VirtualBindings(3X) VirtualBindings(3X)
NAME
VirtualBindings - Bindings for virtual mouse and key events
DESCRIPTION
The 1/Motif manual pages describe translations in terms of virtual bindings, based on those described in the OSF/Motif Style Guide. Mouse
events are described in terms of virtual buttons, and key events are described in terms of virtual keys. The term virtual implies that the
events as described do not necessarily correspond to a fixed set of X Window System events. Instead, virtual buttons and keys are linked to
actual events by means of virtual bindings.
Virtual Modifiers
Both virtual buttons and virtual keys may contain virtual modifiers. Each virtual modifier corresponds to one or more actual modifiers. The
following table lists the bindings of virtual modifiers to actual modifiers in 1/Motif:
------------------------------------
Virtual Modifier Bindings
Virtual Modifier Actual Modifiers
------------------------------------
MAlt Mod1
MCopy Ctrl
MCtrl Ctrl
MLink Ctrl Shift
MMove Shift
MShift Shift
------------------------------------
Mod1 refers to the first modifier key. 1/Motif requires that it correspond to either Alt or Meta.
The virtual modifier MAny indicates that any modifier can be used. If MAny is not specified and the user presses an actual modifier that is
not explicitly included in a translation, that modifier may prevent the translation from being matched.
Virtual Buttons
Each virtual button corresponds to one or more actual button event descriptions. Each button event description contains a button name and
possibly modifiers. These button event descriptions, appropriately ordered and possibly further modified, are used in translation tables.
The following table lists the bindings of virtual buttons to actual button event descriptions in 1/Motif:
--------------------------------------
Virtual Button Bindings
Virtual Button Actual Button Events
--------------------------------------
BCustom <Btn3>
BDrag <Btn2>
BExtend Shift<Btn1>
BMenu <Btn3>
BSelect <Btn1>
BToggle Ctrl<Btn1>
--------------------------------------
Virtual Keys
Each virtual key corresponds to one or more actual key event descriptions. Each key event description contains a keysym name and possibly
modifiers. These key event descriptions, appropriately ordered and possibly further modified, are used in translation tables. The follow-
ing table lists the bindings of virtual keys to actual key event descriptions in 1/Motif:
------------------------------------------------------
Virtual Key Bindings
Virtual Key Actual Key Events
------------------------------------------------------
KActivate
<Key>Return
Ctrl<Key>Return
<Key>osfActivate
KAddMode <Key>osfAddMode
KBackSpace <Key>osfBackSpace
KBackTab Shift<Key>Tab
KBeginData Ctrl<Key>osfBeginLine
KBeginLine <Key>osfBeginLine
KCancel <Key>osfCancel
KClear <Key>osfClear
KCopy
<Key>osfCopy
Ctrl<Key>osfInsert
KCut
<Key>osfCut
Shift<Key>osfDelete
KDelete <Key>osfDelete
KDeselectAll Ctrl<Key>backslash
KDown <Key>osfDown
KEndData Ctrl<Key>osfEndLine
KEndLine <Key>osfEndLine
KEnter <Key>Return
KEscape <Key>Escape
KExtend
Ctrl Shift<Key>space
Shift<Key>osfSelect
KHelp <Key>osfHelp
KInsert <Key>osfInsert
KLeft <Key>osfLeft
KMenu <Key>osfMenu
KMenuBar <Key>osfMenuBar
KNextField
<Key>Tab
Ctrl<Key>Tab
KNextMenu
Ctrl<Key>osfDown
Ctrl<Key>osfRight
KPageDown <Key>osfPageDown
KPageLeft
Ctrl<Key>osfPageUp
<Key>osfPageLeft
KPageRight
Ctrl<Key>osfPageDown
<Key>osfPageRight
KPageUp <Key>osfPageUp
KPaste
<Key>osfPaste
Shift<Key>osfInsert
KPrevField
Shift<Key>Tab
Ctrl Shift<Key>Tab
KPrevMenu
Ctrl<Key>osfUp
Ctrl<Key>osfLeft
KPrimaryCopy
Ctrl<Key>osfPrimaryPaste
Mod1<Key>osfCopy
Mod1 Ctrl<Key>osfInsert
KPrimaryCut
Mod1<Key>osfPrimaryPaste
Mod1<Key>osfCut
Mod1 Shift<Key>osfDelete
KPrimaryPaste <Key>osfPrimaryPaste
KQuickCopy Ctrl<Key>osfQuickPaste
KQuickCut Mod1<Key>osfQuickPaste
KQuickExtend Shift<Key>osfQuickPaste
KQuickPaste <Key>osfQuickPaste
KReselect Ctrl Shift<Key>osfSelect
KRestore Ctrl Shift<Key>osfInsert
KRight <Key>osfRight
KSelect
<Key>space
Ctrl<Key>space
<Key>osfSelect
KSelectAll Ctrl<Key>slash
KSpace <Key>space
KTab <Key>Tab
KUndo
<Key>osfUndo
Mod1<Key>osfBackSpace
KUp <Key>osfUp
KAny <Key>
------------------------------------------------------
Bindings for osf Keysyms
Keysym strings that begin with "osf" are not part of the X server's keyboard mapping. Instead, these keysyms are produced on the client
side at run time. They are interpreted by the routine XmTranslateKey, and are used by the translation manager when the server delivers an
actual key event. For each application, a mapping is maintained between "osf" keysyms and keysyms that correspond to actual keys. This map-
ping is based on information obtained at application startup from one of the following sources, listed in order of precedence: A default-
VirtualBindings application resource in the resource database. A property on the root window, which can be set by mwm on startup, or by
the xmbind client, or on prior startup of a Motif application. The file in the user's home directory. A set of bindings based on the ven-
dor string and optionally the vendor release of the X server. Motif searches for these bindings in the following steps: If the file
xmbind.alias exists in the user's home directory, Motif searches this file for a pathname associated with the vendor string or with the
vendor string and vendor release. If it finds such a pathname and if that file exists, Motif loads the bindings contained in that file. If
it has found no bindings, Motif next looks for the file xmbind.alias in the directory specified by the environment variable XMBINDDIR, if
XMBINDDIR is set, or in the directory /usr/lib/Xm/bindings if XMBINDDIR is not set. If this file exists Motif searches it for a pathname
associated with the vendor string or with the vendor string and vendor release. If it finds such a pathname and if that file exists, Motif
loads the bindings contained in that file. If it still has found no bindings, Motif loads a set of hard-coded fallback bindings.
The xmbind.alias file contains zero or more lines of the form:
"vendor_string[vendor_release]" bindings_file
where vendor_string is the X server vendor name as returned by the X client xdpyinfo or the Xlib function XServerVendor, and must appear in
double quotes. If vendor_release is included, it is the X server vendor release number as returned by the X client xdpyinfo or the Xlib
function XVendorRelease, and must also be contained within the double quotes separated by one space from vendor_string. vendor_release is
provided to allow support of changes in keyboard hardware from a vendor, assuming that the vendor increments the release number to flag
such changes. Alternatively, the vendor may simply use a unique vendor string for each different keyboard.
bindings_file is the pathname of the file containing the bindings themselves. It can be a relative or absolute pathname. If it is a rela-
tive pathname, it is relative to the location of the xmbind.alias file.
Comment lines in the xmbind.alias file begin with !.
The bindings found in either the file or the vendor mapping are placed in a property on the root window. This property is used to determine
the bindings for subsequent Motif applications.
On startup mwm attempts to load the file in the user's home directory. If this is unsuccessful, it loads the vendor bindings as described
above. It places the bindings it loads in a property on the root window for use by subsequent Motif applications.
xmbind loads bindings from a file if that file is specified on the command line. If no file is specified on the command line, it attempts
to load the file in the user's home directory. If this fails, it loads the vendor bindings as described above. It places the bindings it
loads in a property on the root window for use by subsequent Motif applications.
The format of the specification for mapping "osf" keysyms to actual keysyms is similar to that of a specification for an event translation.
The syntax is specified here in EBNF notation using the following conventions: Means either nothing or a Means zero or more occurrences of
a
Terminals are enclosed in double quotation marks.
The syntax of an "osf" keysym binding specification is as follows:
binding_spec = {line "
"} [line] line = virtual_keysym ":" key_event key_event = {modifier_name} "<Key>" actual_keysym
virtual_keysym = keysym actual_keysym = keysym keysym = A valid X11 keysym name that is
mapped by XStringToKeysym
As with event translations, more specific event descriptions must precede less specific descriptions. For example, an event description for
a key with a modifier must precede a description for the same key without the same modifier.
Following is an example of a specification for the defaultVirtualBindings resource in a resource file:
*defaultVirtualBindings:
osfBackSpace : <Key>BackSpace
osfInsert : <Key>InsertChar
...
osfDelete : <Key>DeleteChar
The format of a file or of a file containing vendor bindings is the same, except that the binding specification for each keysym is placed
on a separate line. The example specification above appears as follows in a or vendor bindings file:
osfBackSpace : <Key>BackSpace osfInsert : <Key>InsertChar ... osfDelete : <Key>DeleteChar
The following table lists the fixed fallback default bindings for "osf" keysyms:
--------------------------------------------
Fallback Default Bindings for "osf" Keysyms
"osf" Keysym Fallback Default Binding
--------------------------------------------
osfActivate <unbound>
osfAddMode Shift F8
osfBackSpace Backspace
osfBeginLine Home
osfClear Clear
osfCopy <unbound>
osfCut <unbound>
osfDelete Delete
osfDown Down
osfEndLine End
osfCancel Escape
osfHelp F1
osfInsert Insert
osfLeft Left
osfMenu F4
osfMenuBar F10
osfPageDown Next
osfPageLeft <unbound>
osfPageRight <unbound>
osfPageUp Prior
osfPaste <unbound>
osfPrimaryPaste <unbound>
osfQuickPaste <unbound>
osfRight Right
osfSelect Select
osfUndo Undo
osfUp Up
--------------------------------------------
SEE ALSO
xmbind(1X)
VirtualBindings(3X)