Weekend Project: Configure Your Keyboard Into Submission

“Because the multimedia, email, and WWW keys found on newer
keyboards are not used for general text input, it is easiest to get
started on key mapping with them — there are fewer repercussions
if you make a mistake. The overall outline is that you will
determine which keycode each key actually sends when pressed, then
list these keycodes and assign a meaning to each of them in a
configuration file.

“To capture the codes, run the command xev from a shell prompt.
This will launch a square window named “Event Tester” or something
roughly equivalent. All X input actions you perform inside that
window (both keystrokes and mouse actions) will be reported as
output in the shell window. Move the mouse over the window and
press one of the multimedia buttons. You will hopefully see two
paragraphs of output, one for the KeyPress event and one for the
KeyRelease event that follows it.”

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