[SOLVED] re-programming keyboards? IBM model m?

kcredden · 07-15-2019, 05:27 PM

Firstly; is it possible to even re-program an IBM Model M keyboard (1991 model?) I'm in Ubuntu/XFCE.

Then if so, there is a few keys I'd like to either move, or do different effects. Specifically the inverted T, and the 9 keys above that, as well as the caps lock. I have no use for them, since I'm old enough to have started using the num keypad as a cursor control

- KC

DavidMcCann · 07-16-2019, 10:57 AM

The keyboard driver in Linux is compiled when you log in from at least two files. The first translates the scan-codes for your hardware (PC, Mac, Sun, etc) into standard designations and the second translates them into actions or characters.

So you are using a PC keyboard and your first file is /usr/share/X11/xkb/keycodes/evdev and it contains the line
<CAPS>=66;
On my computer, I've changed that to
<LVL3>=66;
so that the old caps-lock is the new AltGr. You can obviously make whatever changes you like.