Startup command in /etc/init.d/boot.local?

[gminnerup]

I've modified a few keyboard mappings with the command "setxkbmap us_de" and that works fine whenever run through a terminal but I'd like to make it permanent. Put the command in boot.local but nothing happens: is this because it's run too early in the boot process, or because the full path to us_de is required?
The alternative method, using the "skeleton" file, that I've read about seems rather complicated...

[ken_yap]

# Here you should add things, that should happen directly after booting
# before we're going to the first run level.

Those comments tell you when it's run. Even before the first runlevel, that means definitely no X server is running (level 5).

[gminnerup]

That's what I suspected. So how do I run it later? Is the complicated "skeleton" procedure really my only option?

[ken_yap]

There are some files that are executed during X server startup. Is it something you want to apply to every instance of X running on your machine?

[gminnerup]

Yes. As indicated above, it simply modifies the standard keyboard mapping.

[ken_yap]

If you are running KDE4, simplest would probably to put a script in ~/.kde4/Autostart/. This can be a link to a common script somewhere else.

[ken_yap]

In fact it may be simpler than that. If you look at /usr/share/kde4/config/kdm/kdmrc you will see that it calls /etc/X11/xdm/Xsetup. Reading through that, around line 211 you will see that if /etc/X11/Xkbmap exists, it will get sent to setxkbmap. So all you have to do is put your mapping in /etc/X11/Xkbmap. You will also see that there are different Xkbmaps that can be used for different kinds of X sessions, but presumably you only care about the one on the console.

[gminnerup]

Hmmm. Put the following script

#!/bin/bash
setxkbmap us_de

into ~/.kde/autostart/ as us_de.sh and it didn't work.

As to your second suggestion, my kdmrc contains no references to Xkbmap or setxkbmap around line 211, or anywhere else for that matter. Nor does /etc/X11/Xkbmap exist...

[ken_yap]

It's not your kdmrc, it's the system one, I already showed you the full path. And it's not kdmrc anyway, it's /etc/X11/xdm/'Xsetup that refers to setxkbmap.

You have to create /etc/X11/Xkbmap to be a link or a copy of your us_de.

Also if you are running KDE4, it's ~/.kde4/Autostart. And make sure the file is executable (chmod 755 ...)

Get some spectacles, mate.

[gminnerup]

Making the script executable did indeed make the difference!

It's not your kdmrc, it's the system one, I already showed you the full path. And it's not kdmrc anyway, it's /etc/X11/xdm/'Xsetup that refers to setxkbmap.

You have to create /etc/X11/Xkbmap to be a link or a copy of your us_de.

Also if you are running KDE4, it's ~/.kde4/Autostart. And make sure the file is executable (chmod 755 ...)

Get some spectacles, mate.

Already have glasses, although the optician sent me a reminder only the other day to have an eye test. You may have a point :-)
Thanks for your help.