The keyboard drivers for linux/debian

[-=iMpAcT=-]

someone said this to me

"as root type

vi /etc/apt/sources.list

push d about 10 times to delete everything
then push i (i for insert) and type this

deb ftp://ftp.nz.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
deb ftp://ftp.nz.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free

then push escape

that will get you up2date"

i did that and i posted this message back

"ok i do all that crap, then i push escape.. Hmm nothing happens, so i push heaps of crap.. nothing happens... so i try some stange buttens and the only one that did anything was "PrintScrn/SysRq" and that said exit once i pressed it. So im thinking ive installed the wrong drivers for my keyboard, i think i got US/UK drivers, whats the command to install your keyboard drivers? what do i install?
ps to make an @ sign i have to type Shift ;   "

so if you read that cearfully your'l see that i need to install the RIGHT drivers for my keyboard.
1 whats the command to install keyboard drivers
2 what drivers do i install or a normal keyboard (PC Company if that helps)
3 in that the right steps to do?

chers

[voidmain]

No, after you press the <ESC> key you would type this ":wq" (without the quotes) and then press the <ENTER> key. That will write file file and quit vi.

[LorKorub]

I don't thin you need drivers. I think all you need is to reconfigure X so that you can use the appropriate keyboard.

As root, run /usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config

The second through fourth screens all have to deal with your keyboard.  Select the approrpiate configuration (I used US-QWERTY...that's for a US keyboard.) You will have to enter in all of the information pertaining to your hardware. Make sure you have info on your monitor's vertical and horizontal sync range, and your graphics card. At the end, it will ask you if you would like to write  to /usr/X11R6/bin/... say no.  Answer no to the nest one, and no to the one after that.  When it asks, where should I write it, type in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.

[ December 06, 2002: Message edited by: LorKorub / BOB ]

[voidmain]

quote:Originally posted by LorKorub / BOB:
I don't thin you need drivers. I think all you need is to reconfigure X so that you can use the appropriate keyboard.

I think he was just in "vi" and didn't know how to get back out.  

[-=iMpAcT=-]

well if "PrintScrn/SysRq" is Quit and Esc doesnt do anything, and "Shift ;" Gives me a @ sign then I must have the wrong keyboard drivers!!

Grr linux is hard to use when something is wrong!

[voidmain]

quote:Originally posted by Cane:
well if "PrintScrn/SysRq" is Quit and Esc doesnt do anything, and "Shift ;" Gives me a @ sign then I must have the wrong keyboard drivers!!

Grr linux is hard to use when something is wrong!

And that's the way I like it. Let me ask you this, when you first log in and are at a shell prompt, what do you get when you press the same key combination (<SHIFT>+ ? If you get a ":" then it's not a keyboard driver problem. But if it happens on the command line too then maybe the answer lies in a link a few messages down from this one.

[ December 06, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[choasforages]

actally, he might have some merit. i tried to install the german version of beos/*i know a little german*/ and all the keys were different places and such. and i think what you are asking about is a differnet keymap. i don't know how to change the keymap though

[Calum]

here's what you need to do:

quote:Originally posted by LorKorub / BOB:
I don't thin you need drivers. I think all you need is to reconfigure X so that you can use the appropriate keyboard.

As root, run /usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config

The second through fourth screens all have to deal with your keyboard. Select the approrpiate configuration (I used US-QWERTY...that's for a US keyboard.) You will have to enter in all of the information pertaining to your hardware. Make sure you have info on your monitor's vertical and horizontal sync range, and your graphics card. At the end, it will ask you if you would like to write to /usr/X11R6/bin/... say no. Answer no to the nest one, and no to the one after that. When it asks, where should I write it, type in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.

let me just repeat that:

quote:Originally posted by LorKorub / BOB:
I don't thin you need drivers. I think all you need is to reconfigure X so that you can use the appropriate keyboard.

As root, run /usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config

The second through fourth screens all have to deal with your keyboard. Select the approrpiate configuration (I used US-QWERTY...that's for a US keyboard.) You will have to enter in all of the information pertaining to your hardware. Make sure you have info on your monitor's vertical and horizontal sync range, and your graphics card. At the end, it will ask you if you would like to write to /usr/X11R6/bin/... say no. Answer no to the nest one, and no to the one after that. When it asks, where should I write it, type in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.

before you do use this program, backup your existing /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file if you have one (and you will, if you ever ran XFree 4.x) by doing

Code: [Select]

some distros have additional tools which do the same job, i know red hat has one called XConfigurator which does the same job...

[ December 06, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]

[KernelPanic]

While we are on this topic, how can you change the keymap used in shell?
Thing is, I did the hdinstall of knoppix and I changed the language and keymap for X to UK, but at a terminal I have bloody german characters and characters like : @ # ? } [ %

[voidmain]

In RedHat it is loaded in the /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit startup script based on what is in the /etc/sysconfig/keyboard configuration file. And there is also a "keytable" service so it can be changed on the fly. And of course RedHat also has a graphical tool for this on the menu if you want to do it that way (which does nothing more than change the contents /etc/sysconfig/keyboard).

There's an example here for Debian:
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-euro-support/ch-configure.en.html

It should be the same in Knoppix.

[ December 06, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[KernelPanic]

Cheers

[LorKorub]

quote: I use this one:
# vi /etc/X11/XF86Config

Normally, (meaning on distros that are adhering to Red Hat's brilliant standardization plan) that is where you would write it. However, Cane said he was giving Debian a whack (and I am assuming he is using 3.0 Woody, the one on http://www.linuxiso.org), which I know that the configuration file for X is saved under /etc/X11/XF86Config-4. I know this because on my initial attempt at Debian, I must have configured X at least 15 times when I first installed Debian because I wrote the X config file to /etc/X11/XF86Config (where it was written on Red Hat, SuSE, and Mandrake...Ice Pack as well.) X on Debian looks for its config file in only one place (I am sure you can change it if you wanted to, but system defaults are system defaults, so why bother?), and from my recent and extensive experience with the Debian installer, there is no option except for accepting it.  

For Cane, I would recommend that you check out http://www.linux-tutorial.info to get yourself acquainted with that upon which you are embarking. Debian is no slouch in the Linux world, however, it takes a great deal of patience, and determination. You will need some fundamental knowledge of Linux in order to even scratch the surface of it (and I am still adding to the fundamental part, as well.) There is no manual (except online), no "out-of-the-box"ness to it like there is with SuSE or Red Hat, no auto-configuration...nothing.  As a poster explained to me here: "It is a daily uphill battle."  But, once you get it rolling, you will have a decent working knowledge of Linux, a highly superior packaging system at your disposal, and the ability to do whatever you want. The prestige is worth the fight.

Check that page out. It is done very well, and there is an entire section on editing files with vi.  Well worth the read.

[LorKorub]

Calum:  You are correct. It is /usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config on Debian...

I was in a rush when I typed that...

I will edit...

[ December 06, 2002: Message edited by: LorKorub / BOB ]