IT/Software/System Config/Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcuts

These are any keystroke that does something other than what it "normally" does.

The Compose Key

This is a special KDE feature that allows you to define a key and then type something to get a special character or modifier.

Turning it on

Go to System Settings > Input Devices > Keyboard > Advanced > Position of Compose Key.

Be careful choosing this. It will override its normal features. If you pick left control then you lose copy and past.

I have chosen right control since I don't use that very often.

The default list that does work is base on your locale. /usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose

Changes made to that file will not change unless you do something to reload the locales.

Setting it up

Create a file

# ~/.XCompose

 # ~/.XCompose
 # This file defines custom Compose sequences for Unicode characters

# Import default rules from the system Compose file:
 include "/usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose" 

# To put some stuff onto compose key strokes:
<Multi_key> <d> <e> <g> 			: "°"	degree # DEGREE SIGN

You can also

include "%L" to just include the loaded locale

You may or may not need to add the following line to your ~/.profile

export GTK_IM_MODULE="xim"

Now log out and back in again. Open Writer to test. Hit the compose key let go and then type the shortcut

Below are my favorites.

<Multi_key> <d> <e> <g> 	: "°"	degree # DEGREE SIGN
<Multi_key> <d>  <e> <l>	: "Δ"	delta or change in # . : DELTA
<Multi_key> <t> <h> <e> 	: "∴"	therefore # : . THEREFORE
<Multi_key> <b>  <e> <c>	: "∵"	because # . : BECAUSE
<Multi_key> <s>  <t> 		: "⋺"	such that # . : SUCH THAT