Thread: Linux on Mac. keyboard issue..

Apple can do some funky things with keyboards. Do you have the hid_apple module loaded?

Code:

brad@bklaptop:~$ lsmod | grep hid_apple
hid_apple              20480  0
hid                   221184  3 usbhid,hid_apple,hid_generic

I've had to copy and paste the @ symbol when I had a similar keyboard language issue.

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

I've had to copy and paste the @ symbol when I had a similar keyboard language issue.

Yes. It has occurred to me to copy it to a thumb drive. It's PITA but I guess I don't need the @ symbol often in this application. So, does Linux read APFS formatted drives or do I need to use FAT?

Hmm, one way to find out I guess.

Originally Posted by BradC

Apple can do some funky things with keyboards. Do you have the hid_apple module loaded?

Code:

brad@bklaptop:~$ lsmod | grep hid_apple
hid_apple              20480  0
hid                   221184  3 usbhid,hid_apple,hid_generic

Nope. I'll try that, but is that a command line for Linux or a Terminal line in Mac? I'm tipping the former, but the cancer drugs play some funky stuff of their own on my head.

Linux.

I suspect it'll be loaded because it's pretty much default on any modern linux distribution, but off the top of my head it was all I could think of.
Having a look at the possible module options, I don't see anything there for the "@" symbol. Lots of other tweaks for things like function keys however :

Code:

name:           hid_apple
vermagic:       6.11.9-dirty SMP preempt mod_unload 
parm:           fnmode:Mode of fn key on Apple keyboards (0 = disabled, 1 = fkeyslast, 2 = fkeysfirst, [3] = auto) (uint)
parm:           iso_layout:Swap the backtick/tilde and greater-than/less-than keys. ([-1] = auto, 0 = disabled, 1 = enabled) (int)
parm:           swap_opt_cmd:Swap the Option ("Alt") and Command ("Flag") keys. (For people who want to keep Windows PC keyboard muscle memory. [0] = as-is, Mac layout. 1 = swapped, Windows layout., 2 = swapped, Swap only left side) (uint)
parm:           swap_ctrl_cmd:Swap the Control ("Ctrl") and Command ("Flag") keys. (For people who are used to Mac shortcuts involving Command instead of Control. [0] = No change. 1 = Swapped.) (uint)
parm:           swap_fn_leftctrl:Swap the Fn and left Control keys. (For people who want to keep PC keyboard muscle memory. [0] = as-is, Mac layout, 1 = swapped, PC layout) (uint)

Originally Posted by BradC

Linux.

I suspect it'll be loaded because it's pretty much default on any modern linux distribution, but off the top of my head it was all I could think of.
Having a look at the possible module options, I don't see anything there for the "@" symbol. Lots of other tweaks for things like function keys however :

Code:

name:           hid_apple
vermagic:       6.11.9-dirty SMP preempt mod_unload 
parm:           fnmode:Mode of fn key on Apple keyboards (0 = disabled, 1 = fkeyslast, 2 = fkeysfirst, [3] = auto) (uint)
parm:           iso_layout:Swap the backtick/tilde and greater-than/less-than keys. ([-1] = auto, 0 = disabled, 1 = enabled) (int)
parm:           swap_opt_cmd:Swap the Option ("Alt") and Command ("Flag") keys. (For people who want to keep Windows PC keyboard muscle memory. [0] = as-is, Mac layout. 1 = swapped, Windows layout., 2 = swapped, Swap only left side) (uint)
parm:           swap_ctrl_cmd:Swap the Control ("Ctrl") and Command ("Flag") keys. (For people who are used to Mac shortcuts involving Command instead of Control. [0] = No change. 1 = Swapped.) (uint)
parm:           swap_fn_leftctrl:Swap the Fn and left Control keys. (For people who want to keep PC keyboard muscle memory. [0] = as-is, Mac layout, 1 = swapped, PC layout) (uint)

When I relocate the Mac to my little hobby room I'm setting up to while away the days of treatment I'll have a look. It's a recent Mint distro. Not sure if it's the best for my needs.

How to check what parameters are set :

Code:

brad@bklaptop:~$ grep . /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/*
/sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode:3
/sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/iso_layout:-1
/sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/swap_ctrl_cmd:0
/sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/swap_fn_leftctrl:0
/sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/swap_opt_cmd:0

Apple does some odd things with symbols on internet fora. As an Admin, I often have edit posts obviously made from a Mac because it uses its own version of punctuation symbols.