X

General

• xset is a user preference utility for X. It can be used to set different settings in X.
  To get the current configuration settings:

xset q

• Use xev (package x11-utils) to detect keyboard or mouse presses, as well as any X events (show keycode - i.e. scancode, keypress, button press...).
• Change keyboard layout (xfree86):

#Set to BE layout
xprop -root -f _XKB_RULES_NAMES 8s -set _XKB_RULES_NAMES xfree86
setxkbmap -model pc105 -layout be
#Set to US layout
xprop -root -f _XKB_RULES_NAMES 8s -set _XKB_RULES_NAMES xfree86
setxkbmap -model pc104 -layout us

• Multiple keyboards - Change keyboard layout on each device separately ([1])

setxkbmap -device 3 af       #Set device 3 to Farsi (to find device id, try 1 and then up)
setxkbmap -device 3 us       #Set it back to US

Mouse

To adjust mouse properties, use xset m.

Default settings (restored with xset m):

Pointer Control: acceleration:  2/1    threshold:  4

Set custom settings:

% xset m 1/1 2         # xset m [acc_mult[/acc_div] [thr]]

• In Gnome, mouse settings can also be configured in System → Hardware → Mouse.

Screenshot

• In Gnome,
  • Press PrtScn to take a screenshot of the complete desktop.
  • Press Alt + PrtScn to take a snapshot of window under mouse pointer.
• There exists also plenty of command-line & GUI solutions ([2]).

Utility

See Linux Commands for a list of X-related commands, and programs to manage key bindings in X.

Synergy

Install

In Windows:

• Execute setup program.
• Set the client to start automatically at PC startup
• Set the service Synergy Client to start manually.
• To launch the client:

net start "Synergy Client"    ::to start Synergy Client

• Also, ideally check that the keymap for all users are identical - cfr NXP Dell Latitude D620).

In Linux:

• To launch the client:

sudo synergyc --daemon --restart -n clientname servername

Troubleshoot

Chinese bug

When copy/pasting text (incl. address bar) from Firefox to a remote Windows screen, chinese characters are printed instead. A workaround is to install package xselection (or xsel), and type in a console xselection PRIMARY before pasting in the remote Windows screen.

Security

Data are not encrypted between the server and the client(s). To enable this, use SSH port forwarding. Run on the remote client:

ssh -f -N -L 24800:<server-name>:24800 <user-server-name>@<server-name> && synergyc localhost

However, this creates some lag, and mouse movement are a bit jerky. Another solution is to not use wireless connection, and connect computers through a network switch so that local communication are not visible to other computers on the network.

Login / Unlocking screen saver on Windows client

On Windows client, Synergy must be configured to autostart at boot in order to be able to unlock a session (eg. when client screensaver is protected by a password).

Keymaps

Server and all client must be configured to all use exactly the same keymap. On Windows client, this is valid for logged user but also for at least Administrator account. Otherwise typing in the login window will give incorrect characters.

Troubleshoot

• Can't get tilde character (~) on a Belgian-french keyboard on windows client (using Linux server) with keypress AltGr-=

Workaround: Use keypress Ctrl-Alt-= followed by Space.

• Can't connect to server. Possible causes:
  • synergy client not started with root privileges

Qwerty / Azerty

Some tips and tricks to (touch-)type on a QWERTY keyboard when the keymap is set to AZERTY.

The main issue is that AZERTY keyboard has an additional key next to the left SHIFT key. This key gives access to <, to > (Shift) and to \ (AltGr). To obtain these keys on a QWERTY keyboard, the basic trick is to temporarily switch the keyboard layout. Alternatively, one can use under X:

• <:
• >:
• \: Use AltGr-- (on QWERTY, i.e. AltGr-) on AZERTY)