6.31. Installing Kbd-1.06

Estimated build time:           1 minute
Estimated required disk space:  8 MB

6.31.1. Installation of Kbd

Install Kbd by running the following commands:

./configure --datadir=/usr/share/kbd &&
make &&
make install

When using the loadkeys program from this package, don't use the -d option to load a default keymap file. It won't work properly with keymaps that include other keymaps.

6.31.2. Command explanations

--datadir=/usr/share/kbd: This puts the kbd data files (fonts, keymaps, and such) in the /usr/share/kbd directory, as the FHS suggests.

6.31.3. Contents

The Kbd package contains the chvt, deallocvt, dumpkeys, fgconsole, getkeycodes, kbd_mode, kbdrate, loadkeys, loadunimap, mapscrn, psfxtable, resizecons, screendump, setfont, setkeycodes, setleds, setmetamode, setvesablank, showfont, showkey, unicode_start, and unicode_stop programs. There are some other programs that don't get installed by default, as they are very optional. Take a look at the Kbd package contents if you have trouble with your console.

6.31.4. Description

6.31.4.1. chvt

chvt changes foreground virtual terminal.

6.31.4.2. deallocvt

deallocvt deallocates unused virtual terminals.

6.31.4.3. dumpkeys

dumpkeys dumps keyboard translation tables.

6.31.4.4. fgconsole

fgconsole prints the number of the active virtual terminal.

6.31.4.5. getkeycodes

getkeycodes prints the kernel scancode-to-keycode mapping table.

6.31.4.6. kbd_mode

kbd_mode reports or sets the keyboard mode.

6.31.4.7. kbdrate

kbdrate sets the keyboard repeat and delay rates.

6.31.4.8. loadkeys

loadkeys loads keyboard translation tables.

6.31.4.9. loadunimap

loadunimap loads the kernel unicode-to-font mapping table.

6.31.4.10. mapscrn

mapscrn loads a user defined output character mapping table into the console driver. Note that it is obsolete and that its features are built into setfont.

6.31.4.11. psfxtable

psfxtable is a tool for handling Unicode character tables for console fonts.

6.31.4.12. resizecons

resizecons changes the kernel idea of the console size.

6.31.4.13. screendump

A screen shot utility for the console.

6.31.4.14. setfont

This lets you change the EGA/VGA fonts in console.

6.31.4.15. setkeycodes

setkeycodes loads kernel scancode-to-keycode mapping table entries.

6.31.4.16. setleds

setleds sets the keyboard LEDs. Many people find it useful to have numlock enabled by default, and it is by using this program that you can achieve this.

6.31.4.17. setmetamode

setmetamode defines the keyboard meta key handling.

6.31.4.18. setvesablank

This lets you fiddle with the built-in hardware screensaver (not toasters, only a blank screen).

6.31.4.19. showfont

showfont displays data about a font. The information shown includes font information, font properties, character metrics, and character bitmaps.

6.31.4.20. showkey

showkey examines the scancodes and keycodes sent by the keyboard.

6.31.4.21. unicode_start

unicode_start puts the console in Unicode mode.

6.31.4.22. unicode_stop

unicode_stop reverts keyboard and console from unicode mode.

6.31.5. Dependencies

Kbd-1.06 needs the following to be installed:


sh from the bash package

as from the binutils package
ld from the binutils packag
strip from the binutils package

bison from the bison package

cp from the fileutils package
install from the fileutils package
ln from the fileutils package
mv from the fileutils package
rm from the fileutils package

flex from the flex package

cpp from the gcc package
gcc from the gcc package

gunzip from the gzip package
gzip from the gzip package

make from the make package

sed from the sed package

uname from the sh-utils package