Figure out what to do with keybindings whose characters could be triggered by multiple VKs

[ksawerykarwacki]

I tried to map ctrl+shift+| for vertical split but keybinding changed to \(but everything works correctly) additionally i have second backslash button between left shift and z key and using this key combination doesn't work.

Environment

Windows build number: 10.0.18963.0
Windows Terminal version (if applicable): 0.3.2171.0
Keyboard: Logitech K280e

Steps to reproduce

1. Add binding:
   { "command" : "splitVertical", "keys" : [ "ctrl+shift+|" ] },
2. Save and close settings
3. Close Terminal
4. Open Terminal and settings
5. Binding looks like this:
   { "command" : "splitVertical", "keys" : [ "ctrl+shift+\\" ] },

No matter what during this steps left backslash never works.

Expected behavior

Keep original symbol and accept left backslash key as trigger.

[DHowett-MSFT]

Unfortunately, if you typically get | by pressing Shift and the key that says | \, this binding is correct and the keybinding settings are operating as-designed. Since we're asking Windows what your "primary keyboard" has to say on the matter, it's telling us that.

@zadjii-msft Do you know of a Windows tool @ksawerykarwacki could use to figure out what scancode they're getting for their special \ key?

[zadjii-msft]

I'm not sure there is an inbox tool honestly. There's the echokey tool we use internally on our team, so if you're willing to build from source you could use that to get us the INPUT_RECORD that's generated from that keypress. You'd want to make sure to run that program from a normal console window (not a Terminal window), so we can see the raw output from the OS.

[ksawerykarwacki]

Sorry for the delay but here are the results:

C:\Users\ksawery.karwacki\git\terminal\bin\x64\Debug>ConEchoKey.exe
Start Mode (i/o):(0x 1f7, 0x   3)
New Mode   (i/o):(0x 1f7, 0x   f)
Press ^D to exit
Down: 1 Repeat: 1 KeyCode: 0xe2 ScanCode: 0x56 Char: \  (0x5c) KeyState: 0x20
Down: 0 Repeat: 1 KeyCode: 0xe2 ScanCode: 0x56 Char: \  (0x5c) KeyState: 0x20

And if I press both backslashes there's obviously a difference:

C:\Users\ksawery.karwacki\git\terminal\bin\x64\Debug>ConEchoKey.exe
Start Mode (i/o):(0x 1f7, 0x   3)
New Mode   (i/o):(0x 1f7, 0x   f)
Press ^D to exit
Down: 1 Repeat: 1 KeyCode: 0xe2 ScanCode: 0x56 Char: \  (0x5c) KeyState: 0x20
Down: 0 Repeat: 1 KeyCode: 0xe2 ScanCode: 0x56 Char: \  (0x5c) KeyState: 0x20
Down: 1 Repeat: 1 KeyCode: 0xdc ScanCode: 0x2b Char: \  (0x5c) KeyState: 0x20
Down: 0 Repeat: 1 KeyCode: 0xdc ScanCode: 0x2b Char: \  (0x5c) KeyState: 0x20

I hope that this will help :)

[DHowett-MSFT]

Sorry, which backslash is which?

[DHowett-MSFT]

Ah, looks like this:

#define VK_OEM_5          0xDC  //  '\|' for US
#define VK_OEM_102        0xE2  //  "<>" or "\|" on RT 102-key kbd.

Unfortunately, keyboard<->character mapping is, almost by definition, lossy. If two keys produce the same exact character, there's no simple way for us to map the character back to the single key that originated it.

Likewise there appears to be no way to ask Windows "What is the full set of scancodes that will produce this character?" If we could do that, we'd just add a mirrored binding internally for every multi-struck character.

Hmm.

[ksawerykarwacki]

0x56 is the one between shift and z.

@DHowett-MSFT so there's no way to support this or this key should be handled some custom additional mapping? It is still very useful key for bindigs due to it's location so it would be nice ;)