[openbox] Key Chain Broken by Multiple Keyboards

[Steve Litt]

The Administrator said on Sat, 24 Jun 2023 14:19:55 -0500

>2023-06-24, 08:30, Steve Litt:
>> Seems to me that there's no way for keyboard2 to know you're pushing
>> Alt, Ctrl or Shft on keyboard1 and vice versa.  
>
>2023-06-24, 11:51, Parke:
>> I believe there are multiple layers.  
>
>Umm... Are we talking about the same chains here? 😅
>
>http://openbox.org/wiki/Help:Bindings#Key_chains
>
>You would press “W-a” on Keyboard 1, release, then press “p” on
>Keyboard 2. Et cetera.  Besides...

Yes, this should work. I was talking about the OP's (your) later
revelation that "W+h" didn't work.

>
>2023-06-22, 14:59, me:
>> A non-chained “W-h” binding, meanwhile, executes without issue--so
>> the problem seems specific to chains.  
>
>We've already established that Openbox has no issue with
>cross-keyboard modifiers--EVEN THOUGH THAT IS NOT what is being
>demonstrated by “W-a p”. (You know, in case we needed yet another
>reminder.)

I haven't seen it that Openbox has no issue with cross-keyboard
modifiers. Does any cross-keyboard modifier work for you?

>
>> You should be able to examine the KeyPress and KeyRelease events,  
>> including the state bit-mask, by using the xev program.  
>
>Indeed, this is what clued me into something being amiss.
>
>> Have you considered buying a split keyboard?  
>
>If I find one that meets all my requirements, I will jump on it in a  
>heartbeat.  In the meantime, however, let's fix Openbox--because
>unless someone can demonstrate otherwise, this is a bug.

I doubt any software anywhere would recognize "W+h" if the two keys are
on two different keyboards. If my assertion is correct, then this is
not a bug. Otherwise it is.

In the meantime, I'd suggest the you troubleshoot "W+a p". Are there any
other keyboard defs on "W+a p"? Try "W+a" followed by other keys on the
other keyboard. If it really is that the "p" can be replaced by any
other letter on the other keyboard without working, I'd consider THAT a
bug.

All these problems vanish, on full sized keyboards and on tiny
hand-helds, once we have an ultra-accurate voice to text conversion
interface.

By the way, in what way do you position two keyboards to be even
halfway comfortable and ergonomic?

SteveT

Steve Litt 
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