Linux: Keyboard Software Guide

xmodmap

xmodmap is a simple tool that lets you remap/swap keys for apps running under X11.

See: Linux: xmodmap Tutorial

scancode, keycode, keysym

To work with keys in Linux X11, you must understand {scancode, keycode, keysym} because many key tools use their concept and syntax.

• Scancode → a number your keyboard send to computer. For USB keyboards, it's defined by the USB standard.
• Keycode → a number used by Linux kernel to represent key (or mouse button/wheel). The Linux kernel translate scancode to keycode.
• Keysym → a short string (usually descriptive) that are received by X11 applications.

How find the scancode of a key?

See: Linux: Find Keyboard Key Scancode

How to find the keycode / keysym of a key?

Type xev, then press a key. See: Linux: X11 Keyboard Key Names

xbindkeys

if your desktop doesn't provide a way to bind a key to launch a script, then you can use xbindkeys.

Linux: Xbindkeys Tutorial

「wmctrl」 for Switch Windows

wmctrl is a command line tool to {switch, close, move, resize, set title, list, …} windows.

See: Linux: Add Keyboard Shortcut to Switch App

「xvkbd」 for Sending Keychords

xvkbd is a virtual keyboard for X window system. It is useful as a shell command to send keys.

see Linux: Set F2 F3 F4 to Cut Copy Paste

Linux: Control Sound Level by Command Line

Linux: Change Volume by Command

xdotool

xdotool. «programatically simulate keyboard input and mouse activity. It does this using X11's XTEST extension and other Xlib functions.»

(note: i tried xdotool under Ubuntu/xfce. Doesn't work in my first 30 min of looking into it.)

#Install xdotool
 sudo apt-get install xdotool

Example. Send 【Ctrl+w】 to close tab.

xdotool key --delay 40 Control_L+w

Example. Click on upper left corner, (90, 10) pixels.

xdotool mousemove 90 10 click 1

「autokey」 for Expanding Abbreviations

AutoKey. For expanding abbrev to full words/text.

Install: sudo apt-get install autokey-gtk (for Gnome) or sudo apt-get install autokey-qt (for KDE)

(note: i haven't used AutoKey, and the project seems dead as of 2017-06-06.)