# Configuring a new keyboard (Logitech MX3000)

## Dralnu

Ok, I know alot of people use the Logitech keyboards and mice. I just bought one (MX3000 combo), and would like to get everything out of it I can.

There anything special I need to do? I know I need to enable something in the kernel, but is there anything else?

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## Dralnu

Ok, I've got it pluged in (had to wait for a masive list of updates), and its working. I don't have control over anything it seems other then the keyboard (I'd like to actually use the multimedia keys).

Someone know something about configuring keyboards like this?

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## yabbadabbadont

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-410117-start-0-postdays-0-postorder-asc-highlight-mx3000.html

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-366611-highlight-mx3000.html

Come on now... you've been here long enough to know how to search.   :Razz: 

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## Dralnu

 *yabbadabbadont wrote:*   

> https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-410117-start-0-postdays-0-postorder-asc-highlight-mx3000.html
> 
> https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-366611-highlight-mx3000.html
> 
> Come on now... you've been here long enough to know how to search.  

 

Maybe, but that doesn't mean I find what I'm looking for!

Seriously, I have trouble with Google o.o

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## yabbadabbadont

 *Dralnu wrote:*   

>  *yabbadabbadont wrote:*   https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-410117-start-0-postdays-0-postorder-asc-highlight-mx3000.html
> 
> https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-366611-highlight-mx3000.html
> 
> Come on now... you've been here long enough to know how to search.   
> ...

 

Look at the urls.  I just used the quick search for mx3000....

(so there  :Razz: )

 :Very Happy: 

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## Dralnu

 *yabbadabbadont wrote:*   

>  *Dralnu wrote:*    *yabbadabbadont wrote:*   https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-410117-start-0-postdays-0-postorder-asc-highlight-mx3000.html
> 
> https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-366611-highlight-mx3000.html
> 
> Come on now... you've been here long enough to know how to search.   
> ...

 

Eh. Should just do searches via bash or C-style variables.

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## yabbadabbadont

Are you liking your new keyboard so far?

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## Dralnu

Its nice. Configuring it is a pain since alot of the keys aren't mapped, and some of them I need to remap (the scroll wheel on the keyboard, for instance).

This thing had better last me a LONG time...

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## Dralnu

Ok. I've got all (I hope) the buttons written down (made a hand-made map of my keyboard, lol), and now I'm off to try and figure out what the set them to (this should be fun...).

Anyone know of a cheap, quick way to do this? After all this I still need to set everything to hotkeys to use them in Openbox...

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## yabbadabbadont

Just looked up that keyboard at Logictech's site.  I'm not sure that I would like the configuration of the insert, delete, home, end, page up, and page down keys in the middle.  I realize you just got it, but have you had any trouble with them?

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## Dralnu

 *yabbadabbadont wrote:*   

> Just looked up that keyboard at Logictech's site.  I'm not sure that I would like the configuration of the insert, delete, home, end, page up, and page down keys in the middle.  I realize you just got it, but have you had any trouble with them?

 It takes getting used to. I've got some serious remapping to do, though (the scroll/tilt  wheel and hyper keys in the keyboard, for instance).

The F keys are all set with other keys, and includes and added "F Mode", which doesn't bother me much atm.

Well, any keyboard you buy today has a bunch of lacking features and desgin flaws. It was pretty much this or an M$ keyboard (or the MX5000, which was 150.00 as opposed to 80.00).

I still say they need to make a "Design your own keyboard" thing, and make custom keyboards.

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## yabbadabbadont

I've got a friend who found a source on the net for original IBM keyboards that have been restored (and I think converted to PS/2).  When this one dies, I think I'll get one of those.  They may weigh a ton, but they last forever.  Besides, I've never used a keyboard that felt better than one of those old IBMs.

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## Dralnu

Some new features are nice. The LCD screen has some use, as does the built-in scroll wheel. Some of it, like alot of the multimedia keys, are kind of useless (I got my multimedia keys working, though, somewhat).

Some, though, like the touchpads, I'd want to know something about before going in depth with them, although I like the idea.

That said, though, I think everyone should keep a good, 104 key standard handy just in case. Nothing like that old, steady rhythem yo build up with them. CLICKITY CLACK.

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## madisonicus

I use lineakd, xosd, and lineak-xosdplugin to run my Logitech Cordless Desktop Pro.  Lineak has many preset keyboards so you wont need to map them out yourself.  It comes with preconfigured functions for volume control, media control, etc...  With xosd it will even give you onscreen notifications.  All are stable in portage, even.

If lineakd doesn't have a pre-configured keyboard for the MX3000, you can just make your own profile like I did for my laptop.  Easy since you already know how to map them.

Let us know if you get it working.

-m

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## Dralnu

I'm slowly mapping everything.I got some of my multimedia keys working (the rest honestly, I don't know what to do with).

There is a toggle button for playlist, and I need to see if I cann't manage something with it (its seeming like a scripting job to me, sadly)

Same for the record, the button labeled "Media" (may link that into a new menu in OB to handle Comix, Mplayer, XMMS, MP3Blaster, ect), and the 1,2,3 keys.

Mute I need to get mapped out soon...

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## psychomunky

Dralnu,

I just picked up the same combo.  I got about 80% of the keys working with the "keytouch" software.  I can share my config file with you if you like, however, I was wondering if you'd share your relevant portions of you X.org config (for the keyboard and mouse).  Also could you maybe mock-up a graphic with the keycodes you figured out??  With that I may be able to help you get us both up and running.

I used to use Lineak and lineak-xosd with my old cordless desktop (which still works like a charm, but I had the urge to at least go optical with the mouse and have a few more "convenience" keys at my finger tips (i prefer to use the keyboard over the mouse anytime.  I think I am going to give lineak a go tomorrow, and I'll let you know what I find out.

Also if I get something working do you use KDE??  It is my desktop of choice, but I would be willing to work on a GNome version of whatever we come up with as well.

Oh yeah, I saw something over on the ubuntu forums that the x11-misc/hotkeys product supports the mx3000 out the box.  I checked the web-site and unfortunately it seems there is little in the way of docs, and a polished website and support forums.

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## Dralnu

 *psychomunky wrote:*   

> Dralnu,
> 
> I just picked up the same combo.  I got about 80% of the keys working with the "keytouch" software.  I can share my config file with you if you like, however, I was wondering if you'd share your relevant portions of you X.org config (for the keyboard and mouse).  Also could you maybe mock-up a graphic with the keycodes you figured out??  With that I may be able to help you get us both up and running.

 

I had one I was using that I hand drew, but it somewhere got lost. Had all the keycodes, even the outputs from dmesg. Some of the keys had no message, but I think it was only 3-4.

 *Quote:*   

> I used to use Lineak and lineak-xosd with my old cordless desktop (which still works like a charm, but I had the urge to at least go optical with the mouse and have a few more "convenience" keys at my finger tips (i prefer to use the keyboard over the mouse anytime.  I think I am going to give lineak a go tomorrow, and I'll let you know what I find out.

  Great.

 *Quote:*   

> Also if I get something working do you use KDE??  It is my desktop of choice, but I would be willing to work on a GNome version of whatever we come up with as well.
> 
> Oh yeah, I saw something over on the ubuntu forums that the x11-misc/hotkeys product supports the mx3000 out the box.  I checked the web-site and unfortunately it seems there is little in the way of docs, and a polished website and support forums.

 

I use wmii without a DE.

I'll see about either finding, or making a new keymap. It would take awhile, but it isn't that hard.

Only thing that really got to me was trying to get the mouse working fully (and the mousekeys on the keyboard, ie the scrollwheel and the rapid scroll keys), which I never figured out. The scroll wheel tilt (left and right) is the same as the left and right cursor keys, and the rapidscroll buttons on the keyboard are just like up and down in the cursor keys.

There were a few other oddities (the zoom keys come to mind) that didn't like Linux, so that may require a bit of work to even start to get them to work.

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## psychomunky

Dralnu

I had a look at lineak, and even the latest version does not support our combo out of the box.  I dug a little deeper and it my kernel is not even picking up the scancodes (most notably the zoom keys and the 4 shortcut keys in the top right of the keyboard.

It also appears that the Linux USB kernel driver is a bit broken, and that is not allowing some of the keys on certain keyboards to be recognized (check out the front page, second article of http://keytouch.com to see the source of this inf).  The author of KeyTouch states he is working on patching this driver, but in the mean time recommends that we use PS/2 if possible.  As soon as I reboot my machine, I am going to try that and with any luck, I'll be able to get at all the scan/keycodes.  If that works, then both Lineak and Keytouch should be able to use all of our keys on the keyboard.

I'll keep you posted.

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## Dralnu

 *psychomunky wrote:*   

> Dralnu
> 
> I had a look at lineak, and even the latest version does not support our combo out of the box.  I dug a little deeper and it my kernel is not even picking up the scancodes (most notably the zoom keys and the 4 shortcut keys in the top right of the keyboard.
> 
> It also appears that the Linux USB kernel driver is a bit broken, and that is not allowing some of the keys on certain keyboards to be recognized (check out the front page, second article of http://keytouch.com to see the source of this inf).  The author of KeyTouch states he is working on patching this driver, but in the mean time recommends that we use PS/2 if possible.  As soon as I reboot my machine, I am going to try that and with any luck, I'll be able to get at all the scan/keycodes.  If that works, then both Lineak and Keytouch should be able to use all of our keys on the keyboard.
> ...

 

Thanks!  :Smile: 

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## psychomunky

Sorry been a bit busy lately...I plugged my combo into the PS/2 ports and ran the keytouch-editor again...this time, EVERY single key combo was recognized, including those funky F-mode keys.

I am currently trying to come up with sensible defaults for most of the keys, based on either KDE/Gnome desktop, then I'll submit the MX3000 profile to the keytouch guy(s).

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## psychomunky

I have just posted a preliminary HOWTO here.

Input is welcome.

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## Dralnu

If you use gnome, keytouch isn't a problem. For those who DON'T use Gnome (I just looked at the emerge -av keytouch output), you are pulling in gnome deps.

I'm going to look into lineakd which atm would seem, for me atleast, the better of the two choices.

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## stahlsau

hi,

just have a look at the wiki, there are many howtos about mapping keys and mousebuttons, be it with lineakd (which i used a long time), xbindkeys (which i use now) or whatever. Actually, with xev and xbindkeys, the mapping is done in a few minutes, it's pretty simple.

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## Dralnu

 *stahlsau wrote:*   

> hi,
> 
> just have a look at the wiki, there are many howtos about mapping keys and mousebuttons, be it with lineakd (which i used a long time), xbindkeys (which i use now) or whatever. Actually, with xev and xbindkeys, the mapping is done in a few minutes, it's pretty simple.

 

The keys that I HAVE gotten to work on my keyboard, I got done with xbindkeys and xev, along with dmesg (THAT was fun). The problem with that solution, is that some keys generate nothing (for example, the mouse hyperscroll keys).

If you know a particuarly good one, then please post it. I'd like to see it.

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## stahlsau

yeah, i've read your problem in the other thread too. I know there is or was a howto on the wiki for those keys that don't produce key-events, but i can't find it atm. At least i know i did it once, but i dunno how anymore. I'll check later again when i have more time, sry.

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## Dralnu

 *stahlsau wrote:*   

> yeah, i've read your problem in the other thread too. I know there is or was a howto on the wiki for those keys that don't produce key-events, but i can't find it atm. At least i know i did it once, but i dunno how anymore. I'll check later again when i have more time, sry.

 

iirc, it used a perl script some dude made that was messing this the basisist input from the keyboard.

I don't know any feedback on it, and honestly, I don't want to mess with it.

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