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Help and Support => Archives => wattOS R10 => Topic started by: bushyiii on January 10, 2017, 05:15:39 PM
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I have a old IBM Thinkpad, T43. I tried using the Live CD of MicroWatt R10 but was challenged once I had a desktop. The problem is it does not have a WINDOWS key and trying to find the definition of the "MOD" key using google has been fruitless so far. Any help is appreciated
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Hi bushyiii. :)
Well I do know that on Windows it is Ctrl+Esc. But this is not Windows, so are there any key combinations that work for you? Or do you have to set up your own key map from the ground?
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I tried every Key combination I could think of but nothing worked. I have never setup a Key Map and since I cannot access the terminal or anything else I don't know where to begin. I'm currently hunting around Reddit as there is a subgroup for i3, maybe I will get lucky.
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Have you checked here?
http://planetwatt.com/newforum/index.php?topic=965.0
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Yes, that's how I discovered that Reddit has a forum for the i3 WM. Haven't found anything yet that addresses my issue.
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Here neither?
https://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html#_default_keybindings
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Maybe I am missing something, I previously looked at that page, it shows the keyboard layout for a typical WINDOW keyboard. The keys to the left of my Spacebar are Fn, Ctrl & Alt. None of which function as the Mod key when I try the Keyboard combinations that are displayed on the Desktop of Microwatt R10.
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Weird. I am not an i3 user so... ;D
Could it be something wrong with the live cd? Can you set your preferred keymap in a terminal, or during the boot? In case there are some crazy keymap in use, and not your own. What keyboard layout do you have on your machine?
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Impossible to do anything in the Terminal as it requires a Mod Key combination just to open the Terminal. If I did it correctly there should be a jpg of my keyboard layout.
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Can you boot into the live cd in recovery mode? Or try Ctrl+Alt F2 to get into a tty? Should not work if I have understood you right. Do you have the possibility to test it on another machine? Burn a new cd? Download the iso again and start from scratch? I really am very ??? now bushyiii. :)
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Can you boot into the live cd in recovery mode? No
Or try Ctrl+Alt F2 to get into a tty? No
Do you have the possibility to test it on another machine? Not relevant, other machine has a WINDOWS keyboard but I will try it to ensure the functions work as described..
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Microwatt works perfectly when using a standard keyboard that has a WINDOWS key.
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Ok bushyiii, thanks for getting back with the additional info. I do not have any more ideas to bring to the table. There are evidently some kind of information that will solve your problem, but where?
My best suggestion now is to try the i3 IRC channel. Link below. Wish you all possible luck further on solving this problem. Please post solution if you find out, I am intrigued! :)
https://i3wm.org/contact/
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This is vague recollection, since you don't seem to be making any usable progress.
Biff made a video for the first i3wm microwatt. Updated it, I think, for R10. I'm pretty sure that he covers - later stages, perhaps - the fact that config is all in an editable text file. I do realise that you want to allocate the MOD key itself given that none of the existing key functions that way, as opposed to binding mod+key combinations. I say start with the video.
Depending on your typing habits, consider a right-ctrl key as mod .
Good luck - after this amount of effort you deserve it.
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Have you tested how wattOS LXDE behaves on your T43? Or something else, just to check that the keyboard actually works as it should.
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I have been using WATT R9 for several months on the same T43 without any issue. The laptop and its keyboard function as designed, there is no problem with the keyboard.
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Ok. Can you burn wattOS R10 LXDE to a cd and see if that works? Maybe even install it, and add i3 yourself with apt, just too see what happens.
You could also try with the forums dedicated to Thinkpads and Lenovo support forums.
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I thought I had replied to your post before but strangely I don't see it. I have been using WATTOS R9 on the Thinkpad T43 for months, it works well, there is no problem with the keyboard using that OS. It seems apparent the develpers hard coded the Mod keys expecting everyone to have a more typical keyboard, i.e one with a WINDOWS key and apparently didn't make a provision for someone using an older, pre-Microsoft keyboard.
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Ooops, thinking in circles now. ;D Personally I would try with what I suggested earlier. Install something that works, and add i3 manually and see what happens. :)
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One small piece of additional information. During the google session yesterday, in a couple of threads, the problem were that xorg, sort of stole the i3 config during boot up. Which lead to a desktop that not functioned. I do not remember the solution now, at that moment it seemed as it not fitted this particular problem so I discarded it. I think it were at askubuntu, but I am not sure. Guess a google will reveal that if there is interest to investigate further. :)
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Hi folks the i3WM docs have good info on key mods
http://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html#_default_keybindings
Also if you want to edit the config file, its plain text in your home directory in the .config folder /home/yourname/.config/i3/config
As others have mentioned if you are really stuck you can go to another terminal (ctrl-alt-f2)and edit within your terminal text editor of choice (nano, vim, etc) - if your in the stock file manager with a gui (PCMANFM) then hit Ctrl-H to reveal the hidden folders to see the "dot files" navigate to the folder and edit in leafpad.....save then when done ctrl-H again to hide them if you dont want the clutter.
The top of that plain text config has an entry of set $mod Mod4 (which is the windows key)- change that to Mod1 and then save and restart i3, and you will have the alt key working as your modifier.
You can also change it to other keys, but thats beyond this post at this point.
As an aside, if you really want to play, you can delete (or I recommend rename) the config file, then restart i3, and "wizard" will come up to allow you to select your mod key, but you lose all the other customizations for apps, browser, etc. that are baked in wattOS.
Have fun....biff
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I had the same problem. The configuration assumes you have a Windows key, but my Thinkpad X40 doesn't. I tried all kinds of things but then remembered I had a USB keyboard with a Windows key in a drawer for just such occasions. I'm installing using the external keyboard and once finished, I'll change the config to use the Alt key instead of the Windows key! I discovered this when I installed i3 on Bodhi Linux and the first time I ran it, it gave me the choice between Win and Alt keys. Microwatt comes preconfigured is all.
I hope this helps someone else with an ancient laptop to use Microwatt!