2.2. Configuring the Keyboard
Use the Keyboard Accessibility preference
tool, also known as AccessX, to configure the keyboard
accessibility options. To start AccessX, choose
.Applications->Desktop Preferences->Accessibility->Keyboard.
The AccessX dialog enables you to customize
your keyboard in the following ways:
2.2.1. Before You Can Use AccessX in the Solaris™ Operating Environment
If you are using the GNOME desktop for the Solaris™ 8 operating
environment or the Solaris 9 operating environment, you must enable XKB on
your system before you can use the AccessX preference
tool.
 | Note |
|---|
XKB is not currently supported on Sun Ray™ systems. |
To enable XKB on a non-Sun Ray Solaris system, perform the following
steps:
Log in as root.
Check if the path and file /etc/dt/config/Xservers exists on your system.
If the /etc/dt/config directory does
not exist, enter the following command:
mkdir -p /etc/dt/config
If the Xservers file is not present,
enter the following command:
cp /usr/dt/config/Xservers /etc/dt/config/Xservers
Open the Xservers file in a text editor
and scroll to the end of the file.
Append the following to the command line at the end of the
file:
+kb
Save and close the file.
Enter the following command at a command line:
pkill -HUP dtlogin
Log out of your GNOME session and log in again.
To verify if XKB is running, enter xdpyinfo
and search for XKEYBOARD in the extensions list.
2.2.2. To Activate the Keyboard Accessibility Options
To activate the keyboard accessibility options, perform the following
steps:
Select the Enable keyboard accessibility features option.
Click on the Basic tab to display the Basic tabbed section.
Select the Beep when features turned on or off from
the keyboard option to receive an audible notification each time
a user enables or disables a keyboard accessibility option using the following
keyboard shortcuts:
To automatically disable the keyboard accessibility options
if the options are not used for a specified number of seconds, select the Disable if unused for X seconds option. Use the slider to specify
the number of seconds of keyboard idle time required before the system disables
the keyboard accessibility options.
This option is intended for computers that are shared by a number of
different users, some of whom require the keyboard accessibility options.
If you are a GNOME for Linux user, you must log out and log
in again before the accessibility settings take effect.
2.2.3. To Enable the Keyboard to Emulate the Mouse
The mouse keys feature enables you to use the numeric keypad on the
keyboard to emulate mouse actions. This feature benefits users who have difficulty
using a mouse or other pointing device. To enable and configure the mouse
keys feature, perform the following steps:
Click on the Mouse tab to display the Mouse tabbed section.
Select the Enable Mouse Keys option.
Configure the following options to determine the behavior
of the mouse pointer when you control the pointer from the numeric keypad:
-
Maximum pointer speed
Use this spin box to specify the maximum speed, in pixels per second,
at which the pointer moves around the screen.
-
Time to accelerate to maximum speed
Use this spin box to specify the duration, in milliseconds,
before the pointer accelerates to the maximum pointer speed.
-
Delay between keypress and pointer movement
Use this spin box to specify the interval,
in milliseconds, between a keypress and the time when the pointer starts to
move.
When you enable mouse keys, the keys on the numeric keypad have the
following functions:
Table 2.1. Numeric Keypad to Mouse Functions Mapping on Solaris Systems
Numeric Keypad Keys | Function |
|---|
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Move the mouse pointer around the screen |
5 | Mouse button click |
0 | Mouse button double-click |
. | Mouse button press |
/ | Mouse button 1 |
* | Mouse button 2 |
- | Mouse button 3 |
Table 2.2. Numeric Keypad to Mouse Functions Mapping on Linux Systems
Numeric Keypad Keys | Function |
|---|
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Move the mouse pointer around the screen |
5 | Mouse button click |
+ | Mouse button double-click |
0 | Mouse button 3 |
Some Solaris systems also use the function keys to emulate the mouse
buttons. The common function key to mouse button mappings are described in
the following table.
Table 2.3. Function Keys to Mouse Functions Mapping on Solaris Systems
Function Key | Function |
|---|
F2 | Mouse button 1 |
F3 | Mouse button 2 |
F4 | Mouse button 3 |
2.2.4. To Enable the Slow Keys Feature
The slow keys feature enables you to customize how the keyboard handles
user input in the following ways:
Specify the duration for which you must press-and-hold a key
before the system accepts the keypress. This aspect of the feature benefits
users who frequently press keys that they do not intend to press.
Enable audible indications of keyboard input and acceptance.
This aspect of the feature benefits users who cannot see the result of a keypress.
To enable and configure the slow keys feature, perform the following
steps:
Click on the Filters tab to display the Filters tabbed section.
Select the Enable Slow Keys option.
 | Tip |
|---|
To select or deselect this feature from the keyboard, press-and-hold Shift for eight seconds. This keyboard shortcut automatically selects
all of the slow keys options. If you selected the Beep when enabling/disabling
keyboard accessibility features option, after four seconds the
system beeps three times to indicate that the system is about to select or
deselect the feature. If you enable this feature from the keyboard, you must
press-and-hold Shift for eight seconds again to disable the
feature. |
Use the Only accept keys held for slider
or spin box to specify the duration, in milliseconds, for which you must press-and-hold
a key before the system accepts the keypress. Use the Type to test
settings text box to test the slow keys setting and modify the
setting as required.
To enable audible indications of keyboard input and acceptance,
select the following options:
-
Beep when key is pressed
Select this option to hear a beep when you press a key.
-
Beep when key is accepted
Select this option to hear a beep when the system accepts
a keypress.
-
Beep when key is rejected
Select this option to hear a beep when the system rejects
a keypress. The system rejects a keypress if you do not press-and-hold the
key for the duration that is specified in the Only accept keypress
after x msecs setting.
2.2.5. To Enable the Bounce Keys Feature
The bounce keys feature enables you to customize the keyboard to ignore
rapid, repeated keypresses of the same key. For example, users with impaired
motor skills might press the same key several times when they intend to press
the key once. This feature enables you to customize the keyboard to ignore
repeated keypresses.
To enable and configure the bounce keys feature, perform the following
steps:
Click on the Filters tab to display the Filters tabbed section.
Select the Enable Bounce Keys option.
Use the Ignore duplicate keypresses within
slider or spin box to specify the duration after the first keypress for which
the system ignores repeated keypresses of the same key. For example, if you
select a duration of 500 msecs, the system ignores all repeated keypresses
of the same key that occur within 500 msecs of the first keypress.
Select the Beep if key is rejected option
to hear an audible indication when the system ignores a key.
| Note |
|---|
If you wish to enable the bounce keys feature, please ensure that
the Enable Slow Keys option is deselected. The slow keys
feature requires you to press a key for a specified duration before the system
accepts the keypress as a valid keypress. If you cannot press the key for
the duration that is specified by the slow keys setting, the system does not
accept your input unless you deselect the Enable Slow Keys
option. |
2.2.6. To Enable the Sticky Keys Feature
The sticky keys feature enables you to press the keys in a key combination
in sequence rather than simultaneously. This feature is designed for users
who are unable to press two or more keys simultaneously.
To enable and configure the sticky keys feature, perform the following
steps:
Click on the Basic tab to display the Basic tabbed section.
Select the Enable Sticky Keys option.
| Tip |
|---|
To enable the sticky keys feature from the keyboard, press Shift five times. This keyboard shortcut automatically selects all
of the sticky keys options. If you selected the Beep when enabling/disabling
keyboard accessibility features option, the system beeps to indicate
that the system is about to select or deselect the feature. If you enable
this feature from the keyboard, press Shift five times again
to disable the feature. |
Select the Beep when modifier is pressed
option to receive an audible indication each time you press a modifier key.
This option is useful to remind you whether a modifier key is active or inactive.
To automatically disable the sticky keys feature when a user
presses two keys simultaneously, select the Disable if two keys
pressed together option.
You can use the sticky keys feature in latch or lock mode. The following
table describes how to choose a mode and the difference between the two modes.
Table 2.4. Sticky Keys Latch or Lock Mode
To use the sticky keys feature in... | Press the modifier key... | The modifier key stays active
until... |
|---|
Latch mode | Once. | You press
a non-modifier key. |
Lock mode | Twice in quick succession. | You press the modifier key again. |
For example, if you want to press Alt+F1, you should do the following:
Press Alt to latch the modifier key. The Alt key remains active.
Press F1. The key combination is now complete.
After you press F1, the Alt modifier key
is no longer active.
As another example, if you want to press Ctrl+Alt+Tab, you should do the following.
Press Ctrl twice to lock the modifier key.
The Ctrl remains active.
Press Alt.
Press Tab. The key combination is now complete.
To unlock the modifier key, press Ctrl again.
2.2.7. To Enable Audible Notifications for Toggle Keys
A toggle key is any key on the keyboard that can switch between two
states. The Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock keys are toggle keys. Most toggle keys have an associated
light emitting diode (LED) on the keyboard that lights when the toggle key
is active. To assist users with visual impairments, you can customize the
keyboard to emit an audible notification when a user presses a toggle key.
For example, when you press Num Lock, you can determine whether
the key is toggled or not toggled by the sound.
To enable accessible toggle keys, select the Enable Toggle
Keys option in the Filters tabbed section.
When you activate the Num Lock, Caps Lock,
or Scroll Lock keys, the system beeps once. When you deactivate
a toggle key, the system beeps twice.
2.2.8. To Enable the Repeat Keys Feature
The repeat keys feature enables you to repeat a keystroke multiple times
without pressing the key more than once. This feature is designed for users
who cannot release keys quickly, for example users who operate a mouth stick.
When you enable repeat keys, you can specify the duration for which you must
press a key before the key starts to repeat.
To enable and configure the repeat keys feature, perform the following
steps:
Click on the Basic tab to display the Basic tabbed section.
Select the Repeat Keys option to enable
the repeat keys feature.
Use the Delay slider to specify the duration
for which you must press a key before the keyboard interprets the action as
a repeat key. If you have difficulty releasing keys, select a long time delay.
Use the Speed slider to
specify the speed at which the keyboard repeats the keypress as input.
