Re: Xorg keymap and wskbd keymap

[Michael <macallan%netbsd.org@localhost>]

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Hello,

On Jun 20, 2010, at 3:42 AM, Matthieu Herrb wrote:

> May I try to share my views on the subject ?
>
> - the use of PC-AT inspired keycodes in X for all systems was a design
>  decision back in the  XFreee86 times. It helped to keep the xf86 DDX
>  code for the non-xkb case simple.
>  But, given the limitations of this encoding (terrible "extended"
>  keycodes, lack of standard mappings for extra keys,...) this was
>  probably a mistake.

Yeah, it's a mess.

> - So I've been thinking about moving away from xf86-input-keyboard for
>  wscons too. This means writing a new xf86-input-wskbd input driver
>  (or add keyboard support to the existing xf86-input-ws driver
>  which can already replace xf86-input-mouse for wsmouse). This
>  driver, together with a set of xkb keycode descriptions would allow
>  to simplify the keyboard mapping process, by  removing the
>  extra-layer of going through this awkward PC-AT emulation.

Sounds like the way to go.

> - In the context of the X server, wsmux is a terrible design
>  choice. It hides all keyboards behind one single device, with one
>  single keymap. With XInput2 and XKB, the X server has the
>  opportunity to configure each keyboard individually (with different
>  layouts for example, which is one of the reasons I sometimes keep 2
>  keyboards connected to a machine). Thus I think that BSD kernels
>  should either give up on wsmux or change the mux protocol to add an
>  identifier of the device that originally generated the event.

Or at least let all members in the mux use the same set of scancodes.  
I rather like the idea - I can hotplug USB keyboards and similar stuff  
without the Xserver needing to know or care. If I want the keyboards  
visible to the Xserver instead of hiding behind the mux I can still  
give each one its own xorg.conf entry. Of course things still get  
screwy if you have different layout variants on the same mux.

> BTW the same remark applies to wsmux for pointing devices (wsmouse).

For basic pointing devices it works Just Fine(tm).
Which reminds me - did you guys add any code for tablet and  
touchscreen support? I have a tablet sitting her, sooner or later I'll  
have to get it supported properly and I'd rather not re-invent the  
wheel.

> So if someone wants to grab the flag, and start implementing a wscons
> specific X input driver, you'll have my support.

So much work, unfortunately real life needs way too much attention.

have fun
Michael


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