Support logical modifier keys

[nullbyto]

Hello,

I'm trying to map capslock + ijkl keys to arrow keys and extra: o -> end, u -> home, p -> pageup, ; -> pagedown.
The mapping should be compatible with (shift, alt, ctrl, shift+ctrl and shift+alt) + Arrow for editing in vscode for example.

What i tried:

• Mapping capslock to hyper(super) but on KDE Plasma super(which is the win key) opens app menu.
• Using capslock as Alt_R as a workaround but i use it for my (EurKey) layout to use üöäß, therefore Alt_R wont work for me.

In xmodmap i used to use mode_switch which works fine with win key:

clear Lock
keycode 66 = Mode_switch
keysym h = h H Left
keysym l = l L Right
keysym k = k K Up
keysym j = j J Down

Is there maybe an extra layer of modifier i didn't find? Any suggestions on how i can do it?
This is a common used mapping navigation. Would appreciate anyones help. :)

Extra: xremap ❤ Rust

[k0kubun]

Using capslock as Alt_R as a workaround but i use it for my (EurKey) layout to use üöäß, therefore Alt_R wont work for me.

One workaround that seems already possible is:

modmap:
  CapsLock: Alt_R
  Alt_R: Alt_L
keymap:
  Alt_R-i: Up
  Alt_R-j: Left
  Alt_R-k: Down
  Alt_R-l: Right
  Alt_R-o: End
  Alt_R-u: Home
  Alt_R-p: PageUp
  Alt_R-Semicolon: PageDown

where physical Alt_R and Alt_L are used as actual Alt as Alt_L and virtual Alt_R is used as an extra modifier.

If the above workaround works for you, please do. However, I understand that it's just a workaround and it makes configuration hard. As somebody else also mentioned the necessity of a virtual modifier when he tried xremap, I plan to have an official implementation for it in the future. But I have an in-progress development for another OSS and I'd like to work on the feature after it. So I need you to use a workaround for now.

[nullbyto]

Firstly thank you for your good work. :)
No problem i hope to see that be added in the future.

As for that workaround it remaps my Alt_R which i use for pressing Alt_R + a = ä for example, so it doesn't work for me that well.

I ended up with the best workaround so far if someone needs that (i had to disable win(super) key to open application menu in KDE Plasma [like this] to use caps lock as super):

modmap:
  - name: Global
    remap:
      CapsLock:
        alone: Esc
        held: Super_L

keymap:
  - name: Global
    remap:
      # ijkl -> Arrow keys
      Super_L-I: Up
      Super_L-J: Left
      Super_L-K: Down
      Super_L-L: Right

      Shift-Super_L-I: Shift-Up
      Shift-Super_L-J: Shift-Left
      Shift-Super_L-K: Shift-Down
      Shift-Super_L-L: Shift-Right

      Alt_L-Super_L-I: Alt_L-Up
      Alt_L-Super_L-J: Alt_L-Left
      Alt_L-Super_L-K: Alt_L-Down
      Alt_L-Super_L-L: Alt_L-Right

      Shift-Alt_L-Super_L-I: Shift-Alt_L-Up
      Shift-Alt_L-Super_L-J: Shift-Alt_L-Left
      Shift-Alt_L-Super_L-K: Shift-Alt_L-Down
      Shift-Alt_L-Super_L-L: Shift-Alt_L-Right
      
      Ctrl-Super_L-I: Ctrl-Up
      Ctrl-Super_L-J: Ctrl-Left
      Ctrl-Super_L-K: Ctrl-Down
      Ctrl-Super_L-L: Ctrl-Right

      Shift-Ctrl-Super_L-I: Shift-Ctrl-Up
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_L-J: Shift-Ctrl-Left
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_L-K: Shift-Ctrl-Down
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_L-L: Shift-Ctrl-Right

      ##########################################

      # uop; -> Home End PageUp PageDown
      Super_L-U: Home
      Super_L-O: End
      Super_L-P: PageUp
      Super_L-SEMICOLON: PageDown

      Shift-Super_L-U: Shift-Home
      Shift-Super_L-O: Shift-End
      Shift-Super_L-P: Shift-PageUp
      Shift-Super_L-SEMICOLON: Shift-PageDown

      Ctrl-Super_L-U: Ctrl-Home
      Ctrl-Super_L-O: Ctrl-End
      Ctrl-Super_L-P: Ctrl-PageUp
      Ctrl-Super_L-SEMICOLON: Ctrl-PageDown

      Shift-Ctrl-Super_L-U: Shift-Ctrl-Home
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_L-O: Shift-Ctrl-End
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_L-P: Shift-Ctrl-PageUp
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_L-SEMICOLON: Shift-Ctrl-PageDown

As you see i had to add all the necessary extra modifiers for editing, since without them if i shift+capslock+i it just acts as shift+i.
Isn't it possible to just write this for example:

Super_L-I: Up
Super_L-J: Left
Super_L-K: Down
Super_L-L: Right

without the need to add all the clutter modifiers?

Another last question: is it possible in modmap to remap a key to multiple keys? for example:

modmap:
  remap:
    Super_L: Alt_R-F1 # <<<<<<<

which will then act as a macro maybe. It would be a good feature to add a macro kindof system.

[k0kubun]

As for that workaround it remaps my Alt_R which i use for pressing Alt_R + a = ä for example, so it doesn't work for me that well.

What's your expected behavior for that case? Just output a, or nothing?

Another last question: is it possible in modmap to remap a key to multiple keys?

Sending a key combination is for keymap, and remapping a modifier key alone is supported only by modmap. I can also work on supporting it later, but what you could do for now would be to pick a key you don't use/have (e.g. KEY_MUHENKAN) and do something like:

modmap:
  - remap:
      Super_L: Muhenkan
keymap:
  - remap:
      Muhenkan: Alt-F1

[nullbyto]

What's your expected behavior for that case? Just output a, or nothing?

In the workaround you gave me i can access the german layer only with capslock since its bound to Alt_R and the actual right Alt key is bound to Alt_L. The problem with binding capslock to Alt_R is that with that specific layout i need u and o keys for ü, ö resp. with the combination with Alt_R. And i need them as well for Home and End. So at the end i need Alt_R and another extra modifier layer to achieve that. But for now i think i can live with my last solution i found using super until an extra layer gets added.

modmap:
  - remap:
      Super_L: Muhenkan
keymap:
  - remap:
      Muhenkan: Alt-F1

Great that works!
Thank you for your help.

[k0kubun]

The problem with binding capslock to Alt_R is that with that specific layout i need u and o keys for ü, ö resp. with the combination with Alt_R.

I read your explanation, but it feels inexhaustive and I didn't get why my suggestion doesn't work for you. Can you just describe expected input and output key combinations? For example,

• input: CapsLock+u, output: Home
• input: Alt_R+u, output: Alt_L+u
• input: Alt_L+u, output: Alt_L+u

I believe #124 (comment) works like the above, so you can still output ü using actual Alt_R or Alt_L as if nothing happened to Alt and CapsLock works like an extra modifier.

[nullbyto]

Sorry for my bad explaination.
So what i exactly need is:
Input -> output:

• CapsLock+u -> Home
• CapsLock+o -> End
• CapsLock+p -> PageUp
• CapsLock+; -> PageDown
• CapsLock+i,j,k,l -> up,left,down,right

For better clarification the (EurKey) layout provides the european letters using the (Alt_Gr)Alt_R+[letter]. Better shown how it works in this picture from the website:

I need to be able to:
Input -> output:

• Alt_R+a -> Alt_R+a (ä)
• Alt_R+s -> Alt_R+s (ß)
• Alt_R+u -> Alt_R+u (ü)
• Alt_R+o -> Alt_R+o (ö)

I hope this time it is clear.

[k0kubun]

CapsLock+u -> Home
CapsLock+o -> End
CapsLock+p -> PageUp
CapsLock+; -> PageDown
CapsLock+i,j,k,l -> up,left,down,right
Alt_R+a -> Alt_R+a (ä)
Alt_R+s -> Alt_R+s (ß)
Alt_R+u -> Alt_R+u (ü)
Alt_R+o -> Alt_R+o (ö)

My idea should be still applicable (though I haven't actually tested it) even if you want to output Alt_R instead of Alt_L for some reason, e.g.

modmap:
  CapsLock: Alt_L
  Alt_L: Alt_R # optional for what you described
keymap:
  Alt_L-i: Up
  Alt_L-j: Left
  Alt_L-k: Down
  Alt_L-l: Right
  Alt_L-o: End
  Alt_L-u: Home
  Alt_L-p: PageUp
  Alt_L-Semicolon: PageDown

I expect this config to generate what you described.

[nullbyto]

I expect this config to generate what you described.

It does work but this time i have other issues:

• Alt tabbing doesn't work because of Alt_L: Alt_R (because Alt_R is Alt_Gr which is different as a normal alt in this layout) I just removed that and it works but other issues with having alt as a modifier:
• is Alt-Arrow for example to move line up and down in vscode, doing:
  Alt_L-Alt_L-i: Alt_L-Up
  isn't working because it presses Alt_L-Up when pressing capslock-i.

What also should work is: (shift/alt/ctrl/shift-alt/ctrl-shift)-Capslock-(i/j/k/l) to work as expected as if im using normal arrows.

[nullbyto]

What i managed to do is this config which should be the best solution with Super_R but it has a weird behaviour:

modmap:
  - name: Global
    remap:
      CapsLock:
        alone: Esc
        held: Super_R

keymap:
  - name: Global
    remap:
      ##########################################
      # CapsLock ijkl -> Arrow keys

      Super_R-I: Up
      Super_R-J: Left
      Super_R-K: Down
      Super_R-L: Right

      Shift-Super_R-I: Shift-Up
      Shift-Super_R-J: Shift-Left
      Shift-Super_R-K: Shift-Down
      Shift-Super_R-L: Shift-Right

      Alt_L-Super_R-I: Alt_L-Up
      Alt_L-Super_R-J: Alt_L-Left
      Alt_L-Super_R-K: Alt_L-Down
      Alt_L-Super_R-L: Alt_L-Right

      Shift-Alt_L-Super_R-I: Shift-Alt_L-Up
      Shift-Alt_L-Super_R-J: Shift-Alt_L-Left
      Shift-Alt_L-Super_R-K: Shift-Alt_L-Down
      Shift-Alt_L-Super_R-L: Shift-Alt_L-Right
      
      Ctrl-Super_R-I: Ctrl-Up
      Ctrl-Super_R-J: Ctrl-Left
      Ctrl-Super_R-K: Ctrl-Down
      Ctrl-Super_R-L: Ctrl-Right

      Shift-Ctrl-Super_R-I: Shift-Ctrl-Up
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_R-J: Shift-Ctrl-Left
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_R-K: Shift-Ctrl-Down
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_R-L: Shift-Ctrl-Right

      ##########################################
      # CapsLock + uop; -> Home End PageUp PageDown

      Super_R-U: Home
      Super_R-O: End
      Super_R-P: PageUp
      Super_R-SEMICOLON: PageDown

      Shift-Super_R-U: Shift-Home
      Shift-Super_R-O: Shift-End
      Shift-Super_R-P: Shift-PageUp
      Shift-Super_R-SEMICOLON: Shift-PageDown

      Ctrl-Super_R-U: Ctrl-Home
      Ctrl-Super_R-O: Ctrl-End
      Ctrl-Super_R-P: Ctrl-PageUp
      Ctrl-Super_R-SEMICOLON: Ctrl-PageDown

      Shift-Ctrl-Super_R-U: Shift-Ctrl-Home
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_R-O: Shift-Ctrl-End
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_R-P: Shift-Ctrl-PageUp
      Shift-Ctrl-Super_R-SEMICOLON: Shift-Ctrl-PageDown

      ##########################################
      # CapsLock + BackSpace -> Delete

      Super_R-BackSpace: Delete
      Shift-Super_R-BackSpace: Shift-Delete
      Ctrl-Super_R-BackSpace: Ctrl-Delete

If i press: Caps_Lock+j,i,k,l or other combination, it sends the right keys but at the same time it sends also Super_R(R win) which opens the application menu as show in the video:

What i simply do is pressing Caps_Lock + j

2022-07-04.19-12-09.mp4

I suspect that it has something to do with how it sends out the keys as i see it sends rightmeta 1 then 0 means it presses and releases right after i press j as shown in the debug.

[k0kubun]

Alt_R is Alt_Gr which is different as a normal alt in this layout
is Alt-Arrow for example to move line up and down in vscode

Thanks. This explains everything I wanted to know about my suggestion.

What also should work is: (shift/alt/ctrl/shift-alt/ctrl-shift)-Capslock-(i/j/k/l) to work as expected as if im using normal arrows.

Right, I think it's the same thing as #102. I'll work on those once what I'm currently working on is finished.

If i press: Caps_Lock+j,i,k,l or other combination, it sends the right keys but at the same time it sends also Super_R(R win) which opens the application menu as show in the video:

This seems intentional. When you remap Super_R+j to Left and Left is emitted, it has to release Super_R because otherwise it would be Super_R+Left. If you want to keep holding Super_R, then you could remap Super_R+j to Super_R+Left. To simply fix this problem by just not using Super_R, please wait until I get time to work on virtual modifiers.

[nullbyto]

Thank you a lot for your time and effort you put into helping and good luck for your work. Ofcourse i will wait for that. I come along with one of the solutions for now.

[k0kubun]

Update: As I'm currently focusing on a big change for another OSS, I'm planning to work on this issue on Aug 13th. If I receive a pull request before that, I can take a look at that too.

[Cruising0904]

It would be really great if the problem fixed.
By the way isn't there ISO_Level3_SHIFT which I use it with xkb. It works fine working itself, combination thing isn't though. I thought it would be a good solution if possible

[k0kubun]

Can you show the output of RUST_LOG=debug xremap when you input ISO_Level3_SHIFT? I don't know what ISO_Level3_SHIFT is, but reading it would help my understanding.

I'd also appreciate your code or command to use xkb for making ISO_Level3_SHIFT work.

[nullbyto]

I think if I'm not mistaken this won't work with eu layout since Alt_R is actually set to ISO_Level3_Shift Afaik.

[k0kubun]

Thanks. I might support keyboard layout features in the future, but to know my knowledge, xkb is an X-specific interface, so we need to investigate how to make that work for Wayland. Meanwhile, you may emit a key event that corresponds to ISO_Level3_SHIFT with xremap and then anything beyond that is for another layer on top of it.

[k0kubun]

Released #146 in v0.6.1.

[nullbyto]

Nice. Thanks for your work!
I tried the example shown in the #146.

Tapping it doesn't do anything as intended but when pressing the combinations in keymap the arrows work but it turns on Caps-Lock and doesn't turn off. I tried assigning alone to Esc doesn't work either.
Maybe i'm not doing something right.

[k0kubun]

Thanks for the report and for sponsoring me :) I fixed the issue in v0.6.2.

[nullbyto]

You are welcome, i have to thank you for your great work in this project and others as well!

Works now. Unfortunately binding alone to a key in modmap isn't doing anything anymore, while modifier is set to true.
This would be useful in my example when using capslock as a modifier plus tapping it would emit Esc.

[k0kubun]

Sorry, can you share your current config? I'm a bit confused now.

[nullbyto]

modmap:
  - name: Global
    remap:
      CapsLock:
        modifier: true
        alone: Esc

keymap:
  - name: Global
    remap:
      CapsLock-i: Up
      CapsLock-j: Left
      CapsLock-k: Down
      CapsLock-l: Right

      CapsLock-o: End
      CapsLock-u: Home
      CapsLock-p: PageUp
      CapsLock-SemiColon: PageDown

Simply what i want to do is while holding be a modifier and tapping alone Esc

[k0kubun]

OK, I wasn't aware that you could parse modifier and alone in a single HashMap with the implementation, which was unexpected and the thing that confused me. The actual problem is, however, not that loose validation but the feature's design. I tried to cover some corner cases like application-specific logical modifiers, but it came with the cost of slipping the held/alone use case.

I changed it. modifier: true is now gone, and virtual_modifiers is added at the top level. You may try #147 in v0.7.0.

[nullbyto]

I understand.
Works perfectly now! Thanks.