KBD_MODE(1)                 General Commands Manual                KBD_MODE(1)



NAME
       kbd_mode - report or set the keyboard mode

SYNOPSIS
       kbd_mode [ -a | -u | -k | -s ] [ -C CONSOLE ]

DESCRIPTION
       Without argument, kbd_mode prints the current keyboard mode (RAW, MEDI-
       UMRAW or XLATE).  With argument, it sets the  keyboard  mode  as  indi-
       cated:

       -s: scancode mode (RAW),

       -k: keycode mode (MEDIUMRAW),

       -a: ASCII mode (XLATE),

       -u: UTF-8 mode (UNICODE).

       Of  course  the  "-a" is only traditional, and the code used can be any
       8-bit character set.  With "-u" a 16-bit character set is expected, and
       these  chars are transmitted to the kernel as 1, 2, or 3 bytes (follow-
       ing the UTF-8 coding).  In these  latter  two  modes  the  key  mapping
       defined by loadkeys(1) is used.

       kbd_mode operates on the console specified by the "-C" option; if there
       is none, the console associated with stdin is used.

       Warning: changing the keyboard mode, other than between ASCII and  Uni-
       code,  will probably make your keyboard unusable.  This command is only
       meant for use (say via remote login) when some program left  your  key-
       board  in the wrong state.  Note that in some obsolete versions of this
       program the "-u" option was a synonym for "-s".

SEE ALSO
       loadkeys(1)




                                  6 Apr 1994                       KBD_MODE(1)
