Bug 461207 - Assigning Window shortcut key cannot include "meta" key (the "Windows" key) or it will be modified to some weird key and fail
Summary: Assigning Window shortcut key cannot include "meta" key (the "Windows" key) o...
Status: REPORTED
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: input (show other bugs)
Version: 5.24.6
Platform: Ubuntu Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2022-10-30 14:41 UTC by Luke Lee
Modified: 2025-04-08 12:35 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

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Description Luke Lee 2022-10-30 14:41:35 UTC
SUMMARY
On Kubuntu 22.04LTS, whenever I assign a window shortcut key including the "Meta" key (the left "Windows" key), for example, "Meta+D" it will be immediately converted to a weird sequence "ៀ?" which is not a valid shortcut key.  This *only* happens on Kubuntu 22.04LTS, not on 20.04 or 18.04.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Open any window say an xterm, on Kubuntu 22.04 LTS
2. Right click on the title bar of xterm, move down to "More Actions" -> "Set Window Shortcut"
3. In the dialog box enters whatever key combination containing the "Meta" key (more exactly the left "Windows" key), say, "Meta+D" (Win+D)

OBSERVED RESULT
After the key combination is typed in the above dialog box, inn the beginning it will correctly show "Meta+D" but 1 second later it will be converted to the text "ៀ?".  If we try "Meta+Alt+D" it will become "Alt+ៀ?".  After we closed the dialog, that key combination has no effect at all.
After examine the xmodmap I found the following 3 keys initially are:

  keycode  64 = Alt_L Meta_L Alt_L Meta_L
  keycode 108 = Alt_R Meta_R Alt_R Meta_R
  keycode 133 = Super_L NoSymbol Super_L

I need to change them to the following to fix this issue.

  keycode  64 = Alt_L Alt_L Alt_L Alt_L
  keycode 108 = Alt_R Alt_R Alt_R Alt_R
  keycode 133 = Meta_L Meta_L Meta_L

EXPECTED RESULT
It supposed to keep what we typed in instead of modifying it into "ៀ?"
If I load the modified xmodkey as above, the this won't happen and the key combination works well as before (Kubuntu 20.04LTS).


SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
Linux/KDE Plasma: Kubuntu 22.04LTS
(available in About System)
KDE Plasma Version: 5.24.6
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.92.0
Qt Version: 5.15.3

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Comment 1 Luke Lee 2022-10-30 15:12:56 UTC
Another observation and workaround is that, when the key input dialog appears, the first "Meta" (Windows key) key-down event will be immediate converted into " ៀ?, ...", at this moment keep the "Meta" key pressed and use mouse to click the "clear" button (the button with a cross "X" on it), then this " ៀ?, ..." will be erased then, keep holding the meta key, continuing the remaining key, say, "Z" for "Meta+Z".  Now this trick will also work without having to load the workaround xmodmap keys I mentioned in the previous comment.
Comment 2 Piotr Dobrogost 2025-04-08 12:35:55 UTC
Is this still an issue in Plasma 6?