External keyboard function keys not recognised unless I run script

DrPhill

10/22/23, 2:07 PM

I am running Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS with XFCE on a Dell laptop. When I am using an external keyboard the function keys are not correctly detected- for example in Intellij IDE.

I have a work-around which I got from amazon of all places - someone else who reviewed the keyboard added the snippet and it works fine:

echo 0 | sudo tee /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode

However this has to be run in a terminal every session.

So I would like to run this (or something like it) automatically - probably every time a user starts a session, But I do not mind if the ode is run multiple times (I think it is idempotent). What is the easiest and safest way to achieve this? I can use command line and have furtled in various bits of the sensitive configuration stuff, but I do not really know what I am doing so cannot easily backout/repair/troubleshoot stuff when I mess up.

Most solutions that I have found involve plumbing something into systemd but I am not sure it should need to be that complicated....

All help gratefully received. (I am happy to dump system information and copy it here - but thought it may be a noisy distraction)

I did try the solution suggested in Keychron Q1 Function Keysbut itmade no difference.

Phill

My apologies for posting the wrong version originally.

103

1 + 2

startup

configuration

keyboard

David

10/22/23, 2:11 PM

You say you are running Ubuntu 22 so you must be using Ubuntu Core 22. That is the only version to use a single digit number. If it is not that version please edit the question and put in the actual version.

DrPhill

10/22/23, 4:40 PM

Edited, sorry....

Score:1

Ubuntu

vanadium

10/23/23, 12:24 AM

If this has to be in effect as you start your computer, the easiest way will be to execute the command @reboot in a root cron job:

sudo crontab -e

to open the root's crontab file for editing.

Add the line

@reboot echo 0 | tee /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode

Save and exit. The command now will be executed at every boot. sudo is not needed because these cron jobs run as root.

b.t.w., there is no need to use tee; echo 0 > /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode should work equally well.

+ 1

DrPhill

10/23/23, 8:16 AM

Thanks Vanadium. That works a treat- at (least for the user I used to set it up). I was initially thrown by the suggested file being in the temp directory so I read up a little about crontab edit. I like the extra feeling of security from knowing that crontab will check my input.

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EN: External keyboard function keys not recognised unless I run script

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