Discussion:
[Fluxbox-users] Mysterious behaviour of the 'return' key - help needed
Peter Berrie
2016-03-12 10:39:03 UTC
Permalink
This is what happens consequent on having reconfigured the keyboard in debian using dpkg, having moved to a Mac aluminum keyboard.

At startup when entering name and password, the return key works fine. Once in Fluxbox however it doesn't work at all by itself.

In openoffice, shift + return sends line feed.

The enter key, on the keypad, sends paragraph.

Using xev it does not show a normal keycode.

This is across all users, so its not a user issue. It happens across all applications, openoffice, terminal, browser. Its also not a mac keyboard issue. I have a debian install running in the next room with MATE and that works just fine with the same keyboard.

In a terminal the first hit of the return key changes the cursor to a small static rectangle. Hitting it again changes it back to an ordinary cursor. Also in this situation, hitting the enter key again also returns it to the usual cursor.

Hitting the return key once disables the popup menu with right click.

Its as if hitting the return key is toggling focus in some way.

This not only happens with linux apps, it also happens with windows apps running in VirtualBox. However, if Porteus is started up from windowmaker, the return key then works fine.

Trying to figure out this, I started up openbox. It works normally. I also started up windowmaker, and everything works perfectly normally there. I have tried doing a complete removal using synaptic, followed by reinstall, but its still the same problem.

There seems to be something happening with Fluxbox that is somehow capturing the return key when pressed by itself. But what? I have googled without finding anything informative.

Any ideas?

I had another problem which may be related, for completeness. I used to have a bunch of key shortcuts by editing fluxbox/keys. These used crtl + alt as the modifier. Well, they no longer work, and even changing them to the xev key codes for left ctrl and left alt doesn't work either.

Al
Sharon Kimble
2016-03-12 12:27:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Berrie
This is what happens consequent on having reconfigured the keyboard in debian using dpkg, having moved to a Mac aluminum keyboard.
At startup when entering name and password, the return key works fine.
Once in Fluxbox however it doesn't work at all by itself.
What version of fluxbox, and where did you get it from please? I'm
currently using 1.3.7 which is self-compiled from source. Is your
fluxbox a debian version?
Post by Peter Berrie
In openoffice, shift + return sends line feed.
The enter key, on the keypad, sends paragraph.
Using xev it does not show a normal keycode.
This is across all users, so its not a user issue. It happens across all applications, openoffice,
terminal, browser. Its also not a mac keyboard issue. I have a debian install running in the next
room with MATE and that works just fine with the same keyboard.
Did you try rebooting machine 2 with the errant keyboard in situ? Did it
make any difference?
Post by Peter Berrie
In a terminal the first hit of the return key changes the cursor to a small static rectangle.
Hitting it again changes it back to an ordinary cursor. Also in this situation, hitting the enter
key again also returns it to the usual cursor.
Hitting the return key once disables the popup menu with right click.
Its as if hitting the return key is toggling focus in some way.
Do "F1, F2, F3, or F4" exhibit any strange behaviour? Some keyboards
have those keys auto-configured with pre-specified commands, I've found
them set up to control the volume of music being played on one keyboard.
Post by Peter Berrie
This not only happens with linux apps, it also happens with windows apps running in VirtualBox.
However, if Porteus is started up from windowmaker, the return key then works fine.
Trying to figure out this, I started up openbox. It works normally. I also started up windowmaker,
and everything works perfectly normally there. I have tried doing a complete removal using synaptic,
followed by reinstall, but its still the same problem.
When you did a complete removal, did you also remove './fluxbox' ? If
you didn't then what ever weird configuration you have in it would
automatically be applied to your new fluxbox. Maybe a complete removal,
plus a purge, plus manually removing/renaming ./fluxbox would clear the problem?
Post by Peter Berrie
There seems to be something happening with Fluxbox that is somehow capturing the return key when
pressed by itself. But what? I have googled without finding anything informative.
Any ideas?
I had another problem which may be related, for completeness. I used to have a bunch of key
shortcuts by editing fluxbox/keys. These used crtl + alt as the modifier. Well, they no longer work,
and even changing them to the xev key codes for left ctrl and left alt doesn't work either.
Al
Sorry if I'm trying to teach grannie to suck eggs, I'm just trying to
cover all bases.

Thanks
Sharon.
--
A taste of linux = http://www.sharons.org.uk
TGmeds = http://www.tgmeds.org.uk
Debian 8.3, fluxbox 1.3.7, emacs 25.0.92
Peter Berrie
2016-03-12 14:57:05 UTC
Permalink
Sharon,

Thanks a million - deleting the ./fluxbox folder and reinstalling has done it. I had expected the 'completely remove' option to have taken care of this, but evidently it does not.
Post by Sharon Kimble
Do "F1, F2, F3, or F4" exhibit any strange behaviour? Some keyboards
have those keys auto-configured with pre-specified commands, I've found
them set up to control the volume of music being played on one keyboard.
No, I tried this but they none of them did anything. The other thing you asked, its 1.3.5-2, and, as you guessed, its the Debian repository version. I think you were right, it must have been something left over in the ./fluxbox file. But what? Who knows.

Now I'll move on to getting the other stuff to work, particularly the hot key shortcuts. And of course its gone back to the stock menus. But at least all the keys seem to be working now so writing is possible.

Worth bearing in mind with Synaptic when 'completely' removing other apps, it seems to be a less than complete removal.

Thanks again.

Peter
Post by Sharon Kimble
--
A taste of linux = http://www.sharons.org.uk
TGmeds = http://www.tgmeds.org.uk
Debian 8.3, fluxbox 1.3.7, emacs 25.0.92
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