ALT-GR key inactive in VNC console

TomTomGo

Renowned Member
Mar 30, 2012
48
3
73
France
Hi,

The ALT-GR key doesn't work under VNC console with DELL Vostro 3700 / OS Windows 7 32bits / latest Java 1.6.0 / Firefox 12 or IE 8 / French keyboard layout set in Options / Keyboard Layout.
However, it works with my Debian Squeeze / Iceweasel 3.5 / Java Plug-in 1.6.0_26 on HP Pavilion dm1 ...

pve-manager: 2.0-59 (pve-manager/2.0/18400f07)
running kernel: 2.6.32-11-pve
proxmox-ve-2.6.32: 2.0-66
pve-kernel-2.6.32-10-pve: 2.6.32-63
pve-kernel-2.6.32-11-pve: 2.6.32-66
lvm2: 2.02.88-2pve2
clvm: 2.02.88-2pve2
corosync-pve: 1.4.3-1
openais-pve: 1.1.4-2
libqb: 0.10.1-2
redhat-cluster-pve: 3.1.8-3
resource-agents-pve: 3.9.2-3
fence-agents-pve: 3.1.7-2
pve-cluster: 1.0-26
qemu-server: 2.0-38
pve-firmware: 1.0-15
libpve-common-perl: 1.0-26
libpve-access-control: 1.0-18
libpve-storage-perl: 2.0-17
vncterm: 1.0-2
vzctl: 3.0.30-2pve2
vzprocps: 2.0.11-2
vzquota: 3.0.12-3
pve-qemu-kvm: 1.0-9
ksm-control-daemon: 1.1-1

Any suggestions ?

Best regards,

Thomas
 
Hi,

The ALT-GR key doesn't work under VNC console with DELL Vostro 3700 / OS Windows 7 32bits / latest Java 1.6.0 / Firefox 12 or IE 8 / French keyboard layout set in Options / Keyboard Layout.
However, it works with my Debian Squeeze / Iceweasel 3.5 / Java Plug-in 1.6.0_26 on HP Pavilion dm1 ...

pve-manager: 2.0-59 (pve-manager/2.0/18400f07)
running kernel: 2.6.32-11-pve
proxmox-ve-2.6.32: 2.0-66
pve-kernel-2.6.32-10-pve: 2.6.32-63
pve-kernel-2.6.32-11-pve: 2.6.32-66
lvm2: 2.02.88-2pve2
clvm: 2.02.88-2pve2
corosync-pve: 1.4.3-1
openais-pve: 1.1.4-2
libqb: 0.10.1-2
redhat-cluster-pve: 3.1.8-3
resource-agents-pve: 3.9.2-3
fence-agents-pve: 3.1.7-2
pve-cluster: 1.0-26
qemu-server: 2.0-38
pve-firmware: 1.0-15
libpve-common-perl: 1.0-26
libpve-access-control: 1.0-18
libpve-storage-perl: 2.0-17
vncterm: 1.0-2
vzctl: 3.0.30-2pve2
vzprocps: 2.0.11-2
vzquota: 3.0.12-3
pve-qemu-kvm: 1.0-9
ksm-control-daemon: 1.1-1

Any suggestions ?

Best regards,

Thomas




Hi Thomas, I ran into this same problem when wrestling with Oracle's VM Server and perhaps the same solution could help. As I found out there was a bug in the keyboard mappings for the AltGr key combinations, at least for the Swedish keyboard layout. This is how I created a patched version that works.

Start by making a copy of the existing keyboard mapping file, in this example I use the Swedish file /lib/kbd/keymaps/i386/qwerty/sv-latin1.map.gz. Copy and unpack the file:


# cp sv-latin1.map.gz sv-vnc.map.gz
# gzip -d sv-vnc.map.gz

Edit the unpacked file and add "control altgr" rows for the missing / nonworking key combinations, see the highlighted additions in the file:


charset ”iso-8859-1″
keymaps 0-2,4-6,8,12
include ”qwerty-layout”
include ”linux-with-alt-and-altgr”
plain keycode 83 = KP_Comma
strings as usual
keycode 1 = Escape
alt keycode 1 = Meta_Escape
keycode 2 = one exclam
alt keycode 2 = Meta_one
keycode 3 = two quotedbl at
control keycode 3 = nul
alt keycode 3 = Meta_two
control altgr keycode 3 = at
keycode 4 = three numbersign sterling
control keycode 4 = Escape
alt keycode 4 = Meta_three
control altgr keycode 4 = sterling
keycode 5 = four ccedilla
control keycode 5 = Control_backslash
alt keycode 5 = Meta_four
altgr keycode 5 = dollar
control altgr keycode 5 = dollar
keycode 6 = five percent
control keycode 6 = Control_bracketright
alt keycode 6 = Meta_five
keycode 7 = six ampersand notsign
control keycode 7 = Control_asciicircum
alt keycode 7 = Meta_six
keycode 8 = seven slash braceleft
control keycode 8 = Control_underscore
alt keycode 8 = Meta_seven
control altgr keycode 8 = braceleft
keycode 9 = eight parenleft bracketleft
control keycode 9 = Delete
alt keycode 9 = Meta_eight
control altgr keycode 9 = bracketleft
keycode 10 = nine parenright bracketright
alt keycode 10 = Meta_nine
control altgr keycode 10 = bracketright
keycode 11 = zero equal braceright
alt keycode 11 = Meta_zero
control altgr keycode 11 = braceright
keycode 12 = plus question backslash
control keycode 12 = Control_underscore
alt keycode 12 = Meta_minus
control altgr keycode 12 = backslash
keycode 13 = dead_acute dead_grave
alt keycode 13 = Meta_equal
keycode 14 = Delete
alt keycode 14 = Meta_Delete
keycode 15 = Tab
alt keycode 15 = Meta_Tab
keycode 26 = +aring +Aring
control keycode 26 = Escape
alt keycode 26 = Meta_bracketleft
keycode 27 = dead_diaeresis asciicircum asciitilde
control keycode 27 = Control_bracketright
alt keycode 27 = Meta_bracketright
control altgr keycode 27 = asciitilde
keycode 28 = Return
alt keycode 28 = Meta_Control_m
keycode 29 = Control
keycode 39 = +odiaeresis +Odiaeresis
alt keycode 39 = Meta_semicolon
keycode 40 = +adiaeresis +Adiaeresis
control keycode 40 = Control_g
alt keycode 40 = Meta_apostrophe
keycode 41 = section degree onehalf
control keycode 41 = nul
alt keycode 41 = Meta_grave
keycode 42 = Shift
keycode 43 = apostrophe asterisk
control keycode 43 = Control_backslash
alt keycode 43 = Meta_backslash
keycode 51 = comma semicolon
alt keycode 51 = Meta_comma
keycode 52 = period colon
alt keycode 52 = Meta_period
keycode 53 = minus underscore
control keycode 53 = Delete
alt keycode 53 = Meta_slash
shift control keycode 53 = Control_underscore
keycode 54 = Shift
keycode 56 = Alt
keycode 57 = space
control keycode 57 = nul
alt keycode 57 = Meta_space
keycode 58 = Caps_Lock
keycode 86 = less greater bar
alt keycode 86 = Meta_less
control altgr keycode 86 = bar
keycode 97 = Control



Re-compress the file and load it:


# gzip sv-vnc.map
# loadkeys sv-vnc


If you want to use this file as default everytime the computer starts, edit the /etc/default/keyboard file:

KEYBOARDTYPE=”pc”
KEYTABLE=”sv-vnc”


Hope this helps!
 
Hi Thomas, I ran into this same problem when wrestling with Oracle's VM Server and perhaps the same solution could help. As I found out there was a bug in the keyboard mappings for the AltGr key combinations, at least for the Swedish keyboard layout. This is how I created a patched version that works.

Start by making a copy of the existing keyboard mapping file, in this example I use the Swedish file /lib/kbd/keymaps/i386/qwerty/sv-latin1.map.gz. Copy and unpack the file:


# cp sv-latin1.map.gz sv-vnc.map.gz
# gzip -d sv-vnc.map.gz

Edit the unpacked file and add "control altgr" rows for the missing / nonworking key combinations, see the highlighted additions in the file:


charset ”iso-8859-1″
keymaps 0-2,4-6,8,12
include ”qwerty-layout”
include ”linux-with-alt-and-altgr”
plain keycode 83 = KP_Comma
strings as usual
keycode 1 = Escape
alt keycode 1 = Meta_Escape
keycode 2 = one exclam
alt keycode 2 = Meta_one
keycode 3 = two quotedbl at
control keycode 3 = nul
alt keycode 3 = Meta_two
control altgr keycode 3 = at
keycode 4 = three numbersign sterling
control keycode 4 = Escape
alt keycode 4 = Meta_three
control altgr keycode 4 = sterling
keycode 5 = four ccedilla
control keycode 5 = Control_backslash
alt keycode 5 = Meta_four
altgr keycode 5 = dollar
control altgr keycode 5 = dollar
keycode 6 = five percent
control keycode 6 = Control_bracketright
alt keycode 6 = Meta_five
keycode 7 = six ampersand notsign
control keycode 7 = Control_asciicircum
alt keycode 7 = Meta_six
keycode 8 = seven slash braceleft
control keycode 8 = Control_underscore
alt keycode 8 = Meta_seven
control altgr keycode 8 = braceleft
keycode 9 = eight parenleft bracketleft
control keycode 9 = Delete
alt keycode 9 = Meta_eight
control altgr keycode 9 = bracketleft
keycode 10 = nine parenright bracketright
alt keycode 10 = Meta_nine
control altgr keycode 10 = bracketright
keycode 11 = zero equal braceright
alt keycode 11 = Meta_zero
control altgr keycode 11 = braceright
keycode 12 = plus question backslash
control keycode 12 = Control_underscore
alt keycode 12 = Meta_minus
control altgr keycode 12 = backslash
keycode 13 = dead_acute dead_grave
alt keycode 13 = Meta_equal
keycode 14 = Delete
alt keycode 14 = Meta_Delete
keycode 15 = Tab
alt keycode 15 = Meta_Tab
keycode 26 = +aring +Aring
control keycode 26 = Escape
alt keycode 26 = Meta_bracketleft
keycode 27 = dead_diaeresis asciicircum asciitilde
control keycode 27 = Control_bracketright
alt keycode 27 = Meta_bracketright
control altgr keycode 27 = asciitilde
keycode 28 = Return
alt keycode 28 = Meta_Control_m
keycode 29 = Control
keycode 39 = +odiaeresis +Odiaeresis
alt keycode 39 = Meta_semicolon
keycode 40 = +adiaeresis +Adiaeresis
control keycode 40 = Control_g
alt keycode 40 = Meta_apostrophe
keycode 41 = section degree onehalf
control keycode 41 = nul
alt keycode 41 = Meta_grave
keycode 42 = Shift
keycode 43 = apostrophe asterisk
control keycode 43 = Control_backslash
alt keycode 43 = Meta_backslash
keycode 51 = comma semicolon
alt keycode 51 = Meta_comma
keycode 52 = period colon
alt keycode 52 = Meta_period
keycode 53 = minus underscore
control keycode 53 = Delete
alt keycode 53 = Meta_slash
shift control keycode 53 = Control_underscore
keycode 54 = Shift
keycode 56 = Alt
keycode 57 = space
control keycode 57 = nul
alt keycode 57 = Meta_space
keycode 58 = Caps_Lock
keycode 86 = less greater bar
alt keycode 86 = Meta_less
control altgr keycode 86 = bar
keycode 97 = Control



Re-compress the file and load it:


# gzip sv-vnc.map
# loadkeys sv-vnc


If you want to use this file as default everytime the computer starts, edit the /etc/default/keyboard file:

KEYBOARDTYPE=”pc”
KEYTABLE=”sv-vnc”


Hope this helps!

Hi, and thanks for your post,

I cannot find /lib/kbd/keymaps/i386/qwerty/ directory on the Proxmox server ...

Regards,

Thomas
 
Hi, and thanks for your post,

I cannot find /lib/kbd/keymaps/i386/qwerty/ directory on the Proxmox server ...

Regards,

Thomas

Hi Thomas, sorry for the confusion, my example was for the Oracle VM Server (i.e. RedHat) and Proxmox is more like Debian.

The correct path seems to be /usr/share/keymaps/i386/qwerty

See if this helps! :)
 
Hi Thomas, sorry for the confusion, my example was for the Oracle VM Server (i.e. RedHat) and Proxmox is more like Debian.

The correct path seems to be /usr/share/keymaps/i386/qwerty

See if this helps! :)

Ok, found the /usr/share/keymaps/i386/azerty/fr.map.gz , unzipping it, modified it with adding altgr keycodes, gzipping it and replace the original fr.map.gz with the modified one.
Then reload keys with loadkeys fr, but unfortunately, this doesn't help :( ...
The problem really happens in the VNC console (Windows or linux guests), not on the Proxmox host server console ...

Regards,

Thomas
 
Hello,

(re-post cause i think it's "interesting")

Hello,


I confirm this problem with fr keyboard in this context:




- kvm vm migrated from a proxmox ve 1.9 to 2.2 -> new install
- all vm's declared again with keyboard fr in datacenter view and guest view


- alt-gr button not working at all with all my vm's with proxmox java console
- vm's pfsense, ubuntu 11.10, debian squeeze, ubuntu server 10.04 and 12.04




Client:


ubuntu 12.10 fr / sun jre 6 / keyboard fr / proxmox console / firefox and chrome lastest (20/03/2013)
ubuntu 12.10 fr / keyboard fr / reminna vnc client / kvm_guest.conf args: -vnc 0.0.0.0:100 with no encryption, no password
ubuntu 12.10 fr / openjdk 6 / keyboard fr / proxmox console / chrome lastest (20/03/2013)
windows xp sp3 / sun jre 7 / keyboard fr / proxmox console / firefox and chrome lastest (20/03/2013)




- If i launch the live cd's source of these previously installed vm on the same proxmox host the alt-gr key work !
- On the ubuntu server 10.04 dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration and dpkg-reconfigure console-setup change nothing..




note


- kvm version has changed from a major release to another one.




My question: Does the kvm version upgrade change something with keyboard virtual harware that need a new detection method on guest ?
 
i guess the problem is not the proxmox server or any client. i have the problem with the following clients: - windows 7 (swiss german) - windows xp (swiss german) - debian 7.0.6 (swiss german) - linux mint (swiss german) - ok it's debian ;) as far i can see, the problem is the proxmox java console. btw: i CAN create the @ (usualy with altgr+2), the # (altgr+3) and | (altgr+7). don't ask me how i got the idea, i just was angry and hitting frustrated on the keyboard... to get @ (as mentionned, usually just altr+2) id have to do the following sequence: pressing 'altgr' now pressing '1' (algr still pushed) and very very short after i have to press '2' (altgr still pushed) and with very very short i mean you have to be very very quick!!! same for #:altgr + 2 then 3 (instead of just altgr+3) and for |: altgr + 6 then 7 (instead of just algr+7) for the linux clients i have not really a problem as i usually connect by ssh. but with windows it is really anoying... thanks for any help tobs
 
i guess the problem is not the proxmox server or any client.

i have the problem with the following clients:
- windows 7 (swiss german)
- windows xp (swiss german)
- debian 7.0.6 (swiss german)
- linux mint (swiss german) - ok it's debian ;)

as far i can see, the problem is the proxmox java console.

btw:
i CAN create the @ (usualy with altgr+2), the # (altgr+3) and | (altgr+7).

don't ask me how i got the idea, i just was angry and hitting frustrated on the keyboard...

to get @ (as mentionned, usually just altr+2) id have to do the following sequence:

pressing 'altgr'
now pressing '1' (algr still pushed)
and very very short after i have to press '2' (altgr still pushed)

and with very very short i mean you have to be very very quick!!!

same for #:altgr + 2 then 3 (instead of just altgr+3)
and for |: altgr + 6 then 7 (instead of just algr+7)

for the linux clients i have not really a problem as i usually connect by ssh.

but with windows it is really anoying...

thanks for any help
tobs
 

About

The Proxmox community has been around for many years and offers help and support for Proxmox VE, Proxmox Backup Server, and Proxmox Mail Gateway.
We think our community is one of the best thanks to people like you!

Get your subscription!

The Proxmox team works very hard to make sure you are running the best software and getting stable updates and security enhancements, as well as quick enterprise support. Tens of thousands of happy customers have a Proxmox subscription. Get yours easily in our online shop.

Buy now!