SUMMARY Shortcut key combinations using the meta key no longer work consistently. In system settings > shortcuts > global shortcuts I have assigned the meta + F keys to launch Firefox; I've set meta + G to launch Google Chrome. But those shortcuts no longer work. When I press them nothing happens. Oddly, meta + E, the default shortcut for launching Dolphin, works as expected. I'm running KDE plasma 5.18.2, kernel 5.5.7-1, KDE Frameworks 5.67.0, and Qt version 5.14.1 on an up-to-date opensuse tumbleweed. STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Go to system settings > shortcuts > global shortcuts and choose Firefox from the application launcher. Assign Meta+F as global shortcut to launch Firefox 2. Select apply 3. Press meta + F keys OBSERVED RESULT Nothing happens EXPECTED RESULT Firefox should launch SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS Linux/KDE Plasma: 5.18.2 (available in About System) KDE Plasma Version: 5.18.2 KDE Frameworks Version: 5.67.0 Qt Version: 5.14.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The same problem happens when trying to assign Meta+G as a shortcut to launch google chrome. I've also tried assigning the shortcut by right clicking on the application launcher icon and choosing 'Edit applications" but that doesn't work either. As I mentioned above, the default shortcut to launch Dolphein (Meta+E) works as expected.
One more comment: the problem isn't only the meta key. I tried assigning "alt + F" to launch firefox but that key combination doesn't work either. I also tried assigning "alt + G" to launch google chrome and that didn't work. So I suspect that shortcut keys for some reason aren't working for some non-kde applications.
After more tinkering I've found that I was able to create shortcuts using the meta key by going to system settings > shortcuts > custom shortcuts, clicking on edit > new > global shortcut > command/url and entering /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop in the field under the "action" tab. But this method is much more complicated than simply choosing "edit applications" from the application launcher, which is the way I've always created shortcuts in the past. For some reason that method no longer works. Looks like there's a glitch somewhere.
I can confirm the problem here on Gentoo with Frameworks 5.68.0 Plasma 5.18.3 Apps 19.12.3 Xorg Server 1.20.7 Kernel 5.5.9
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 417495 ***
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 421329 ***