Author: Erwin J. van Eijk
Email: eijk@huygens.org
Web Page: http://www.huygens.org
Date Submitted: Sat Apr 18, 1998
Status: New Entry

Releases: all
Platform: all
Category:  X-Windows
Category Listing:  "HOW CAN I SWITCH CAPSLOCK AND CONTROL KEY"

Issue

I've previously been using a DEC keyboard, but now I have to use
a PC-keyboard. A DEC keyboard has the CONTROL key where the PC keyboard
has the CAPS/LOCK key. I like the DEC layout better, so how can I switch
these two keys on a PC-keyboard.

Response

Assuming you are using X-windows, you can use this
put the following into each users ".xsession" file:

	#!/bin/bash

	export PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin

	xmodmap -e "remove Lock = Caps_Lock" \
		-e "keysym Caps_Lock = Control_L" \
		-e "add Control = Control_L"
	...

However, with the release of X11R6-3.3, you can also change the layout of
the keyboard in the /etc/X11/XF86Config file. In that case you put the
following after the `Section "Keyboard"' header:

	XkbOptions  "ctrl:swapcaps"

References

This information was from some helpful people on the redhat
mailing list.