X keyboard layouts claim nonexistent key

[Andrew Eikum]

Binary package hint: xkeyboard-config

All of the en_US keyboard layouts provided by Ubuntu incorrectly claim that the "less than, greater than" key exists when it is not actually present on most en_US keyboards. My keyboard, for example, is detected as a 105-key generic keyboard, with the accompanying layout. This layout claims that the "less than, greater than" key exists.

This is mostly harmless, save for one X11 call, which gives the wrong output due to this nonexistent key. XKeysymToKeycode returns the keycode for a given keyboard symbol. Since the actual "less than" symbol is on the comma key, we would expect XKeysymToKeycode to return the keycode for the comma key when given the "less than" keysym.

Instead, due to the above "phantom key," XKeysymToKeycode returns the keycode for the "less than, greater than" key which is reported by the keyboard layout, but doesn't actually exist.

The keyboard layouts provided by Ubuntu should not report that this key exists if it doesn't. I have personally never seen this key on an English keyboard, and I think it makes sense to assume it's not there, if a means of detection doesn't exist.

Attached is a simple C program to demonstrate the error.

[Pedro Villavicencio (pedro)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. A new version of xkeyboard-config is available in both Lucid and Maverick and we are wondering if this is still reproducible in any of those versions, May you please test and give us of feedback about it? Thanks in advance.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter. However, if the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. Also, if you could, please test against the latest development version of Ubuntu, since this confirms the bug is one we may be able to pass upstream for help.