Lost the link between the "meta" and the application launcher

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Just did some update to Leap 15.2 (fresh install), it’s been running for a week w/o problem.


sudo zypper up

$ cat /etc/os-release
NAME="openSUSE Leap"
VERSION="15.2"
ID="opensuse-leap"
ID_LIKE="suse opensuse"
VERSION_ID="15.2"
PRETTY_NAME="openSUSE Leap 15.2"
ANSI_COLOR="0;32"
CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:opensuse:leap:15.2"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.opensuse.org"
HOME_URL="https://www.opensuse.org/"


$ plasmashell --version
plasmashell 5.18.5


$ kf5-config --version
Qt: 5.12.7
KDE Frameworks: 5.71.0
kf5-config: 1.0

My meta key works when it’s combined with other functions, but not by itself. It does nothing. I have to click on the gecko/app menu launcher. I’d prefer not to. I have problems with my thumb (an old injury…)

How do I reactivate/connect the windows/meta key to the application launcher?

Thanks

2

It still works here.

Does ALT F1 work (for the same thing)?

3

alt-f1 launches the help

Thanks

4

Maybe check the shortcut settings.

I did a right click on that gecko/app launcher, and selected “Configure Application Menu”. I then selected “Keyboard Shortcuts” in the left column. That was what told me I could use ALT F1 for the launcher. You could maybe try making a change there.

5

The Meta key is handled by kwin directly (as a “workaround” to allow it to open the application launcher), because it is not supported as a standard shortcut key (it’s actually a modifier key, so has to be used together with other keys).

This special functionality is only configurable in kwin’s config file directly, there is no GUI for this.

You can try to delete or rename the config file, ~/.config/kwinrc, to get back the defaults (which would be that Meta opens the application launcher). Logout/login or reboot to make sure it doesn’t continue to use the old settings.

If that helps, maybe post the renamed file, it should be able to “fix” the problem by changing it then. Or you can just drop it if you don’t mind losing the previous settings.

If not, the problem is not related to the settings, but rather something else.

PS: OTOH, running this command as user should reconfigure kwin to make Meta open the application launcher:

kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group ModifierOnlyShortcuts --key Meta "org.kde.plasmashell,/PlasmaShell,org.kde.PlasmaShell,activateLauncherMenu"

(this should all be one line…)

So you might just try that first, maybe it would fix your problem.

Note that you might have to logout/login (or reboot) for the change to take effect, or run this to force kwin to re-read its settings:

qdbus-qt5 org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure
6

Worked

Thank you