Re: using MOD4 (aka super or "window key") as keyboard shortcut *modifier*

[Shaun McCance <shaunm gnome org>]

On Tue, 2007-05-15 at 19:43 -0400, Allan Gottlieb wrote:
> I would like to use mod4 as a modifier key for keyboard shortcuts.
> 
> I have done this in the past and those shortcuts still work fine
> (eg mod4-f2 brings up the "run application" dialog).
> 
> But I can't add any new ones.  Say I want have mod4-M as my email key
> 
>   1. I click on say E-mail and the row is hilighted (good)
> 
>   2. I press mod4 (super_L) and super_L becomes the shortcut
> 
> That is Super_L is being viewed as a key not a modifier.
> 
> As I said, this is only for trying to create new shortcuts.
> If I type mod4-t, I get a gnome-terminal since I created
> that shortcut quite a while ago.
> 
> I do not need to have a graphical tool, a text based method would be
> fine.

I've seen a number of people complain about this, and I
don't know why it happens.  For some reason, the Keyboard
Shortcuts preference tool just grabs the Super_L keypress,
without waiting for a Mod4-modified keypress.

You can bypass the preference tool using the Configuration
Editor, though.  You'll find it in your Applications menu
under System Tools.  (If you don't have it installed, look
for gconf-editor in your package updater.)

What's more, there are two sets of global keybindings:
metacity's and gnome-settings-daemon's.  Oddly enough, the
gnome-settings-daemon keybindings don't seem to understand
Mod4, even when set by hand in the Configuration Editor.
The metacity keybindings, however, do understand Mod4.

The terminal keybinding is handled by metacity.  Hence,
it works for you.  Unfortunately, the email keybinding is
handled by gnome-settings-daemon.  Fortunately, metacity
also allows you to bind up to 12 keys to any arbitrary
command, so you can use that instead.

In the Configuration Editor, browse to
  /apps/metacity/global_keybindings
and select the key run_command_1.  (If that's already
set, select some other run_command_i, for i from 1 to
12.)  Set that to "<Mod4>M", without the quotes.

Now go to
  /apps/metacity/keybinding_commands
and select the key command_1 (or the corresponding key
for whichever run_command_i you selected).  Set that to
whatever command launches your email program.

That should do the trick.

--
Shaun