Re: There has gotta be an easy answer - binding commands to keys ??

[William Case <billlinux rogers com>]

Hi Sven;

Thank you for your time and trouble.

On Fri, 2007-01-26 at 21:21 +0100, Sven Arvidsson wrote:
> On Fri, 2007-01-26 at 14:36 -0500, William Case wrote:
> > Hi;
> > I would like to bind a particular unicode to a
> > specific key or modifier + key (eg. Super + y = ctrl+shift+u2714). 
> > How would I do that in gconf-editor metacity keybinding_commands?
> > If I can write a bash script to do it, can I bind the script?
> > Or,
> > How do I write <Ctrl> + <Shift> + U + 2714 so that an application will
> > read all the key strokes?
> > Or,
> > Is there a way to add U2714 to the compose list?
> > 


> I have very little experience with inputting unicode chars, but did some
> digging, hopefully some of these links can be of some assistance to you:
>         Means of Composing Accented Characters in X Window System
>         http://process-of-elimination.net/wiki/Means_of_Composing_Accented_Characters_in_X_Window_System
>         - Tips for extending the compose list.
>         Latin Plus: An Input Method Module for GTK+
>         http://gtk-im-extra.sourceforge.net/imlatinplus-doc.html
>         - Seems to be another way of using the compose key.
>         How to Type Letters with Accents in GNOME
>         http://info.openanswers.org/how_to_type_letters_with_accents_in_gnome
>         - Describes a multikey, no idea how this differs from compose.
> 
> HTH,

I carefully read your suggested sites.  None of them really answer the
question.  They variously show how to create a compose key which I
already have. (I use the Windows Menu key for compose in Linux). I use
it for é etc. And/or, they explain how to use Ctrl+Shift+U unicode
number - which I can already do.

However, U2714 is a 'checkmark'( ✔ ) which I use quite frequently.
U2714 is difficult to remember; particularly when trying to remember
other codes as well.  I wanted to assign the checkmark to a key or key
combination which is more mnemonic like, say, Super_L (Super_L = all My
Created shortcuts) + y (y = yes = checkmark).  There are two possible
solutions that I can see that shouldn't be too difficult but I don't
know how to go about accomplishing either of them.

1) Through MetaCity or any other GTK mechanism, create a command that is
equivalent to <Ctrl><Shift>U2714 and then bind that command to Super_L +
y.

keybinding_commands seem to only take predefined commands; not scripts
or macros with keystrokes. For example, command_2  mail_notification -u;
then bind command_2 to <Ctrl><Alt> u to get the mail notifier, in order
to check my mail from anywhere in Gnome.  I have tried command_3
<Ctrl><Shift>U2714 to no avail.

Or, another possible solution:

2) is to use the compose key so that 'compose y' (or some combination
thereof) produces U2714.  The problem is that while the compose lists
offered have a great many possible combinations for symbols and accented
characters they do not include the checkmark nor do the sites you have
suggested show how to add the checkmark to the compose list.

I would have thought that creating some kind of special key for a
special character or symbol assignment would have been easy in
Linux/gnome.  In one sense I have spent far more time on this question
than it ostensibly warrants.  On the other hand, to me, it has become an
issue crying out to be solved.

-- 
Regards Bill