Binding keyboard keys in Linux

[TcM]

This is a simple and pretty straight forward tutorial, how to bind keys in KDE so you can access any file by just pressing a sequence of buttons from your keyboard.

You can execute files, programs, scripts and even commands (that you usually run in a Terminal)

So, open KDE Menu Editor



Go to File, select ‘New Submenu’



And Give it a Name, this will appear in your ‘KDE Menu’, if you want you can skip this step and instead select a sub menu that you want, for example ‘Utilities’ from the left list as shown below:



If you created a new submenu you can easily change the icon to your liking by pressing the icon button found on the right.



After that, select the submenu you just created, or any submenu that you like, head over to File and select ‘New Item’, this new item will be shown under the selected submenu.



Write something you like, a relevant name that reminds you of the file, script or whatever it will execute. Then you will be shown something like this:



You can select an icon, write a description etc..

Now near the ‘Command:’ you have a textbox and an icon, press the icon and browse to the file, script or whatever you want to execute, or in there you can just write a command that you normally you execute in a Terminal, if you want to you can select to run the application in a Terminal by enabling ‘Run in terminal’.

Now it’s time to bind the keys, near the ‘Current shortcut key’ there is a button, currently it states ‘None’, click it. Then you will see this:



Select ‘Primary shortcut’ and then press the buttons on your keyboard that you want to assign.. if you want to assign for example CTRL + something else you have to first enable ‘Multi-key mode’ and then press the buttons.

Press OK and you are ready.

The new submenu (if any) and items will be visible and accessible from the ‘KDE Menu’, and you can press the shortcut on your keyboard you just assigned and the program, file, script or command will execute right away.

The only drawback of this, is that it does not detect the power button, other Function buttons (usually found in laptops) or lid close and open. If it did, that would be cool.

But at least.. you can easily access your most frequent programs with a tap on your keyboard instead of hunting for them in the menu your self.

[XaNaX]

Thats pretty neat!

[senecaz]

these might come in handy when i'm doing tasks. although binding keys are a pain and i usually forget them when increasing binds.

[whwmia]

Thank you so much !