# Usage To open the UI to modify the mappings, look into your applications menu and search for 'Key Mapper'. You should be prompted for your sudo password as special permissions are needed to read events from `/dev/input/` files. You can also start it via `sudo key-mapper-gtk`.
Hitting a key on the device that is selected in the large dropdown on the top should display the key on the bottom of the window, and write it into the selected row (as shown in the screenshots). For changes to take effect, save the preset first. Otherwise, the daemon won't be able to know about your changes. Afterwards press the "Apply" button. To change the mapping, you need to use the "Restore Defaults" button, so that the application can read the original keycode. It would otherwise be invisible since the daemon maps it independently of the GUI. ## Troubleshooting If stuff doesn't work, check the output of `sudo key-mapper-gtk -d` and feel free to [open up an issue here](https://github.com/sezanzeb/key-mapper/issues/new). Make sure to not post any debug logs that were generated while you entered private information with your device. Debug logs are quite verbose. If injecting stops after closing the window, the service is not running. Try `sudo systemctl start key-mapper` in a terminal. If key-mapper or your presets prevents your input device from working at all due to autoload, please try to replug your device, wait 3 seconds and replug it again. No injection should be running anymore. ## Combinations Select the key in your row (`click here`) and hold a few buttons down. Releasing them will make your text cursor jump into the mapping column to type in what you want to map it to. Combinations involving Ctrl might not work, I think the desktop environment grabs them or something. Combinations with Shift might not work the way you would expect. If it outputs the keycode for a, you are going to get an 'A', because X11 still sees the enabled shift button. This happens, because all key-mapper does is either forwarding or mapping your keycodes (which is easier said than done), and X11/Wayland has to decide what to do with it. And it decides, that if shift is pressed down, it will capitalize your stuff. A better option for a key combination would be `KP1 + a` instead of `LEFTSHIFT + a`, because there won't be any side effect. You can disable `KP1` by mapping it to `disable`, so you won't trigger writing a "1" into your focused application.
## Writing Combinations You can write `control_l + a` as mapping, which will inject those two keycodes into your system on a single key press. An arbitrary number of names can be chained using ` + `.
## Macros It is possible to write timed macros into the center column: - `k(1).k(2)` 1, 2 - `r(3, k(a).w(500))` a, a, a with 500ms pause - `m(Control_L, k(a).k(x))` CTRL + a, CTRL + x - `k(1).h(k(2)).k(3)` writes 1 2 2 ... 2 2 3 while the key is pressed Documentation: - `r` repeats the execution of the second parameter - `w` waits in milliseconds - `k` writes a single keystroke - `m` holds a modifier while executing the second parameter - `h` executes the parameter as long as the key is pressed down - `.` executes two actions behind each other Syntax errors are shown in the UI on save. Each `k` function adds a short delay of 10ms between key-down, key-up and at the end. See [Configuration Files](#configuration-files) for more info. Bear in mind that anti-cheat software might detect macros in games. ## UI Shortcuts - Hold down `ctrl` and click on "new" to copy the current preset - `shift` + `del` stops the injection (only works while the gui is in focus) - `ctrl` + `q` closes the application ## Key Names Check the autocompletion of the GUI for possible values. You can also obtain a complete list of possiblities using `key-mapper-control --key-names`. Examples: - Alphanumeric `a` to `z` and `0` to `9` - Modifiers `Alt_L` `Control_L` `Control_R` `Shift_L` `Shift_R` - Mouse buttons `BTN_LEFT` `BTN_RIGHT` `BTN_MIDDLE` `BTN_SIDE` ... - Multimedia keys `KEY_NEXTSONG` `KEY_PLAYPAUSE` ... ## Gamepads Joystick movements will be translated to mouse movements, while the second joystick acts as a mouse wheel. You can swap this in the user interface. All buttons, triggers and D-Pads can be mapped to keycodes and macros. The D-Pad can be mapped to W, A, S, D for example, to run around in games, while the joystick turns the view (depending on the game). Tested with the XBOX 360 Gamepad. On Ubuntu, gamepads worked better in Wayland than with X11 for me.