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Linux → Set up a Super Key on an IBM Laptop for use in CrunchBang Linux

7 Comments

August 31st, 2009 by iceflatline

I recently started using CrunchBang linux on my IBM T43 laptop. I really like CrunchBang and highly recommend it for those looking for a minimalistic, lightweight alternative to Ubuntu, especially on older machines. However, by default, it, or more accurately, its window manager Openbox, makes heavy use of the keyboard “Super” key (also called the “Windows” key) to open many of the most used applications. For example, Super+t opens the default terminal emulator, Super+w opens the default browser, etc. Now normally this would not be a problem, unless of course you own an IBM T43 laptop, in which case you have no windows key. Sure I could go through the hassle of changing all those key assignment in Openbox to something else, say Alt+w, but then both Alt keys would be dedicated to the task. I also wanted to mimic the same key behavior I currently use in Windows. In Windows I assigned my right Alt key as the “Windows” key. Here’s what worked for me in CrunchBox.

First I created the file .Xmodmap so I could add my own key map changes. The standard location for .Xmodmap is your home directory and it (and any key map changes contained therein) should load automatically at start up.

touch ~/.Xmodmap

Then I opened the file and added the following lines:

remove mod1 = Super_R
remove mod1 = Alt_R
keycode 108 = Super_R
add mod4 = Super_R

Rebooted and now have a working right Alt key acting as the Super key.

References:

http://cweiske.de/howto/xmodmap/allinone.html

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7 Responses to “Set up a Super Key on an IBM Laptop for use in CrunchBang Linux”

  1. ted Says:
    January 6th, 2010 at 3:36 am

    Thank you for the quick and easy instructions! Worked for me on an IBM Thinkpad T41. BTW I didn’t need to reboot, just log out and log back in.

  2. iceflatline Says:
    January 7th, 2010 at 1:17 pm

    Thanks ted, glad it worked for you on the T41. Sadly, since I wrote that post, my T43 finally gave up (backlight issue) after a long and productive life. I’ll really miss that laptop but I’ve replaced it with a Lenovo x301 which … ta da … finally features a “Windows” key!

  3. Gary Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    Hey, Thanks much for the tip on the super-key remapping. Worked 100% on my old T40.

  4. iceflatline Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 8:45 am

    Gary, excellent! Glad it worked for you.

  5. Alastair Says:
    August 20th, 2010 at 7:03 am

    Doesn’t seem to work on a T23

  6. Alastair Says:
    August 20th, 2010 at 7:24 am

    Alt_R wasn’t defined.

    I don’t know whether this is due to my hardware, or because of a different version of crunchbang.
    In any case, here is the solution
    I needed to remove ‘ISO_Level3_Shift’ which was assigned to AltGr

    I used the following ~/.Xmodmap to get it to work

    remove mod1 = Super_R
    remove mod1 = ISO_Level3_Shift
    keycode 108 = Super_R
    add mod4 = Super_R

    Hope this helps someone

  7. iceflatline Says:
    August 20th, 2010 at 9:40 am

    Alastair, glad you got it working! Thanks much for contributing.

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