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[Linux] Map the up, down, left and right arrow keys to shortcut keys

Last Updated on 2021-07-02 by Clay

Sometimes, we would like to be able to map the buttons with different functions on the keyboard, such as the arrow keys up, down, left and right to the shortcut keys Alt + WSAD .

According to a netizen on stackoverflow, this setting can protect his hand.

Today, I will record how to achieve such a function through the xmodmap command.

Configure shortcut keys

First, we need to know the keycode of the "Alt" key. We can use xev to check the keycode of the key we want. Enter the following command in Terminal:

xev


We will see the following screen:


We only need to move the mouse to the small window that pops up, click and press the keyboard button we want, for example, I want to know the Keycode of "Alt", so I clicked "Alt":

We can see that for the key we want "Alt_L" (the Alt key on the left), its Keycode is 64.


Step 0: Install xcape

We need to install xcape tool.

sudo apt install xcape


Step 1: Create a ~/.xmodmap file

Then we come to actually write the configuration program, first make an xmodmap file.

vim ~/.xmodmap


Take the function that we want to make "Alt" + "WSAD" corresponding to the arrow keys as an example, we write this configuration in the configuration file:

keycode 64 = Mode_switch
keysym a = a A Left
keysym d = d D Right
keysym w = w W Up
keysym s = s S Down

Storage is closed.


Step 2: Make execution script

Open an executable file:

vim ~/xmodmap.sh


Write in it:

xmodmap ~/.xmodmap
xcape -r 'Mode_switch=Escape'


After saving the file, we set the permissions of this file:

chmod +x ~/xmodmap.sh


Step 3: Create a file that automatically runs on startup

vim ~/.config/autostart/xmodmap.desktop


Write in it:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=sh -c "$HOME/xmodmap.sh"
Hidden=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
Name=xmodmap
Comment=xmodmap script

After the save is closed, if you want the settings to take effect immediately, just run the "xmodmap.sh" file you just set. However, after I experienced a reboot, I found that the settings did not take effect automatically, so I did the following again:

Go to the folder "~/.config/autostart/" and directly set the "xmodmap.desktop" file:

Check "Allow executing file as program".

Double click on this file.

Choose trust.

After rebooting, my configuration finally took effect.

References

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