Gripe - screenshots AGAIN!

General Linux Question
1

OK - so - in Gnome 42 (e.g. on Ubuntu 22.04, Fedora 36/37, Pop!_OS 22) the application menu item (e.g. superkey and search for screenshot) NEVER launches anything (it does show an icon but clicking on it DOES NOTHING)… It’s a PIG of a thing in use-ability and whoever thunk this up needs their arse kicked…

Shift+Ctrl+Alt+R - launches the screen recorder…

And - at least in Pop!_OS - it ALWAYS defaults to f–king SCREENCAST!

On Monday I accidentally left it screencasting on my Thinkpad OVERNIGHT - because I didn’t realise it was recording video instead of a still shot…

Now - if you’re lucky enough to have a keyboard with a PrtSC button - you’re in luck - as the default here is to just capture an image…

But - for whatever diabolical reason, Synergy KVM server (on MacOS) is NOT sending the PrtSc keypress to Synergy clients… My simple guess is that MacOS doesn’t recognize that button (I’m using a Lenovo Thinkpad Keyboard II [with Trackpoint]) so it NEVER sends that keystroke to clients…

I kinda HATE setting up keyboard shortcuts - mainly 'cause I have multiple computers, and I’m often rebuiding them, i.e. wiping and starting a fresh install…

So - when I really REALLY need to grab a screenshot - I’m usually doing it via that shellscript I partially plagiarised that uses imagemagick…

TL;DR : Shift+Ctrl+Alt+R - launches the screen recorder…

P.S. I HATE the way Discourse capitalises the first work of a topic! What if I want lower case???

I’ve modified the keyboard shortcuts for screenshots on my Pop!_OS desktop machine :
Screenshot from 2023-03-22 10-43-10

But I HATE doing boring repetitive tasks like that all over the place - if I want that everywhere I have to remember it and do it manually - I LOATHE that level of interactivity :smiley: - I wish there was a way to script that… I guess I could try and find it in gconf-editor or dconf-editor (I never know which one to use) and try and script it???

Just realised - for consistency - I should make them the same as on MacOS - which I’ve almost got down to “muscle memory” : so I’ve added more - I just with there was someway to save this as a file somewhere and replay it (like a “heaven forbid” *.reg file on Windows).
Screenshot from 2023-03-22 10-56-06

So - I’ve done that Pop!_OS on my Pi4, and my Pop!_OS desktop machine, but didn’t bother on the Pop!_OS Thinkpad - setting Shift+Ctrl+Alt+S and P and W as it has a physical PrtSc key - but I did set the MacOS shortcuts… for consistency…

Now considering setting an additional Copy+Paste shortcut consistent with MacOS
Copy = Super+C
Paste = Super+V

and I have a “special” two key keyboard next to my main keyboard hooked up to my work MacBook, that ONLY does that - left button does BOTH Super+C, and right button does BOTH Super+V

Yeah - defo gonna do that :smiley: - IF I CAN EVER FIGURE OUT HOW - because it doesn’t seem possible with “out of the box” on Pop!_OS - and it’s all really just Ubuntu anyway (add more keybindings as well as Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V)

OK Gnome Tweak tool : “Additional Layout Options”

Screenshot from 2023-03-22 11-18-45
Screenshot from 2023-03-22 11-18-451526×705 123 KB

Except - that did BUGGER ALL! Tits on a bull!

I need to learn some patience due to my grumpy old man nature and rapidly approaching dotage…
It’s NOW working!

i.e. BOTH CTRL and CMD / WIN / Super +C or +V copy or paste, respectively!

2

Would an underscore _ or blank space ( ) at the start before the first word do anything ? :thinking:

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3

It lowered the case here

So maybe if you want lower case type upper?

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4

So - would anyone here have an idea how to export custom Gnome settings (like keyboard shortcuts and / or bindings)?

Assuming this site never carks it (fingers crossed) I can always come back here for the answer next time I build a Gnome based desktop system…

5

Does this help you

I forgot to add this next bit not 100% for Gnome, think of it as a mudmap,years ago found a way in KDE that could be used as a starting point (ideas) in your search,

Used file search to find all/any files related to keyboard shortcuts read each until found the correct rc file (kde) made a copy into ExHD along with other files, firefox bookmarks,Gimp rc files etc etc so when moving distros and copy paste of config etc did not complete as it can do, the copies of the rc files saved a lot of time.

To help steer you in correct pathways I’m not Gnome savvy
in kde it goes like this Home > yourname > .config > kgolbalshortcutsrc

aaannd lookin where the keyboard shortcuts get edited might have an export to feature at bottom of panel with dropdown box eg Manage scheme >> more actions > export etc etc.

This is though for kde I’m hope this and the links to Duck yourself with should help.

You just beat me in posting this with yours
I took too long to edit .

6

This result from that search looks semi-promising :

https://www.addictivetips.com/ubuntu-linux-tips/back-up-the-gnome-shell-desktop-settings-linux/

But I don’t necessarily want to backup EVERYTHING up…

Just the stuff I added to
Tweaks

  • Keyboard & Mouse > Additional Layout Options > Alt and Win behaviour > Ctrl is mapped to Win and the usual Ctrl

Gnome Setttings

  • Keyboard > View and Customize Shortcuts > Screenshots

But looking at it now - much as I’d like to automate that - it’s probably only 5 minutes work in each case… then I’m done…

BTW - that “Crl is mapped to Win and the usual Ctrl” setting is a bit flaky and inconsistent - but it’s manageable… I mostly just use the X Select Buffer with text copy+paste anyway… And Synergy shares the clipboard, and iTerm2 in MacOS puts text selected in a terminal window into the clipboard, just like on X (but there’s no separate Clipboard and X Select buffer - just the clipboard).

7

Try this

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Sheeze I’m a lazy bastard, your efforts shall not go unappreciated mate :smiley:

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9

Another gripe - and it’s very vague and non-specific - because I don’t know exactly what keys I’ve hit…

I primarily use a Lenovo Thinkpad Keyboard with Trackpoint II (bluetooth and 2.4 Ghz dongle)…

I mostly run it via Bluetooth to my work supplied MacBook running Synergy server…

Sometimes when I’m typing away (via Synergy) into my main Pop!_OS desktop machine, the screen will go black for less than 5 seconds and my desktop screen layout will get reset to default…

I normally have it arranged like this

 ---------------------------- 
|  TOP HDMI                  |
|                            |
|                            |
 ____________________________
 ----------------------------
|  BOTTOM DP                 |
|  display 2 - but primary   |
|                            |
 ____________________________

But somewhere around the middle of the keyboard - keys around the trackpoing (e.g. GHYNBV or something) if I accidentally press two of them together - it rearranges my monitors like this :

----------------------------    --------------------------- 
|  TOP HDMI                  | | BOTTOM DP                 |
|                            | |                           |
|                            | |                           |
 ____________________________   ___________________________

TOP and BOTTOM are how I have those monitors setup “physically” - but the default is to place them side by side… i.e. whatever accidental key combination is - it’s resetting my desktop monitor layout to default - and I HATE IT DOING THAT! I’ve search throughout keyboard and shortcuts in Pop!_OS Gnome Setttings…

Note also - this was happing in Ubuntu 22.04 as WELL!

Anyone know what this mysterious key combo might be? BECAUSE IT HATE it and want to disable it!

10

You may find it here

I know its Android, but the table has a list of shortcuts for linux, win, and macos

11

The first thing I’d do would be to replace the keyboard with a new one. Generic 105-key noname keyboard might be best.

12

Super+P will cause this issue. At least for me it does.
sorry to double post- meant to reply to Daniel.

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13

Super+P will cause this issue. At least for me it does.

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14

use dconf & try looking under-
/org/gnome/mutter/keybindings/switch-monitor
/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/media-keys/custom-keybindings/ # Custom

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15

Super+P did it - but - neither of my fingers are on or near the Super Key or the P key when this happens…

Note - I AM NOT replacing this keyboard…
Cost me $150 - Lenovo ThinkPad Keyboard II with Trackpoint (BlueTooth - and - 2.4 Ghz - switchable)… it’s only 18 months old… I don’t (and won’t) use any other keyboard (I have USB wired spares) - as I love using the Trackpoint and I LOVE having a middle mouse button (X select buffer is “king”).

Note also - on Linux its NOT ACTUALLY a physical keyboard, it’s a “Virtual Keyboard” thanks to Synergy Client (client on the Linux desktop machine - server on MacOS)…

But at least I can search for what Super+P does or is labelled as or described as and search for that because it’s some other keyboard shortcut / combo… thanks for the tips and pointers :smiley:

Saw another post someone suggested doing Super+P to reset it back to what it was before…

NO!

Press Super+P again and it goes to Mirror, press it again and it goes to default (side by side) - never goes back to my previous configuration (stacked vertically)

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16

There is a switch-monitor and also rotate-monitor. Just curious, do the keybindings look correct in
using dconf editor /org/gnome/mutter/keybindings/

Maybe you’re hitting an unknown XF86 keybinding causing this?
I’m not 100% sure how XF86 would relate to a virtual keyboard though

17

Just looked online at Lenovo.au yesterday - most of the commonly hit keys on this keyboard are faded and letters hard to see (fortunately I can touch type - but not always - e.g. I’ve got a coffee in one hand and I’m hunting and pecking with my index finger on the other hand) - so I thought about getting a new one - NO!

They’re now over $300 AU!!! WTF?

Anyway - this annoying behaviour happened to me again this morning - I know ONE of the the keys is “U” (i.e. the last one of whatever the bizarre keystroke combo is)… but not sure what the other one(s) is/are… This is probably attributable to touch-typing, as I’m relying on muscle memory to type stuff - so I can’t figure out which keystroke went before hitting “U”…

So - back to keyboard with trackpoint - I went searching and found this “Shura” from TeX (https://tex.com.tw/) :

For $165 USD - and if I add this to make it wireless (Bluetooth) :

for $40 USD, that’s $205 USD, plus shipping and I get probably a better keyboard than the Lenovo…

Maybe for Xmas…
– My daughters got me a nice LogiTech mechanical keyboard for my birthday last year (60th) - but I didn’t use it for very long 'cause it DOES NOT HAVE A TRACKPOINT!

I keep coming back to using a Trackpoint… it’s an essential tool for work and play far as I’m concerned… I don’t have to take my hands off the keyboard to move the cursor - it’s better than a touch / trackpad and barely uses up any room on the keyboard - and I get three buttons (middle button PASTE RULES!).

18

You need to look harder

https://www.lenovo.com/au/en/p/accessories-and-software/keyboards-and-mice/keyboards/0b47190?orgRef=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F&srsltid=AR57-fCthUpKjQaUByw46dSYbMBuyVOsiQWAjYoIT6c8oSkcFqpehZ0q9E8

19

I never used them and most of the people I have worked with never did either. We referred to them as “pencil dicks”.

To each his own. Whatever you get used to makes you most productive.

I do agree with using the keyboard and not taking your hands off to use a mouse or track pad. Mostly I use Ctrl/Alt/Super key combinations anywhere I can.

20

No! That’s the USB one - I have about half a dozen of these! I keep one at work in my locker…

I like those too - hence why I keep one at work… Several of them have broken off keys… One I got off e-bay is a Spanish variant and a bit dodgy…

But I like WIRELESS - the Lenovo Thinkpad Keyboard II is both Bluetooth and USB dongle compatible… and it’s over $300 now… (I paid about $150)…

“We”, as in certain non-political correct colleagues used to call Trackpoints “clitoris” - the trouble is nobody (males) could find it after that… There’s a whole Seinfeld episode devoted to “rhymes with a part of the female anatomy”, and the answer was Dolores…

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