VirtualBindings(3X)
Prev | Reference Pages | Next

## Name

VirtualBindings(3X) — VirtualBindings--Bindings for virtual mouse and key events VirtualBindingsdefault bindings

## DESCRIPTION

The OSF/Motif manual pages describe translations in terms of `virtual bindings`, based on those described in the `OSF/Motif Style Guide`. Mouse events are described in terms of `virtual buttons`, and key events are described in terms of `virtual keys`. The term `virtual` implies that the events as described do not necessarily correspond to a fixed set of X Window System events. Instead, virtual buttons and keys are linked to actual events by means of virtual bindings.

### Virtual Modifiers

Both virtual buttons and virtual keys may contain `virtual modifiers`. Each virtual modifier corresponds to one or more actual modifiers. The following table lists the bindings of virtual modifiers to actual modifiers in OSF/Motif:

Virtual Modifier | Actual Modifiers
MAlt | <Mod1>
MCopy | <Ctrl>
MCtrl | <Ctrl>
MLink | <Ctrl><Shift>
MMove | <Shift>
MShift | <Shift>

Mod1 refers to the first modifier key. OSF/Motif requires that it correspond to either Alt or Meta.

The virtual modifier MAny indicates that any modifier can be used. If MAny is not specified and the user presses an actual modifier that is not explicitly included in a translation, that modifier may prevent the translation from being matched.

### Virtual Buttons

Each virtual button corresponds to one or more actual button event descriptions. Each button event description contains a button name and possibly modifiers. These button event descriptions, appropriately ordered and possibly further modified, are used in translation tables. The following table lists the bindings of virtual buttons to actual button event descriptions in OSF/Motif:

Virtual Button | Actual Button Events
BCustom | Btn3
BDrag | Btn2
BExtend | <Shift>Btn1
BMenu | Btn3
BSelect | Btn1
BToggle | <Ctrl>Btn1

### Virtual Keys

Each virtual key corresponds to one or more actual key event descriptions. Each key event description contains a keysym name and possibly modifiers. These key event descriptions, appropriately ordered and possibly further modified,

are used in translation tables. The following table lists the bindings of virtual keys to actual key event descriptions in OSF/Motif:

Virtual Key | Actual Key Events
KActivate | <Key><Return>
| <Ctrl><Key><Return>
| <Key>osfActivate
KAddMode | <Key>osfAddMode
KBackSpace | <Key>osfBackSpace
KBackTab | <Shift><Key><Tab>
KBeginData | <Ctrl><Key>osfBeginLine
KBeginLine | <Key>osfBeginLine
KCancel | <Key>osfCancel
KClear | <Key>osfClear
KCopy | <Key>osfCopy
| <Ctrl><Key>osfInsert
KCut | <Key>osfCut
| <Shift><Key>osfDelete
KDelete | <Key>osfDelete
KDeselectAll | <Ctrl><Key>backslash
KDown | <Key>osfDown
KEndData | <Ctrl><Key>osfEndLine
KEndLine | <Key>osfEndLine
KEnter | <Key><Return>
KEscape | <Key><Escape>
KExtend | <Ctrl><Shift><Key>space
| Shift<Key>osfSelect
KHelp | <Key>osfHelp
KInsert | <Key>osfInsert
KLeft | <Key>osfLeft
KMenu | <Key>osfMenu
KMenuBar | <Key>osfMenuBar
KNextField | <Key><Tab>
| <Ctrl><Key><Tab>
KNextMenu | <Ctrl><Key>osfDown
| <Ctrl><Key>osfRight
KPageDown | <Key>osfPageDown
KPageLeft | <Ctrl><Key>osfPageUp
| <Key>osfPageLeft
KPageRight | <Ctrl><Key>osfPageDown
| <Key>osfPageRight
KPageUp | <Key>osfPageUp
KPaste | <Key>osfPaste
| <Shift><Key>osfInsert
KPrevField | <Shift><Key>Tab
| <Ctrl><Shift><Key><Tab>
KPrevMenu | <Ctrl><Key>osfUp
| <Ctrl><Key>osfLeft
KPrimaryCopy | <Ctrl><Key>osfPrimaryPaste
| Mod1<Key>osfCopy
| Mod1< Ctrl><Key>osfInsert
KPrimaryCut | Mod1<Key>osfPrimaryPaste
| Mod1<Key>osfCut
| Mod1<Shift><Key>osfDelete
KPrimaryPaste | <Key>osfPrimaryPaste
KQuickCopy | <Ctrl><Key>osfQuickPaste
KQuickCut | Mod1<Key>osfQuickPaste
KQuickExtend | <Shift><Key>osfQuickPaste
KQuickPaste | <Key>osfQuickPaste
KReselect | <Ctrl><Shift><Key>osfSelect
KRestore | <Ctrl><Shift><Key>osfInsert
KRight | <Key>osfRight
KSelect | <Key>space
| <Ctrl><Key>space
| <Key>osfSelect
KSelectAll | <Ctrl><Key>slash
KSpace | <Key>space
KTab | <Key>Tab
KUndo | <Key>osfUndo
| Mod1<Key>osfBackSpace
KUp | <Key>osfUp
KAny | <Key>

### Bindings for osf Keysyms

Keysym strings that begin with "osf" are not part of the X server's keyboard mapping. Instead, these keysyms are produced on the client side at run time. They are interpreted by the routine XmTranslateKey, and are used by the translation manager when the server delivers an actual key event. For each application, a mapping is maintained between "osf" keysyms and keysyms that correspond to actual keys. This mapping is based on information obtained at application startup from one of the following sources, listed in order of precedence:

- A defaultVirtualBindings application resource in the resource database.

- A property on the root window, which can be set by mwm on startup, or by the xmbind client, or on prior startup of a Motif application.

- The file .motifbind in the user's home directory.

- A set of bindings based on the vendor string and optionally the vendor release of the X server. Motif searches for these bindings in the following steps:

  - If the file xmbind.alias exists in the user's home directory, Motif searches this file for a pathname associated with the vendor string or with the vendor string and vendor release. If it finds such a pathname and if that file exists, Motif loads the bindings contained in that file.

  - If it has found no bindings, Motif next looks for the file xmbind.alias in the directory specified by the environment variable XMBINDDIR, if XMBINDDIR is set, or in the directory /usr/lib/Xm/bindings if XMBINDDIR is not set. If this file exists Motif searches it for a pathname associated with the vendor string or with the vendor string and vendor release. If it finds such a pathname and if that file exists, Motif loads the bindings contained in that file.

  - If it still has found no bindings, Motif loads a set of hard-coded fallback bindings.

The xmbind.alias file contains zero or more lines of the form:

"`vendor_string`[ `vendor_release`]" `bindings_file`

where `vendor_string` is the X server vendor name as returned by the X client xdpyinfo or the Xlib function XServerVendor, and must appear in double quotes. If `vendor_release` is included, it is the X server vendor release number as returned by the X client xdpyinfo or the Xlib function XVendorRelease, and must also be contained within the double quotes separated by one space from `vendor_string`. `vendor_release` is provided to allow support of changes in keyboard hardware from a vendor, assuming that the vendor increments the release number to flag such changes. Alternatively, the vendor may simply use a unique vendor string for each different keyboard.

`bindings_file` is the pathname of the file containing the bindings themselves. It can be a relative or absolute pathname. If it it is a relative pathname, it is relative to the location of the xmbind.alias file.

Comment lines in the xmbind.alias file begin with !.

The bindings found in either the .motifbind file or the vendor mapping are placed in a property on the root window. This property is used to determine the bindings for subsequent Motif applications.

On startup mwm attempts to load the file .motifbind in the user's home directory. If this is unsuccessful, it loads the vendor bindings as described above. It places the bindings it loads in a property on the root window for use by subsequent Motif applications.

xmbind loads bindings from a file if that file is specified on the command line. If no file is specified on the command line, it attempts to load the file .motifbind in the user's home directory. If this fails, it loads the vendor bindings as described above. It places the bindings it loads in a property on the root window for use by subsequent Motif applications.

The format of the specification for mapping "osf" keysyms to actual keysyms is similar to that of a specification for an event translation. The syntax is specified here in EBNF notation using the following conventions:

[`a`] Means either nothing or `a`
{`a`} Means zero or more occurrences of `a`

Terminals are enclosed in double quotation marks.

The syntax of an "osf" keysym binding specification is as follows:

    binding_spec    =   {line "\n"} [line]

    line            =   virtual_keysym ":" key_event
    key_event       =   {modifier_name} "<Key>" actual_keysym

    virtual_keysym  =   keysym
    actual_keysym   =   keysym
    keysym          =   A valid X11 keysym name that is

As with event translations, more specific event descriptions must precede less specific descriptions. For example, an event description for a key with a modifier must precede a description for the same key without the same modifier.

Following is an example of a specification for the defaultVirtualBindings resource in a resource file:

    *defaultVirtualBindings: \

      osfBackSpace :   <Key>BackSpace   \n\

      osfInsert    :   <Key>InsertChar     \n\

    ...

      osfDelete    :   <Key>DeleteChar

The format of a .motifbind file or of a file containing vendor bindings is the same, except that the binding specification for each keysym is placed on a separate line. The example specification above appears as follows in a .motifbind or vendor bindings file:

    osfBackSpace   :   <Key>BackSpace
    osfInsert      :   <Key>InsertChar
    ...
    osfDelete      :   <Key>DeleteChar

The following table lists the fixed fallback default bindings for "osf" keysyms:

"osf" Keysym | Fallback Default Binding
osfActivate | <unbound>
osfAddMode | <Shift> F8
osfBackSpace | Backspace
osfBeginLine | Home
osfClear | Clear
osfCopy | <unbound>
osfCut | <unbound>
osfDelete | Delete
osfDown | Down
osfEndLine | End
osfCancel | <Escape>
osfHelp | F1
osfInsert | Insert
osfLeft | Left
osfMenu | F4
osfMenuBar | F10
osfPageDown | Next
osfPageLeft | <unbound>
osfPageRight | <unbound>
osfPageUp | Prior
osfPaste | <unbound>
osfPrimaryPaste | <unbound>
osfQuickPaste | <unbound>
osfRight | Right
osfSelect | Select
osfUndo | Undo
osfUp | Up

## RELATED INFORMATION

xmbind(1X)

Prev | Table of Contents | Next
VendorShell(3X) |  | WMShell(3X)