I've just installed Linux Mint and unfortunately, my left arrow key is broken. I'm looking to bind my right ctrl key as a replacement for the left arrow, and I want to ensure that it doesn't actually function as a control key anymore. I had a similar setup on Windows, but I have no experience with Linux. Please provide a concise, step-by-step guide, as I'm completely new to this OS and would appreciate any straightforward commands for the terminal that I should use. Also, please avoid suggesting that I just get a new keyboard—I'm really hoping for a workable solution without spending money!
4 Answers
Check out the tool called "input-remapper"; it's really user-friendly. Just run this in the terminal to install it:
```sudo apt install input-remapper```
It should allow you to change key bindings easily without needing to dive into complex commands. After that, configure your ctrl key through the GUI. Let me know how it goes!
For a more advanced setup, you might want to consider using a config file with `hwdb`. However, if you want a quicker approach, I really recommend checking "input-remapper" first. It's simple and has a nice graphical interface.
To remap your keys, you can use `xmodmap`. Here’s how to do it:
1. Open a terminal.
2. Type `xmodmap -e "keycode = Control_L"`, replacing `` with the actual code for the left arrow key (you might need to look that up).
3. Save your changes so they apply at startup by adding the command to your `.bashrc` or `/etc/rc.local`.
This will let you remap your right Ctrl key to act as the left arrow! If you encounter any issues, just let me know!
xmodmap is definitely what you're looking for. I also had to fix my keyboard settings a while back and it worked fine for me!
I encountered a similar issue and used a tool called "kanata" to rebind my keys. You can find it here: [https://github.com/jtroo/kanata](https://github.com/jtroo/kanata). It does require some configuration, but it’s straightforward if you follow the readme. Let me know if you need any help setting it up!
It’s a solid tool, but just remember to follow the setup instructions carefully! Getting used to the interface is pretty straightforward.