[HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSilver functionality
Like many who have used Launchy, Gnome-Do, QuickSilver, or even the Windows 7 Start Menu search to quickly & easily find programs, I now have a hard time using any computer, even my n900 without that ability. Instead of tons of program shortcuts on the desktop or digging through the menus I assigned app-search-app a global shortcut key.
As a bonus this also provides a way to set up other global shortcut keys, which for frequently run programs or scripts could really be a speed boost. This is all done without using a modified hildon desktop, which means we can stay with the CSSU updates too. Here's the basics of how that is done. Download and install app-search-app Download xbindkeys zip file & extract to MyDocs Make a permanent home for xbindkeys exe (use terminal for following commands) Code:
cd MyDocs Note: Mod5 is the function (blue arrow key) There are good resources online for what can be put in the file, here are examples of key combinations to toggle fullscreen (Ctrl + Space) and to bring up the app-search-app (Function + Left arrow). On the n900 version with 4 arrow keys there is nothing assigned to them with the Function key, so they are prime candidates to use for this. .xbindkeysrc Code:
"wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -b toggle,fullscreen" Code:
chmod 644 /home/user/.xbindkeysrc Code:
/opt/xbindkeys/xbindkeys xbindkeys startup file: Code:
start on started hildon-desktop |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSliver functionality
Oh yeah, forgot to mention permissions for the /etc/init.d/xbindkeys file.
They should be rw-r--r-- Code:
sudo gainroot |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSliver functionality
It's useful. Thanks.
Is there any way to start an app by press a key at desktop like m-h-d does? Sorry for my pool English. |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSliver functionality
Yes actually, and not just at the desktop, these hot keys work no matter what app you are in at the time.
A couple of lines in the .xbindkeysrc is all it takes to define a shortcut for any program you want. For example I use "conboy" all the time for making notes. I have the keyboard shortcut Function + Shift + c to open it. Lines for that in .xbindkeysrc are: Code:
"conboy" That looks like: Code:
"gnumeric /home/user/MyDocs/.documents/myfile.gnumeric" All in all it greatly decreased the time I take navigating to things on the phone. The app-search-app is just a bonus for anything I use infrequently enough I don't need a specific shortcut assigned to it. |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSliver functionality
Thank you for this wonderful guide, it's really useful! Simply and clean, now I can make my own keyboard shortcuts :)
Any reason why you use your version of xbindkeys and not the version from the repositories? |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSliver functionality
Quote:
Actually I saw the thread I referenced that had a downoad and went to work trying to get it to going. The startup script was the hardest part actually. Lots of prayers and frustrations went into that, I tried so many combinations & gave up at first and made a desktop file for it & was starting it manually. When I finally got it working I decided I should help anyone else out so they wouldn't waste as much time as I did. |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSliver functionality
thank you man. working great !
./sifo |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSliver functionality
Excellent !!!
This, xsel and espeak and I don't have to read my phone again!! Thanks for your work... It's not for the faint hearted!! |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSliver functionality
Quote:
By the way, is xbindkeys somewhere in the repos? I see it under Diablo but not Fremantle. Maybe it's on a differently named package? If not, no trouble grabbing the binary computerinfo21 kindly provided. |
Re: [HOWTO] Global shortcuts & Launchy/QuickSilver functionality
Xbindkeys should be in extras-devel, I'm using it ;)
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 10:12. |
vBulletin® Version 3.8.8