directories for the files that you need.
Then consider renaming your symbols file to something different than us. There might be a way to disambiguate your own us symbols file from the one under /usr/share/X11/xkb/, but it is easier to just pick a new name which doesn’t appear in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/. mine will do fine.
Let’s say that you put your custom Xkb directory at /home/<user>/my-xkb and that your custom symbols file is named mine.
If you use setxkbmap(1) to set your layout you simply need to change it to print its output and pipe it to xkbcomp(1). So if this is your setxkbmap invocation:
setxkbmap mine
You will need to change it to this:
setxkbmap mine -print |
xkbcomp -I"/home/<user>/my-xkb" - "$DISPLAY"
answered Mar 13 at 23:57
GuildensternGuildenstern
1736
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
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oldest
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active
oldest
votes
Make a directory tree under /home/<user>/ which has the same structure as /usr/share/X11/xkb/. In other words:
$ tree -L 1
.
├── compat
├── geometry
├── keycodes
├── rules
├── symbols
└── types
So put the relevant files in compat, symbols, etc. You obviously don’t need to make empty directories, just the directories for the files that you need.
Then consider renaming your symbols file to something different than us. There might be a way to disambiguate your own us symbols file from the one under /usr/share/X11/xkb/, but it is easier to just pick a new name which doesn’t appear in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/. mine will do fine.
Let’s say that you put your custom Xkb directory at /home/<user>/my-xkb and that your custom symbols file is named mine.
If you use setxkbmap(1) to set your layout you simply need to change it to print its output and pipe it to xkbcomp(1). So if this is your setxkbmap invocation:
setxkbmap mine
You will need to change it to this:
setxkbmap mine -print |
xkbcomp -I"/home/<user>/my-xkb" - "$DISPLAY"
answered Mar 13 at 23:57
GuildensternGuildenstern
1736
add a comment |
Make a directory tree under /home/<user>/ which has the same structure as /usr/share/X11/xkb/. In other words:
$ tree -L 1
.
├── compat
├── geometry
├── keycodes
├── rules
├── symbols
└── types
So put the relevant files in compat, symbols, etc. You obviously don’t need to make empty directories, just the directories for the files that you need.
Then consider renaming your symbols file to something different than us. There might be a way to disambiguate your own us symbols file from the one under /usr/share/X11/xkb/, but it is easier to just pick a new name which doesn’t appear in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/. mine will do fine.
Let’s say that you put your custom Xkb directory at /home/<user>/my-xkb and that your custom symbols file is named mine.
If you use setxkbmap(1) to set your layout you simply need to change it to print its output and pipe it to xkbcomp(1). So if this is your setxkbmap invocation:
setxkbmap mine
You will need to change it to this:
setxkbmap mine -print |
xkbcomp -I"/home/<user>/my-xkb" - "$DISPLAY"
answered Mar 13 at 23:57
GuildensternGuildenstern
1736
add a comment |
Make a directory tree under /home/<user>/ which has the same structure as /usr/share/X11/xkb/. In other words:
$ tree -L 1
.
├── compat
├── geometry
├── keycodes
├── rules
├── symbols
└── types
So put the relevant files in compat, symbols, etc. You obviously don’t need to make empty directories, just the directories for the files that you need.
Then consider renaming your symbols file to something different than us. There might be a way to disambiguate your own us symbols file from the one under /usr/share/X11/xkb/, but it is easier to just pick a new name which doesn’t appear in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/. mine will do fine.
Let’s say that you put your custom Xkb directory at /home/<user>/my-xkb and that your custom symbols file is named mine.
If you use setxkbmap(1) to set your layout you simply need to change it to print its output and pipe it to xkbcomp(1). So if this is your setxkbmap invocation:
setxkbmap mine
You will need to change it to this:
setxkbmap mine -print |
xkbcomp -I"/home/<user>/my-xkb" - "$DISPLAY"
answered Mar 13 at 23:57
GuildensternGuildenstern
1736
Make a directory tree under /home/<user>/ which has the same structure as /usr/share/X11/xkb/. In other words:
$ tree -L 1
.
├── compat
├── geometry
├── keycodes
├── rules
├── symbols
└── types
So put the relevant files in compat, symbols, etc. You obviously don’t need to make empty directories, just the directories for the files that you need.
Then consider renaming your symbols file to something different than us. There might be a way to disambiguate your own us symbols file from the one under /usr/share/X11/xkb/, but it is easier to just pick a new name which doesn’t appear in /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/. mine will do fine.
Let’s say that you put your custom Xkb directory at /home/<user>/my-xkb and that your custom symbols file is named mine.
If you use setxkbmap(1) to set your layout you simply need to change it to print its output and pipe it to xkbcomp(1). So if this is your setxkbmap invocation:
setxkbmap mine
You will need to change it to this:
setxkbmap mine -print |
xkbcomp -I"/home/<user>/my-xkb" - "$DISPLAY"
answered Mar 13 at 23:57
GuildensternGuildenstern
1736
answered Mar 13 at 23:57
GuildensternGuildenstern
1736
answered Mar 13 at 23:57
GuildensternGuildenstern
1736
answered Mar 13 at 23:57
GuildensternGuildenstern
1736
1736
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Which Linux distribution are you using? Debian-based distributions (using
dpkg) have a concept ofdivertwhich allow you to tell them not to override a custom file of yours...– filbranden
Mar 3 at 22:51
That's why you don't modify existing layouts, but instead you make your own layout based on an existing layout, copying and modifying files as necessary.
– dirkt
Mar 5 at 8:07
1
@filbranden: debian has bitten me with this before, so it could be debian/ubuntu.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:25
1
@dirkt: an explanation for someone who isn't familiar with where custom layouts are stored or how they are loaded would be appreciated. I've seen this advice before but never a "for dummies" guide.
– Wyatt8740
Mar 14 at 1:26
@Wyatt8740: There's no for dummies guide because the whole thing is a bit complex, and depending on what you want to do you may need to copy and modify quite a few files. The best introduction to XKB I know is the Unreliable guide to XKB configuration by Doug Palmer.
– dirkt
Mar 14 at 6:41