gnome-core: Alt keys not being treated as meta keys

[Debian Bug Importer]

Automatically imported from Debian bug report #257044 http://bugs.debian.org/257044

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:13:16 -0500
From: Brett Smith <email address hidden>
To: Debian Bug Tracking System <email address hidden>
Subject: gnome-core: Alt keys not being treated as meta keys

Package: gnome-core
Version: 55
Severity: normal

I realize that this may not be a problem with gnome-core specifically;
however, I can notice it in several GNOME applications, and nowhere else.
If this bug is somewhere else, and you can point me in the right direction,
I'd very much appreciate it.

With a recent dist-upgrade, some GNOME applications started treating my Alt
keys as regular keys, rather than meta keys.

When I try to set keybindings with gnome-keybinding-properties, I can't set
keybindings with "Alt" in them, because the program treats that key as the
main key of the keybinding. So, if I try to set Control+Alt+d as a
keybinding, I'll get just "Alt_L" or "<Control>Alt_L" instead. The same
thing happens with my right Alt key.

My old keybindings with Alt in them still work, but they have weird side
effects. For example, if I try to move around my workspaces with
Control+Alt+<arrow key>, Metacity will leave the workspace popup open even
after I've released all the keys; it won't go away until I press another
key or click the mouse. Likewise if I Alt+Tab; the window listing will
remain and eat the next input after I let go of the keys.

I realize various program configurations of mine may have something to do
with this; if you can let me know what you need to diagnose this problem,
I'll be happy to provide it. Here's the keyboard section of my
XF86Config-4:

Section "InputDevice"
 Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
 Driver "keyboard"
 Option "CoreKeyboard"
 Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:nocaps"
EndSection

It's mostly a standard US 101-key keyboard; it's a little weird because
it's on a laptop (IBM ThinkPad T21), so things are squished, but I don't
think that would matter here.

I'm not running xmodmap or any other programs I know of that would muck
with my keyboard settings.

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated; thanks in advance.

-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.4.26
Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=C

Versions of packages gnome-core depends on:
ii bug-buddy 2.6.1-3 The GNOME Desktop Environment's bu
ii eog 2.6.1-0.4 Eye of Gnome graphics viewer progr
ii gedit 2.6.1-1 light-weight text editor
ii gnome-applets 2.6.1-7 Various applets for GNOME 2 panel
ii gnome-control-center 1:2.6.1-7 The GNOME Control Center for GNOME
ii gnome-icon-theme 1.2.3-1 GNOME Desktop icon theme
ii gnome-panel 2.6.2-1 Launch and/or dock GNOME 2 applica
ii gnome-session 2.6.1-6 The GNOME 2 Session Manager
ii gnome-terminal 2.6.1-4 The GNOME 2 terminal emulator appl
ii metacity 1:2.8.1-3 A lightweight GTK2 based Window Ma
ii nautilus ...

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <1088620654.349.4.camel@seb128>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 20:37:34 +0200
From: Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden>
To: Brett Smith <email address hidden>, <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#257044: gnome-core: Alt keys not being treated as meta keys

Le mer, 30/06/2004 =E0 13:13 -0500, Brett Smith a =E9crit :

> key or click the mouse. Likewise if I Alt+Tab; the window listing will
> remain and eat the next input after I let go of the keys.

Hi,

This bug is a xlibs bug, it has been reported several times and will be
fixed soon.

Here it is a fix from xfree's maintainer:

"A fix for this problem is available. It comes in the form of a diff
to=20
/etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pc/pc.

To apply this fix:

1) Retrieve the patch from
   <URL: http://redwald.deadbeast.net/tmp/alt_tab_fix.diff > or the
   attachment to this mail.
2) Save the patch someplace. I recommend /tmp.
3) Become root.
4) cd /
5) patch -p0 < /tmp/alt_tab_fix.diff
6) Go back to being a mere mortal user.
7) Restart your X session. Advanced users may simply reload their
   keymap using setxkbmap(1x) with the proper arguments."

Cheers,

Sebastien Bacher

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 20:51:45 +0200
From: "J.H.M. Dassen (Ray)" <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Cc: Brett Smith <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#257044: gnome-core: Alt keys not being treated as meta keys

On Wed, Jun 30, 2004 at 13:13:16 -0500, Brett Smith wrote:
> I realize that this may not be a problem with gnome-core specifically;
> however, I can notice it in several GNOME applications, and nowhere else.
> If this bug is somewhere else, and you can point me in the right direction,
> I'd very much appreciate it.
>
> With a recent dist-upgrade, some GNOME applications started treating my
> Alt keys as regular keys, rather than meta keys.

There is a known issue with modifier keys with xlibs 4.3.0.dfsg.1-5.
http://bugs.debian.org/254973 has details on it, and a workaround. Please
try the workaround to see if it fixes the problems you are experiencing.

HTH,
Ray
--
Frankly, I think anybody's a fool to put (Microsoft operating system
Windows) XP on their computer. It's like installing a continuous, 24-hour
monitor on your mind.
EFF co-founder John Perry Barlow in http://news.com.com/2008-1082-843349.html

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 14:11:20 -0500
From: Brett Smith <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#257044: gnome-core: Alt keys not being treated as meta keys

On Wed, Jun 30, 2004 at 08:51:45PM +0200, J.H.M. Dassen (Ray) wrote:
> There is a known issue with modifier keys with xlibs 4.3.0.dfsg.1-5.
> http://bugs.debian.org/254973 has details on it, and a workaround. Please
> try the workaround to see if it fixes the problems you are experiencing.

This fix did the trick; thanks again to both of you for your help. I don't
know if you want to merge this bug into the others on xlibs, or resolve it,
or what, but as far as I'm concerned it's dealt with.

--
-- Brett Smith

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <1088624011.349.18.camel@seb128>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 21:33:31 +0200
From: Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden>
To: Brett Smith <email address hidden>, <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#257044: gnome-core: Alt keys not being treated as meta keys

Le mer, 30/06/2004 =E0 14:11 -0500, Brett Smith a =E9crit :

> This fix did the trick; thanks again to both of you for your help. I don=
't
> know if you want to merge this bug into the others on xlibs, or resolve i=
t,
> or what, but as far as I'm concerned it's dealt with.

No problem. FYI I've already merged the bug.

Cheers,

Sebastien Bacher

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 21:49:42 +0200
From: "J.H.M. Dassen (Ray)" <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#257044: gnome-core: Alt keys not being treated as meta keys

reassign 257044 xlibs
severity 257044 serious
tags 257044 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
merge 257044 254973
thanks

On Wed, Jun 30, 2004 at 14:11:20 -0500, Brett Smith wrote:
> This fix did the trick
--
Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?
I think so Brain, but there's still a bug in there from last time.
 Pinky and the Brain in "Das Mouse"

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

testing bugzilla.Session.mark_duplicate

This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 6874.

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2004 19:12:58 +0200
From: "J.H.M. Dassen (Ray)" <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Cc: Dave Rolsky <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#257305: metacity: Alt-Tab brings up popup, but won't switch to other apps

reassign 257305 xlibs
severity 257305 serious
tags 257305 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
merge 257305 254973
thanks

On Fri, Jul 02, 2004 at 11:52:12 -0500, Dave Rolsky wrote:
> I'm not sure whether or not this is a metaicty problem,

It isn't. See the log of #254973 for details and a workaround.

Ray
--
RUMOUR Believe all you hear. Your world may not be a better one than the one
the blocks live in but it'll be a sight more vivid.
    - The Hipcrime Vocab by Chad C. Mulligan

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <1088795871.2362.65.camel@seb128>
Date: Fri, 02 Jul 2004 21:17:51 +0200
From: Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: dup for xlibs problem ...

tag 257305 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
severity 257305 serious
reassign 257305 xlibs
merge 257305 254973
thanks

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <1088871899.25626.17.camel@seb128>
Date: Sat, 03 Jul 2004 18:24:59 +0200
From: Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden>
To: Benjamin Schweizer <email address hidden>, <email address hidden>,
 <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#257454: gnome-core: splash screens + desktop switcher
 stays on top

clone 257454 -1
reassign 257454 xlibs
severity 257454 serious
tag 257454 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
retitle 257454 desktop switcher stays on top
merge 257454 254973
reassign -1 gnome-session
severity -1 normal
retitle -1 splash screen doesn't dissapear
merge -1 253729=20
thanks

Le sam, 03/07/2004 =E0 17:46 +0200, Benjamin Schweizer a =E9crit :

> The Gnome startup splash screen

That's already reported:
http://bugs.debian.org/253729

> That means that I can not switch tasks by pressing [alt]+[tab] or desktop=
s by [ctrl]+[alt]+[arrow-keys].

This bug is a xlibs bug, it has been reported several times and will be
fixed soon.

Here it is a fix from xfree's maintainer:

"A fix for this problem is available. It comes in the form of a diff
to=20
/etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pc/pc.

To apply this fix:

1) Retrieve the patch from
   <URL: http://redwald.deadbeast.net/tmp/alt_tab_fix.diff > or the
   attachment to this mail.
2) Save the patch someplace. I recommend /tmp.
3) Become root.
4) cd /
5) patch -p0 < /tmp/alt_tab_fix.diff
6) Go back to being a mere mortal user.
7) Restart your X session. Advanced users may simply reload their
   keymap using setxkbmap(1x) with the proper arguments."

Cheers,

Sebastien Bacher

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <1088890301.25626.23.camel@seb128>
Date: Sat, 03 Jul 2004 23:31:40 +0200
From: Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: dup for xlibs problem ...

tag 257498 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
severity 257498 serious
reassign 257498 xlibs
merge 257498 254973
thanks

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <email address hidden>
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 13:23:49 +0200
From: Tore Anderson <email address hidden>
To: John M Flinchbaugh <email address hidden>,
 <email address hidden>
Cc: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#257294: desktop switcher stays visible

severity 257294 serious
reassign 257294 xlibs
merge 257294 254973
quit

* John M Flinchbaugh

 > for a couple weeks now in gnome with openbox, the openbox's desktop
 > switcher display that pops up when switching desktops
 > (ctrl-alt-arrow keys) gets stuck in the foreground and won't go away
 > until another key is pressed (usually ctrl). this locks out mouse
 > activity until i get it to go away.
 >
 [...]
 >
 > since different wm's started doing it, i guess it could be an x
 > thing, but i'm not sure to start, so i'm starting with openbox.
 > thanks.

  You're quite right; the problem is indeed XFree86's. It has already
 been reported quite some times, and an updated release are pending
 upload. I just merged your bug report with these (with the nonsense
 commands near the top of this email - just ignore them), so you will
 probably receive an email when the fixed package is uploaded.

  In the interim, you may downgrade the "xlibs" package to the version
 found in "testing" (4.3.0.dfsg.1-4), and it should be all back to
 normal.

Regards,
--
Tore Anderson

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Wed, 7 Jul 2004 08:30:14 +0200
From: "J.H.M. Dassen (Ray)" <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Cc: Javier Kohen <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#258003: metacity: Alt-tab switches window but doesn't give focus

reassign 258003 xlibs
severity 258003 serious
tags 258003 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
merge 258003 254973
thanks

On Wed, Jul 07, 2004 at 01:12:10 -0300, Javier Kohen wrote:
> Since a recent upgrade (to XFree86 4.3.0.dfsg.1-5, I think) alt-tab stopped

Not a metacity issue; reported plenty of times already; known workarounds in
the BTS.
--
Brought to you by Microsoft .NOT technology: just say No.

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <1089188504.2409.11.camel@seb128>
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 10:21:44 +0200
From: Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: dup for xlibs problem ...

tag 258003 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
severity 258003 serious
reassign 258003 xlibs
merge 258003 254973
thanks

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Wed, 7 Jul 2004 14:29:37 +0200
From: "J.H.M. Dassen (Ray)" <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Cc: Benoit Plessis <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#258054: metacity: Cycle window does not work anymore.

reassign 258054 xlibs
severity 258054 serious
tags 258054 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
merge 258054 254973
thanks

On Wed, Jul 07, 2004 at 13:50:53 +0200, Benoit Plessis wrote:
> It seem metacity doesn't record the release event for the Alt key, this
> render the Alt-Tab ineffective

Yadda, yadda, yadda.
--
Frankly, I think anybody's a fool to put (Microsoft operating system
Windows) XP on their computer. It's like installing a continuous, 24-hour
monitor on your mind.
EFF co-founder John Perry Barlow in http://news.com.com/2008-1082-843349.html

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <1089204975.2409.78.camel@seb128>
Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 14:56:15 +0200
From: Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: dup for xlibs problem ...

tag 258054 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
severity 258054 serious
reassign 258054 xlibs
merge 258054 254973
thanks

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Wed, 7 Jul 2004 08:38:18 -0500
From: Branden Robinson <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>, <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#254923: xserver-xfree86: [keyboard] alt key not working when starting from display
 manager

--KIzF6Cje4W/osXrF
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
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reassign 254923 xlibs
severity 254923 serious
merge 258054 254923
thanks

On Thu, Jun 17, 2004 at 08:56:44PM +0200, txemi wrote:
> Package: xserver-xfree86
> Version: 4.3.0.dfsg.1-4
> Severity: important
>=20
> alt key does not work when I start X from display manager.

This is a duplicate of many other bugs.

A workaround for the problem is documented in the logs of most or all of
them.

The bug is in xlibs (XKB data), not the XFree86 X server or its keyboard
driver.

We expect the bug to be fixed in the next release.

Bug#258054: metacity: Cycle window does not work anymore.
Bug#254973: metacity: Alt-Tab doesn't works
Bug#255063: capplets: Problem with keyboard shortcuts containing <Alt>
Bug#255192: Alt-Tab switching broken in dfsg.1-5
Bug#255216: kwin: alt+tab does not work shen tab is released first
Bug#255332: kde: hangs when switching windows with alt+tab
Bug#255778: metacity: Desktop list doesn't disappear after switching deskto=
ps with <ctrl><alt>arrow
Bug#256192: xlibs: Alt_L is seen like a normal key instead a modifier [it]
Bug#256594: metacity: alt-tab doesn't change focus on release
Bug#256596: metacity: <Alt>Tab does not switch windows, other keybindings d=
oes
Bug#256706: Win-Tab switching broken in dfsg.1-5
Bug#256875: metacity: Alt-Tab fails to actually change windows
Bug#256939: metacity: alt+tab does not work
Bug#257044: gnome-core: Alt keys not being treated as meta keys
Bug#257294: desktop switcher stays visible
Bug#257305: metacity: Alt-Tab brings up popup, but won't switch to other ap=
ps
Bug#257454: desktop switcher stays on top
Bug#257498: capplets: Alt-Tab no longer working properly (Alt "sticking"?)
Bug#258003: metacity: Alt-tab switches window but doesn't give focus

--=20
G. Branden Robinson | Somebody once asked me if I thought
Debian GNU/Linux | sex was dirty. I said, "It is if
<email address hidden> | you're doing it right."
http://people.debian.org/~branden/ | -- Woody Allen

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[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2004 14:01:27 +0200 (CEST)
From: Fabio Massimo Di Nitto <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Unmerging and untagging

unmerge 256706
tag 256706 -pending
stop

--
<user> fajita: step one
<fajita> Whatever the problem, step one is always to look in the error log.
<user> fajita: step two
<fajita> When in danger or in doubt, step two is to scream and shout.

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <1089289915.2416.71.camel@seb128>
Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 14:31:54 +0200
From: Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: dup for xlibs problem ...

tag 258231 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
severity 258231 serious
reassign 258231 xlibs
merge 258231 254973
thanks

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2004 15:09:26 +0200
From: "J.H.M. Dassen (Ray)" <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Cc: Russell Howe <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#258231: Window switching keys don't seem to actually switch windows

reassign 258231 xlibs
severity 258231 serious
tags 258231 + fixed-upstream patch pending sid upstream
merge 258231 254923
thanks

On Thu, Jul 08, 2004 at 12:34:55 +0100, Russell Howe wrote:
> I have alt+tab set

Yadda, yadda, yadda.
--
Gartner Group ?!? Never heard of them. What did they do in computing
except manage to put on their tie without accidentaly killing themselves ?!?
 Mark Veltzer explains the value of industry analysts in
 http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2001-06-21-006-21-NW-EL-MR

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-Id: <20040708185736.A9A4168C047@localhost>
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2004 13:57:36 -0500
From: Branden Robinson <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: tagging 254923

# Automatically generated email from bts, devscripts version 2.7.95.1
 # RAAAHHR!! WHAT **IDIOT** TAGGED THIS EXPERIMENTAL? THERE ARE NO XFREE86 PACKAGES IN EXPERIMENTAL, MORON!
tags 254923 - experimental

[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2004 15:52:27 -0500
From: Branden Robinson <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>, <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#255467: FocusOut event instead KeyRelease

--LvqQYVlCa9hUs6nS
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reassign 255467 xlibs
severity 255467 serious
close 255467
merge 255467 254973
thanks

On Mon, Jun 21, 2004 at 10:50:04AM +0300, Mait Vares wrote:
> Package: xfree86-common
> Version: 4.3.0.dfsg.1-5
> Severity: normal
> Tags: sid
> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.6+20040523i
>=20
> 4.3.0.dfsg.1-5 has annoying bug, FocusOut event happens instead
> KeyRelease. I'm using wmaker, defined shortcut alt-tab (or meta4-tab,
> doesn't matter what metakey) to 'focus next window'. but since
> 4.3.0.dfsg.1-5 (4.3.0.dfsg.1-4 works fine, just did downgrade) it acts
> this way (according xev):

Hello,

We think your bug is the same as #254973, #255063, #255192, #255216,
#255332, #255778, #256192, #256594, #256596, #256875, #256939, #257044,
#257294, #257305, #257454, #257498, #258003, #258054, and #258231.

Please consult the logs of any of those bugs for more information.

--=20
G. Branden Robinson | Judging developers by the number of
Debian GNU/Linux | changes they make is like judging a
<email address hidden> | legislature by the number of laws
http://people.debian.org/~branden/ | it passes. -- Karl Fogel

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[Debian Bug Importer (debzilla)]

Message-ID: <email address hidden>
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 09:11:29 +0200
From: "J.H.M. Dassen (Ray)" <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Cc: Nathan Hurst <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: Bug#258349: metacity: Changing workspaces with keys still requires a mouse click.

close 258349
merge 258349 254923
thanks

See the logs of the earlier reports for details.
--
Gartner Group ?!? Never heard of them. What did they do in computing
except manage to put on their tie without accidentaly killing themselves ?!?
 Mark Veltzer explains the value of industry analysts in
 http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2001-06-21-006-21-NW-EL-MR