Umm... My Super Key Just Stopped Working...

[SendDerek]

Yeah, so my super key just stopped working. You know, the one with the blasphemous windows logo on it? Or at least I'm positive that it just stopped working.

Before, I was able to use it to use the "Switch Shifter" plugin in compiz fusion (Super+Tab), but now the tab key just works on it's own. I tested several different "Super+____" shortcuts, but they didn't work either.

Any ideas? This is sort of a strange thing happenin' here.

[LinuxManMikeC]

Check your compiz settings? Maybe it got reset by an update or something. Or maybe your computer just doesn't like you using those sorts of vulgar keystrokes on it.

[SendDerek]

Everything looks fine and dandy in the settings manager. Could it be a problem with gnome or xorg.conf? In the meantime, I'll try to stick away from any vulgarity.

[scottro]

I think it's a Linux thing, or xorg thing. I don't recollect it happening to me in the BSDs, but I could be wrong about that.

I've found the easiest thing to do is create a $HOME/.xmodmaprc file

keycode 115 = Super_L
add Mod4 = Super_L

Then

xmodmap ~/.xmodmaprc

This usually fixes it for me. Note that I've found this necessary even when typing
xmodmap

shows me that Super_L is mapped to Mod4. As the fix is so easy, I've not researched it further. It has happened to me, however, in several different distributions of Linux with various window managers.

[SendDerek]

Well, thanks for the tip! I appreciate that.

Not that I'm against a "bandaid" solution (I'm going to use that tip anyways), but what's going on here (output of xmodmap)?

xmodmap:  up to 3 keys per modifier, (keycodes in parentheses):

shift       Shift_L (0x32),  Shift_R (0x3e)
lock        Caps_Lock (0x42)
control     Control_L (0x25),  Control_R (0x6d)
mod1        Alt_L (0x40),  Alt_R (0x71),  Meta_L (0x9c)
mod2        Num_Lock (0x4d)
mod3      
mod4        Super_L (0x7f),  Hyper_L (0x80)
mod5        Mode_switch (0x5d),  ISO_Level3_Shift (0x7c)

Doesn't everything seem to be in order to you?

[SendDerek]

Actually, just running the command "xmodmap" seemed to work!

I was playing around in my "services" preferences earlier... I wonder if I mistakenly took it off of the startup list?

At any rate, I think the solution has been found! Thanks again for your help guys!

EDIT:
I just tried to log out and log back in again, and it stopped working again! Strange!!

I typed in xmodmap just like before, and it didn't work this time around... I guess something else happened? I'll keep ya posted.

[SendDerek]

Okay... so I think I found out a little more.

While noticing that "mod4's" keycode was "Super_L (0x7f)" or in decimal value of Super_L(715), I also noticed that when running the "xev" command, my super key is actually showing up as "Super_L(115)". So, right now, I'm trying to figure out a way to edit it without having to create that separate file...

[SendDerek]

Okay, well, I used scottro's hint, and so far so good. Thanks for the tip again!

[scottro]

As I said, even if xmodmap is showing the correct settings (and yes, the Super_L key is 115 on most 104 and 105 keyboards) it seems to sporadically quit working.

This isn't limited to Fedora or Gnome (or KDE). I've run into it on several distributions, usually using fluxbox. If it happens more than once, I put in a fluxbox combo key shortcut to run the xmodap ~/.xmodmaprc that doesn't require the mod4 key, like ctl+mod1 x. (Mod1 is the alt key.)

It's probably some obscure Linux input-xf86-keyboard problem, but it doesn't bother me enough to file a bug report, especially as it's not always reproducible.

[Perpetual]

scottro, thanks for this. Helped me out.

[scottro]

Glad it was useful. Thanks for the thank you.

[alexandria]

can someone help me..
where to create and how to create file below.. (like scottro said)

i've found the easiest thing to do is create a $HOME/.xmodmaprc file

keycode 115 = Super_L
add Mod4 = Super_L

Then

xmodmap ~/.xmodmaprc

and what to be add to that file..

[Perpetual]

can someone help me..
where to create and how to create file below.. (like scottro said)


and what to be add to that file..

Open a terminal as a user, not root and enter

gedit .xmodmaprc

This will open a text editor. In the text document enter

keycode 115 = Super_L
add Mod4 = Super_L

Save the document.

Then back in the terminal enter

xmodmap ~/.xmodmaprc

The next time you boot your computer you will have a small window that asks what modmap you want to load. click the one listed and click add. Nothing more to do after that.

[alexandria]

thanks..it was so helpful