Gutsy Dell E1505 function keys work in ubuntu but not kubuntu

[pauls]

On a dell E1505 laptop, in both feisty and gutsy, using KDE, the keys for eject (Fn-F10) and hibernate (Fn-F1) do not work. Also, the laptop lid cannot be disabled from blanking the screen. On Gnome, these function keys work properly. Also, on gnome-power-manager, when I select "do nothing" for laptop lid, it works properly.

I checked the keys using konsole in KDE to be sure they're detected properly, and they are, as shown:

paul :~$ lshal -m

Start monitoring devicelist:
-------------------------------------------------
Fn-F10 gives : platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = eject-cd
Fn-F1 gives : platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = hibernate

paul :~$ xev | grep -A2 --line-buffered '^KeyRelease' | sed -n '/keycode /s/^.*keycode \([0-9]*\).* (.*, \(.*\)).*$/\1 \2/p'
Fn-F10 gives : 204 XF86Eject
Fn-F1 gives : 165 XF86Sleep

The laptop lid button problem occurs with an external monitor connected. In gnome, disabling blanking the screen on the lid button works, but not in KDE. On gutsy it's kde-guidance-powermanager 0.8.0svn20070727-0ubuntu2.

Here's proof of the kde config settings, but still the lid closure blanks the external monitor.

paul :~$ cat .kde/share/config/power-managerrc

batteryBrightness=50
batteryCriticalAction=hibernate
batteryFreqPolicy=dynamic
batteryIdleAction=nothing
batteryIdleTime=10
criticalRemainTime=5
laptopLidAction=nothing
lockOnResume=0
poweredBrightness=100
poweredFreqPolicy=dynamic
poweredIdleAction=nothing
poweredIdleTime=30

[ApuX (azareldp)]

Using Kubuntu Gusty, the Brightness FN keys doesn't work, but in Ubuntu it does work.
The laptop: Dell, inspiron 1420. Nvidia card.

lshal -m:

09:09:23.992: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:09:24.094: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:09:26.421: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:09:26.493: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up

[Rich Johnson (nixternal)]

Is this still an issue with the Dell E1505's? If so, I will get in touch with our keyboard master and direct his attention here. Thanks!

[pauls (paulatgm)]

Well I've done a fresh install of hardy and still the Fn-F10 eject button does not work on kubuntu on my E1505.

However, it's worse now, because

paul :~$ xev | grep -A2 --line-buffered '^KeyRelease' | sed -n '/keycode /s/^.*keycode \([0-9]*\).* (.*, \(.*\)).*$/\1 \2/p'

253 NoSymbol

which means the key combo no longer is recognized as XF86Eject. According to bug 111943, I should be able to use kcontrol to configure an input to do it, but when I try, it will not take Fn-F10. So, I edited .kde/share/config/khotkeysrc manually and entered XF86Eject as the key. But, since the kernel doesn't connect Fn-F10 with XF86Eject, this does no good. I don't know how to specify this "253 NoSymbol" in the config .. any ideas appreciated.

[pauls (paulatgm)]

According to bug #111943, I should be able to make a kde "input action" to enable my Fn-F10 combo, but trying fails because Fn-F10 is not mapped to any key. Running "xmodmap -pk" reveals that key 204 is mapped to XF86Eject in hardy. So, I create a file ~/.Xmodmap and put this in it:

keycode 204 = 0x0000
keycode 253 = XF86Eject

Next I do "xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap" (to read in new data) and "xmodmap -pk" (to confirm 204 is undefined and 253 is now eject).

Now I can use KControl => Regional & Access => Input Actions: New Action: Name = Laptop Eject Keys; type = keyboard shortcut -> Command/URL simple
Keyboard Shortcut: Fn-F10; Command/URL Settings: kdeeject cdrom

and it works.