Very Computer

When I upgraded my Linux installation to Slackware 1.2, which meant moving
from XFree 2.0 to 2.1, the function keys in all the windows stopped working as
expected.  They (or at least some of them) seem to be remapped to mouse
functions -- iconizing windows, changing focus, etc.  The keys aren't passed
through to applications, and this is causing me much heartache.

I've tried using different term windows (xterm, rxvt, and shelltool), and
different window managers (olvwm and twm) and see the same result.  The
function keys work fine under a Linux virtual terminal.  It seems that this
behaviour <must> be the result of some low-level Xserver keymapping, but I
can't figure out where.

Please, someone, what is remapping the function keys, and how do I get them
back to normal operation?

Thanks,

John Ackermann

: When I upgraded my Linux installation to Slackware 1.2, which meant moving
: from XFree 2.0 to 2.1, the function keys in all the windows stopped working as
: expected.  They (or at least some of them) seem to be remapped to mouse
: functions -- iconizing windows, changing focus, etc.  The keys aren't passed
: through to applications, and this is causing me much heartache.

: I've tried using different term windows (xterm, rxvt, and shelltool), and
: different window managers (olvwm and twm) and see the same result.  The
: function keys work fine under a Linux virtual terminal.  It seems that this
: behaviour <must:  be the result of some low-level Xserver keymapping, but I
: can't figure out where.

: Please, someone, what is remapping the function keys, and how do I get them
: back to normal operation?

There are various possibilities.
First of all, the X server initialises its keymap with that of Linux.
If you have the default setup then that doesnt change anything about
the function keys, but if you have rebound them on the console, then
they will also do something else under X.
The kind of thing you mention typically looks like actions of your window
manager. Have you looked at .twmrc ? If you find lines like "F1" = : window : f.iconify
then that explains the behaviour you see.
You can check using xmodmap and xev that your function keys have not been remapped.
You can look at the termcap entry for xterm to see what strings the function keys
are supposed to produce. Check that TERM=xterm. Look at the xterm resources to see
whether you have any lines XTerm*VT100.Translations: that redefine certain keys.