i3 FAQ - Individual question feed

How do I make sure that when I press a meta key and another key that both keys are required?

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 15:13:21 +0000

For instance, I don't have anything bound to Control+Mod4+a, but if I press Control+Mod4+a it will select all because of Control+a. If there is nothing bound to Control+Mod4+a then I want it to do nothing rather than do Control-a.

Answer by Adaephon for
For instance, I don't have anything bound to Control+Mod4+a, but if I press Control+Mod4+a it will select all because of Control+a. If there is nothing bound to Control+Mod4+a then I want it to do nothing rather than do Control-a.

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 18:51:41 +0000

In answer to the question: Key bindings in i3 are a list of modifiers (Control, Shift, Mod1 - Mod5 and Mode_Switch) plus a keycode or keysym. A defined binding has to be matched exactly by the pressed keys for i3 to act on it. So in this sense every key of a binding really is required. Also if more modifier keys are pressed, i3 will ignore the combination completely unless it, too, is bound. ---------- As for the problem described. I did some testing, but could not reproduce the described effect. So this does not seem to be a problem with i3 in general. Two things come to mind: 1. Your Mod4 key does not work at all. Could test with `xev -event keyboard` if pressing the `` actually does anything. (Note: it is possible to bind single modifier keys in i3 by using `bindcode`. This would prevent `xev` (or any other program) from catching the key, but it does not lead to `++a` to be interpreted as `+a` (at least on my computer).) 2. One or more of your programs behave strangely and accept `++a` as substitute for `+a` or ignore `` completely. Could you give a list or at least some examples of programs with which you have the problem? Also, what does happen if you do bind `++a` to something in i3?

Comment by paramnesioid for
In answer to the question: Key bindings in i3 are a list of modifiers (Control, Shift, Mod1 - Mod5 and Mode_Switch) plus a keycode or keysym. A defined binding has to be matched exactly by the pressed keys for i3 to act on it. So in this sense every key of a binding really is required. Also if more modifier keys are pressed, i3 will ignore the combination completely unless it, too, is bound.

As for the problem described. I did some testing, but could not reproduce the described effect. So this does not seem to be a problem with i3 in general. Two things come to mind:

Your Mod4 key does not work at all. Could test with `xev -event keyboard` if pressing the `<Mod4>` actually does anything. (Note: it is possible to bind single modifier keys in i3 by using `bindcode`. This would prevent `xev` (or any other program) from catching the key, but it does not lead to `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` to be interpreted as `<Control>+a` (at least on my computer).)

One or more of your programs behave strangely and accept `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` as substitute for `<Control>+a` or ignore `<Mod4>` completely. Could you give a list or at least some examples of programs with which you have the problem?

Also, what does happen if you do bind `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` to something in i3?

Wed, 13 Nov 2013 02:52:39 +0000

Okay, I've caught two. In Xterm and the terminal that comes with Xfce (?), in Xfce when I press Control-Mod4-a in either it won't do anything (it won't do Control-a instead), but in i3 (nothing is set to Control-Mod4-a) and it will do what Control-a does (go to the start of the line).

Comment by paramnesioid for
In answer to the question: Key bindings in i3 are a list of modifiers (Control, Shift, Mod1 - Mod5 and Mode_Switch) plus a keycode or keysym. A defined binding has to be matched exactly by the pressed keys for i3 to act on it. So in this sense every key of a binding really is required. Also if more modifier keys are pressed, i3 will ignore the combination completely unless it, too, is bound.

As for the problem described. I did some testing, but could not reproduce the described effect. So this does not seem to be a problem with i3 in general. Two things come to mind:

Your Mod4 key does not work at all. Could test with `xev -event keyboard` if pressing the `<Mod4>` actually does anything. (Note: it is possible to bind single modifier keys in i3 by using `bindcode`. This would prevent `xev` (or any other program) from catching the key, but it does not lead to `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` to be interpreted as `<Control>+a` (at least on my computer).)

One or more of your programs behave strangely and accept `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` as substitute for `<Control>+a` or ignore `<Mod4>` completely. Could you give a list or at least some examples of programs with which you have the problem?

Also, what does happen if you do bind `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` to something in i3?

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 23:57:14 +0000

Thanks. My Mod4/Windows key does work. I should've paid more attention to where I was doing it. Now it seems I can't replicate the problem I was having either.

Comment by Adaephon for
In answer to the question: Key bindings in i3 are a list of modifiers (Control, Shift, Mod1 - Mod5 and Mode_Switch) plus a keycode or keysym. A defined binding has to be matched exactly by the pressed keys for i3 to act on it. So in this sense every key of a binding really is required. Also if more modifier keys are pressed, i3 will ignore the combination completely unless it, too, is bound.

As for the problem described. I did some testing, but could not reproduce the described effect. So this does not seem to be a problem with i3 in general. Two things come to mind:

Your Mod4 key does not work at all. Could test with `xev -event keyboard` if pressing the `<Mod4>` actually does anything. (Note: it is possible to bind single modifier keys in i3 by using `bindcode`. This would prevent `xev` (or any other program) from catching the key, but it does not lead to `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` to be interpreted as `<Control>+a` (at least on my computer).)

One or more of your programs behave strangely and accept `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` as substitute for `<Control>+a` or ignore `<Mod4>` completely. Could you give a list or at least some examples of programs with which you have the problem?

Also, what does happen if you do bind `<Control>+<Mod4>+a` to something in i3?

Wed, 13 Nov 2013 08:01:45 +0000

Ok, I see. All my terminal emulators behave the same way. Textfields in Firefox do, too. But no select all with `Control+Mod4+a` in gimp or gwenview although just `Control+a` does just that. I'm guessing it is application specific, but Xfce seems to do something. Other WMs, too?

i3 FAQ - Individual question feed

How do I make sure that when I press a meta key and another key that both keys are required?

Answer by Adaephon for For instance, I don't have anything bound to Control+Mod4+a, but if I press Control+Mod4+a it will select all because of Control+a. If there is nothing bound to Control+Mod4+a then I want it to do nothing rather than do Control-a.

Answer by Adaephon for
For instance, I don't have anything bound to Control+Mod4+a, but if I press Control+Mod4+a it will select all because of Control+a. If there is nothing bound to Control+Mod4+a then I want it to do nothing rather than do Control-a.