KBD_MODE(1) General Commands Manual KBD_MODE(1)
NAME
kbd_mode - report or set the keyboard mode
SYNOPSIS
kbd_mode [ -a | -u | -k | -s ] [ -f ] [ -C CONSOLE ]
DESCRIPTION
Without argument, kbd_mode prints the current keyboard mode (RAW, MEDI-
UMRAW or XLATE). With argument, it sets the keyboard mode as indi-
cated:
-s: scancode mode (RAW),
-k: keycode mode (MEDIUMRAW),
-a: ASCII mode (XLATE),
-u: UTF-8 mode (UNICODE).
Of course the "-a" is only traditional, and the code used can be any
8-bit character set. With "-u" a 16-bit character set is expected, and
these chars are transmitted to the kernel as 1, 2, or 3 bytes (follow-
ing the UTF-8 coding). In these latter two modes the key mapping de-
fined by loadkeys(1) is used.
kbd_mode operates on the console specified by the "-C" option; if there
is none, the console associated with stdin is used.
Warning: changing the keyboard mode, other than between ASCII and Uni-
code, will probably make your keyboard unusable. Set the "-f" option to
force such changes. This command is only meant for use (say via remote
login) when some program left your keyboard in the wrong state. Note
that in some obsolete versions of this program the "-u" option was a
synonym for "-s" and older versions of this program may not recognize
the "-f" option.
SEE ALSO
loadkeys(1)
kbd 6 Apr 1994 KBD_MODE(1)
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