4.3BSD-UWisc/man/cat1/keycomp.1
KEYCOMP(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual KEYCOMP(1)
NAME
keycomp - X window system keyboard mapping file compiler
SYNOPSIS
keycomp < input_file > output_file
DESCRIPTION
Programs that use the X window system, such as _x_t_e_r_m(_1),
need some way to translate the user's key strokes into char-
acter strings. Such programs look up this keyboard-to-
character string mapping in a binary keymap file by calling
the library routine _X_L_o_o_k_u_p_M_a_p_p_i_n_g. Initially, this routine
looks for the file ._X_k_e_y_m_a_p in the user's home directory; if
this file doesn't exist, uses a built in table.
The compiled file format produced by _k_e_y_c_o_m_p should be port-
able across machine architectures.
The _k_e_y_c_o_m_p program (an abbreviation for ``keymap com-
piler'') reads in a textual description of this mapping and
produces a binary keymap file on its standard output.
Each key may have up to 16 different bindings, depending on
what combinations of the Shift, Lock, Control, and Meta keys
are depressed. For instance, in a conventional QWERTY key-
board mapping, pressing the ``A'' key produces a capital
``A'' when the Shift or Lock key is down, an octal 001 when
the Control key is down, and a small ``a'' when no other key
is down.
The input file to _k_e_y_c_o_m_p consists of one or more lines.
Each line begins with an octal or decimal number designating
an X keyboard code. After the key code, the line should
contain either 1 or 16 items, each representing the binding
for a particular combination of the Control, Meta, Shift,
and Lock keys. The items should be separated by white
space; the format of the items is described later. The
bindings should be in this order:
#1 ``unshifted'': none of Shift, Lock, Control, or Meta
keys down
#2 Lock key down
#3 Shift key down
#4 Shift and Lock keys down
#5 Meta key down
#6 Meta and Lock keys down
#7 Meta and Shift keys down
#8 Meta, Shift, and Lock keys down
#9 Control key down
#10 Control and Lock keys down
#11 Control and Shift keys down
#12 Control, Shift, and Lock keys down
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KEYCOMP(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual KEYCOMP(1)
#13 Control and Meta keys down
#14 Control, Meta, and Lock keys down
#15 Control, Meta, and Shift keys down
#16 Control, Meta, Shift, and Lock keys down
If only one item is present on the line, then it represents
the binding for this key regardless of the positions of the
Control, Meta, Shift, and Lock keys.
Each item should be one of the following:
An octal or decimal number, indicating a character code
A C character literal, surrounded by single quotes.
Escape sequences (such as `0 or `252') are allowed, as
described in the C Reference Manual.
A C string literal, surrounded by double quotes. Again,
standard C escape sequences are allowed within the string.
The letter U, indicating ``no binding''. If there is no
binding, then XLookupMapping will return an empty string for
this key combination.
A comma may, but need not, follow each item. Whether or not
a comma is present, white space (spaces or tabs) must
separate the items. All text to the right of the 16th item
is ignored; comments may appear here.
Completely blank lines are ignored, as are lines beginning
with the '#' character. Furthermore, all text between a `#'
character and the following newline is ignored, provided
that the `#' is not part of a string enclosed in single or
double quotes. This allows you to place comments at the end
of a line that contains only a single item.
You can look at the file <_X/_X_k_e_y_b_o_a_r_d._h> for a list of key
codes and key names of function keys.
FILES
$HOME/.Xkeymap, /usr/lib/Xkeymap.txt, <X/Xkeyboard.h>
SEE ALSO
X(1), xterm(1)
DIAGNOSTICS
``Couldn't fseek output file''
The standard output must be a file, not a pipe or a termi-
nal.
``Error writing beginning of output file''
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KEYCOMP(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual KEYCOMP(1)
``Error writing extension to output file''
_k_e_y_c_o_m_p couldn't write the output file. Maybe the file sys-
tem is out of space.
``Parse error at item <number> on line <number>:
<message>''
The source file has a syntax error. Possible <message>s
include:
``Line doesn't begin with key''
The first few characters in the line, which should be a key
number, were not recognizable as an octal or decimal number.
``Keycode is too big''
The key at the beginning of the line was greater than 0377
(octal).
``Line doesn't have 1 or 16 entries''
After the key, more than one but less than 16 items were
found. Or no items were found at all.
``Number after backslash is too big for a character con-
stant''
In a character constant of the form `0n', the octal number
was greater than 377 (octal).
``Closing single quote not found''
A single quote (') was encountered, but the end of the line
was reached before finding the matching closing single
quote.
``String is too long''
More than 80 characters are not allowed between double
quotes.
``Closing double quote not found''
A double quote (") was encountered, but the end of the line
was reached before finding the matching closing double
quote.
``Too many characters for single character constant''
Too many characters appear between single quotes. If you
want to bind a key to a multiple-character sequence, use
double quotes.
``Not a U, number, single- or double-quoted string''
_k_e_y_c_o_m_p can't parse this item; it is neither the letter U,
nor an octal or decimal number, nor a string enclosed in
single or double quotes.
AUTHOR
Ron Newman, MIT Project Athena
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KEYCOMP(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual KEYCOMP(1)
Copyright 1985, 1986, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
See _X(_1) for a full copyright notice.
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