Confusion regarding Modifier Keys mappings (eg. Control >> Control)

[enesbala5]

Hello,

I have been using keymapperd for a while now, and it's been great. However I noticed that I could no longer Ctrl + Click on a link to open it in a new tab.

I went to check the documentation here and learned about this type of declaration:

# Pass Modifier Keys through

Control >> Control
Shift >> Shift
Alt >> Alt

After adding this to the top of the file, my keybindings stopped working mostly, as they utilize Control, Shift, etc.. However my Ctrl + Click started working again.

I then moved the code snippet to the bottom and keybindings worked, but the Ctrl + Click didn't.

Can anyone please suggest a solution to this situation?

---

Here is my full config for reference:

# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Aliases
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alt   = AltLeft
AltGr = AltRight
Win   = Meta
Left   = ArrowLeft
Right   = ArrowRight

# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Pass Modifier Keys through
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Control >> Control
Shift >> Shift
Alt >> Alt


# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Global mappings
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
PageUp >> AudioVolumeUp
PageDown >> AudioVolumeDown
Home >> MediaPlayPause
Insert >> Meta{A}
End >> F11
MediaTrackPrevious >> NumLock
MediaTrackNext >> NumLock
# (Control Alt){P} >> (Control Alt){F6}

[system = "Linux"]
(Control Alt){P} >> (Control Shift){F6}


# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Application-specific mappings
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Zen
# ---------
[system = "Linux", class = "zen-alpha"]
[system = "Windows", path = "zen.exe"]

(Control Shift){P} >> Control{L}
Control{P} >> Control{T}
Control{D} >> Alt{P}
(Control Alt){Left} >> (Control Alt Shift){U}
(Control Alt){Right} >> (Control Alt Shift){U}

# Obsidian
# ---------
# [system = "Linux", class = "obsidian"]

# For Future Focus Mode
# (Control K) Z >> (Control Alt Shift){Z}

[houmain]

Hi, you likely have to undo the modifiers which were forwarded before and interfere with the shortcuts, like:

(Control Alt){P} >> !Alt (Control Shift){F6}
(Control Shift){P} >> !Shift Control{L}
Control{D} >> !Control Alt{P}

Are these the ones which stopped working?

[enesbala5]

This worked. Very odd solution though - I think it should be mentioned somewhere. I also don't feel like my use case is rare - so this would probably help many like me to explore keymapper.

[houmain]

Yes, right. It also has been bugging me for a while now. Here I have been writing about a possible solution, which I implemented now. In 4.8.1 there is a new directive @forward-modifiers to try out.

[ristomatti]

@enesbala5 It's actually pretty useful how it behaves currently. For instance, I have a config like this:

AltRight{A} >> AltRight{Q} # 'ä'
AltRight{O} >> AltRight{P} # 'ö'

This also implies that Shift{AltRight{A}} will output Ä as Keymapper doesn't automatically release keys pressed at the same time.

[ristomatti]

@houmain This tripped me a couple of days as well. I was pulling my hair off trying to figure why i3wm mapping didn't work as I wanted. I use Meta{Digit} to switch workspaces and added an alternative mapping, e.g Meta{W} >> !W Meta{0} which seemed to work fine, but then I noticed Meta gets released after it triggers and I couldn't then follow up with IJKL to focus window tiles directionally (while still holding Meta).

The issue turned out to be that I was forwarding the mods only on the first stage and not the second one. I see the new directive should do this automatically for all stages, nice!