HP Compaq 6715b multimedia keys

English Hardware
#1

Hi there. The laptop model HP Compaq 6715 is on the SuSE hardware compatibility list, where it says that the laptop multimedia touch-sensor keys work out of the box, except for the two that “require configuring”. Those two are presumably the “Info” and the “Presentation” key, situated one at the each side of the “wireless antenna enable/disable” button. Now, could anyone be more specific on those two buttons? Has anyone succeeded in making them work? Is there a kind soul out there that can explain to a newbie what “configuring” those two buttons actually “require” and how does it get done? Thx

#2

:(:(:(Hello?
Anybody?:confused:

#3

It’s an old wiki but it could be useful :
http://susewiki.org/index.php?title=Multimedia_Keys

#4

Thanx for the tip, but unfortunately, the two keys in question aren’t even detected by Xev (pressing them in Xev doesn’t give any output whatsoever). That’s why a qualified answer from a HP Compaq 6715b user would be extremely welcome. Should I select a specific keyboard layout before running Xev? The default openSuSE install just selected Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro/Microsoft Interne… (yes, that’s literally how it’s defined in YAST, ending in three dots). Could a wrongly selected keyboard model be the culprit? Any Hp Compaq users? There are a bunch of similar models which must have roughly identical keyboards: 6715s, 6720s and so on. Someone MUST have succeeded in making their multimedia keys work! Or not?

#5

It could be keys that send an acpi event…

#6

get the same problem on a sony vaio

#7

Thought I’d post my own solution, just in case. Found by trial and error, so this might not be the correct way of doing it, but … it does work. First of all: the HAL approach (as found in many places on the NET) does not work for the above HP model. Although the keyboard model IS listed in the HAL configuration file on a default SuSE install, it just doesn’t detect the multimedia keys. A sad fact, as this would have certainly been THE solution. And maybe in some future release it will be.
Anyway. What does work is: adding two lines:
setkeycodes e008 149
setkeycodes e059 196
at the end of the /etc/init.d/boot.local file. And subsequently adding the following lines:
keycode 150=XF86Search
keycode 151=XF86Launch0
keycode 146=XF86Launch6
keycode 241=XF86Launch8
keycode 249=XF86LaunchB
at the end of the /etc/X11/.Xmodmap file (creating the file if it doesn’t exist on your system). Actually, only the first two lines are necessary.

Two side notes:

  1. With this configuration, the Info key launches your default internet browser (XF86Search). The other four keys are not working yet, they are only there for “future purposes”. Also, although this solution works for the Info key (setkeycodes e008 149) it does not work for the Presentation key (setkeycodes e059 196). Couldn’t figure out why.
  2. At roughly the same time I did this, my Fn-F3 key combination started giving me problems. It properly suspends the computer to Disk (I configured this in Kpowersave) after a clean boot, but once resumed from hibernation, does nothing anymore (although suspend still works via the Kpowersave menu).
    There, that’s my two € cents to this issue.