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Enabling keypad navigation in Felix95 on SUN computers


As most Felix users know, keypad navigation in ND spectra is a great time saver, but sadly, it is not functioning in the Sun version of Felix95 (and previous versions). In the default state the numeric keypad of Sun keyboards under Openlook 3.x does not generate keycodes which Felix95 will understand as navigation commands. The numeric keys above the main part of the keyboard function as advertised, but it is sort of counterintuitive to have to resort to these as they are arranged in a single row.

I have therefore devised input files for the xmodmap utility to reprogram the keyboard so that it generate the keycodes understood by Felix95. Essentially, these keys will generate the same keycode as their counterparts on the main keyboard part.

To enable keypad navigation, use the following commands:

xmodmap /nfs/obelix/var/www/htdocs/script/type<#>.mod

where <#> is either 4 or 5, depending on the keyboard type you have.

Then start Felix. When you are done, you may want to reset things by typing

xmodmap /nfs/obelix/var/www/htdocs/script/type<#>

There are two Sun keyboard types currently in use:
Type4 keyboards are the smaller ones without the inverted T arrow keys
Type5 keyboards are the wider ones with the inverted T arrow keys

On type5 keyboards, the arrow keys let you step through planes in 3D and 4D spectra, just as advertised. Type4 keyboards do not have separate arrow keys, hence there is no way currently to navigate through planes. I am contemplating to program the = / Pause PrScr (R4,R5,R1,R2) keys for the job. Maybe there are better ideas?

This setup has been tested with Felix running under SunOS 4.1.x and under Solaris 2.x, as well as FelixX running under IRIX 5.3 from Sun Type4 and Type5 keyboards.

It is entirely possible that other programs that make use of the numeric keypad or modify the keyboard themselves will malfunction while you have modified the default setup, so please don't blame me for that.

For the technically inclined: I have used the xkeycaps utility by Jamie Zawinski to generate the input files to xmodmap. The modified maps contain only the keycodes to be modified and leave the remaining keys alone. However, the default maps mentioned above are the full output of what xkeycaps thinks is proper for those keyboards. Your mileage may vary considerably...
xkeycaps executables are on obelix in /usr/local/bin and on sponsz in /export/sponsz/bin.


last edited Mar. 4, 1998 by Christoph Weber