20020326: removing window manager F-keys bindings on LINUX

>From:  "Brian Callicott" <address@hidden>
>Organization:  Northrop Grumman
>Keywords:  200203262004.g2QK47a21633 McIDAS Linux Gnome

Brian,

Sorry I couldn't jump on this one yesterday, but I was off skiing :-)

>I hope things are well with you.

Things are running along pretty smoothly, thanks.  Oh, by the way,
I never did get granted access to a SATEPS machine for METEOSAT
data.  Who should I contact about this?

>Sorry to bug you about this sort of
>thing, but SSEC could not help with my question.

No worries.

>Unidata has supported
>Linux client configurations for some time.  Would you know anyone who
>could tell me how to setup the system environment files in Linux (7.1)
>to re-allocate function key combinations to McIDAS use?

The answer should depend on the environment you are using: Gnome or KDE.

Since I use Gnome, I can give you the steps to remove function key
bindings used by the window manager.  I believe that the best way
to do this is on a user-by-user basis, not as a systemwide change.
Given this, I will give you the steps that your McIDAS user(s) should
go through to unset key bindings used by the window manager they are
using.

NB: I am looking at the setup on RedHat 7.2, not 7.1, so there may be
    some variance in terms in the list below; the idea should be the
    same, however.

o click on the Gnome menu (the big foot in the Panel at the bottom of
  the screen)

o select Programs
                 >Settings
                         >Desktop
                                >Window Manager

o run the configuration tool for the Window Manager you are using

o select the Bindings action

At this point, you should be looking at a window where you can Add,
Edit, or Delete the key bindings used by your window manager.  Delete
all of the bindings that will intefere with the McIDAS Fkey menu use.

Note that ALT-Fn bindings will be listed as M-Fn (meaning Meta-F1,
Meta-F2, etc.).  Since the McIDAS Fkey menu will want to use all
combinations of Function keys, you may have a number of bindings to
delete.  You would not, however, have to delete any bindings that are a
double combination of meta and function keys (like Shift-Alt-F1, etc.).

Since I don't run under KDE, I can't give you the exact steps needed to
remove the key bindings there.  I have to believe, however, that the
process is virtually identical to that for Gnome.

>Any help would be much appreciated,

Please let me know if the above does not get you where you want to go.

>Thanks,
>Brian
>
>-------- Original Message --------
>Subject: F-keys on LINUX
>Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 14:50:21 -0500
>From: "Doyle George" <address@hidden>
>To: Brian Callicott <address@hidden>
>
>Brian
>
>  The function keys on RedHat LINUX version 7.1 does not operate
>correctly in McIDAS. I know that ALT-F5 changes the window panel and
>Alt-F4 will kill the McIDAS session. I can't determine where the
>function keys are defined or where to change them.
>
>Doyle

Tom

From: "Brian Callicott" <address@hidden>
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 14:03:19 -0500
Organization: Northrop Grumman
To: address@hidden
Subject: Re: 20020326: removing window manager F-keys bindings on LINUX

Tom,

Thanks, I've forwarded the Meteosat question to Dick Garey, who I think
is here today.  We can get it resolved in a jiffy.  You guys are light
years ahead of us...

Brian

>From address@hidden Fri Apr  5 12:25:34 2002
>Subject: Re: 20020326: removing window manager F-keys bindings on LINUX

Thanks.  Worked great.  We are running 1280x960x256 color mode with
McIDAS set at 1280x948 with 640 frames on a dual-cpu P3 Xeon.  We got
the right combination of X-Windows manager, 8-bit pixel depth setting,
and other tweaks.  Our current systems are setup for 640x480x256, so
this prototype is a quad-increase in memory use, but is so much less
pixelated.

Hopefully Dick Garey has contacted you about the Meteosat data.  He
seems to think there is an access problem with that, and he is the
boss.  The SAB meteorologists just love high looping speed and lots of
frames, so up until now have been keeping the resolution very low.

Thanks again,
Brian