xcape - Online in the Cloud

PROGRAM:

NAME

xcape - use a modifier key as another key

SYNOPSIS

xcape [-d] [-t timeout] [-e map-expression]

DESCRIPTION

xcape allows a modifier key to be used as another key when it is pressed and released on
its own. The default behaviour is to generate the Escape key in place of Control_L (Left
Control).

OPTIONS

-d Debug mode. Will run as a foreground process.

-t timeout
Give a timeout in milliseconds. If you hold a key longer than timeout a key event
will not be generated.

-e map-expression
Use map-expression as the expression(s).

EXPRESSION SYNTAX

Expression syntax is ´ModKey=Key[|OtherKey]´. Multiple expressions can be passed,
delimited by semi-colons (;).

A list of keysyms can be found in the header file <X11/keysymdef.h> (without the XK_
prefix).

Note that shifted keys must be specified as a shift key followed by the key to be pressed
rather than the actual name of the character. For example to generate "{" the expression
´ModKey=Shift_L|bracketleft´ could be used (assuming that you have a key with ´{´ above
´[´).

You can also specify ModKey in decimal (prefix #), octal (#0), or hexadecimal (#0x). It
will be interpreted as a keycode unless no corresponding key name is found.

EXAMPLES

Make Left Shift generate Escape when pressed and released on it's own, and Left Control
generate Ctrl-O combination when pressed and released on it's own:
xcape -e 'Shift_L=Escape;Control_L=Control_L|O'

In conjugation with xmodmap it is possible to make an ordinary key act as an extra
modifier. First map the key to the modifier with xmodmap and then the modifier back to the
key with xcape. As an example, we can make the space bar work as an additional ctrl key
when held with the following sequence of commands:

First, map an unused modifier's keysym to the spacebar's keycode and make it a control
modifier. It needs to be an existing key so that emacs won't spazz out when you press it.
Hyper_L is a good candidate.

spare_modifier="Hyper_L"
xmoadmap -e "keycode 65 = $spare_modifier"
xmoadmap -e "remove mod4 = $spare_modifier"
# hyper_l is mod4 by default
xmoadmap -e "add Control = $spare_modifier"

Next, map space to an unused keycode (to keep it around for xcape to use).

xmodmap -e "keycode any = space"

Finally use xcape to cause the space bar to generate a space when tapped.

xcape -e "$spare_modifier=space"

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