Ubuntu

Special characters using number pad not working

Asked by José Y

Since I normally write in Spanish, I have used the International configuration for the keyboard. That allows the forming of n with ~ above and the upside down ?.

About two weeks ago it stopped functioning. At the same time I could no longer get special keys using the number keyboard (as alt + 0241 to get the special n).

I tried another keyboard, and did another installation of Ubuntu 7, but the situation stays the same.

I recently installed Virtual Box with Windows 2k, and everything works normally there.

My "feeling" is that it started with a update/safety download for Ubuntu. I so, this would be a bug.

Thanks for handling the problem.

José

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Dmitry Mityugov (dmitry-mityugov) said : 		#1

Hello José,

You probably can use the compose key to enter these symbols. By default it should be right Alt key if my memory serves me right (to find out exactly, you'll probably need to look up your /etc/X11/xorg.conf for "compose" or a similar word).

You can get more information on how to use this key here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compose_key

Revision history for this message
José Y (young7) said : 		#2

Very true... though I have been doing that for many years. It is
precisely that which has stopped functioning. Normally it is the right
Alt key, or depending on the configuration, the left one. In the US
International keyboard configuration is the right Alt, which worked fine
until, as I said, a couple of weeks ago.

And, as I mentioned, it works without problems in the virtual Windows
machine but not in my Ubuntu machine.

José Y
> Your question #11946 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/11946
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Dmitry Mityugov proposed the following answer:
> Hello José,
>
> You probably can use the compose key to enter these symbols. By default
> it should be right Alt key if my memory serves me right (to find out
> exactly, you'll probably need to look up your /etc/X11/xorg.conf for
> "compose" or a similar word).
>
> You can get more information on how to use this key here:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compose_key
>
>

Revision history for this message
Dmitry Mityugov (dmitry-mityugov) said : 		#3

José,

Could you post the section for your keyboard from your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file here, please? What XkbOptions are specified in it?

Revision history for this message
José Y (young7) said : 		#4

OK... here it is:

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
    Driver "kbd"
    Option "CoreKeyboard"
    Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
    Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option "XkbLayout" "us"
    Option "XkbVariant" "alt-intl"
EndSection

I note that it does not seem to have the anotation you mentioned,
"compose". That could be the problem.

José
> Your question #11946 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/11946
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> Dmitry Mityugov requested for more information:
> José,
>
> Could you post the section for your keyboard from your
> /etc/X11/xorg.conf file here, please? What XkbOptions are specified in
> it?
>
>

Revision history for this message
José Y (young7) said : 		#5

There are two international keyboard selections. The one with "dead keys" is the one that does what I needed. So bit by bit I am learning.
Thanks