Bug 432267

Summary: Do not activate capslock when pressed together with another key
Product: [Plasma] plasmashell Reporter: Rind <kde.milrind>
Component: generalAssignee: David Edmundson <kde>
Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME    
Severity: normal CC: nate, plasma-bugs-null
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: 5.20.90   
Target Milestone: 1.0   
Platform: Other   
OS: Other   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Rind 2021-01-29 01:39:21 UTC 
SUMMARY
If a shortcut is defined for a combination involving some special key, such as capslock, numlock or scrol lock, this will also activate its function and the shortcut will end up having an unwanted feature.

Example: Like most users, I use alt+tab to navigate between windows, but I also use the workspaces and I need a shortcut to do the same. So I defined capslock+tab for that.
But this activates the key function, even if another key is pressed before.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Add the cited shortcut to the capslock key + some modifier (like alt, in this case)
2. Put a browser on one desktop and kate on another
3. Try alternating using the defined shortcut 
4. Now you have the capslock active whenever you type something in your text 

EXPECTED RESULT
If it was pressed next to another modifier key, the capslock should not be activated.
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2021-01-29 15:20:20 UTC 
This is up to the X11 server and not something we can directly control in KDE-land. If you find the Caps Lock key to be annoying (as I do) you can re-bind it to something else in System Settings > Input Devices > Keyboard > Advanced. You could make your Caps Lock Key into an Alt key for example, which would support the use case you're looking for. I have mine turned into a Compose key. I know a lot of others who turn it into another Ctrl key.
Comment 2 Rind 2021-01-29 19:05:36 UTC 
I understand.
Thanks for the explanation, Nate.