How can I swap CAPSLOCK for BACKSPACE?

Question

I want to swap Capslock with Backspace and came only so far as to mix them both together. By that I mean: hitting Capslock does work like the Backspace key, but also activates Caps (including the LED).

When I was using Gnome, the Keyboard Settings would let me easily do the switch. In XFCE these options are missing, so I tried via .Xmodmap and xkeycaps. Xkeycaps even lets me export the stuff to .Xmodmap, but somehow it does not work. I'm missing something here!

Current .Xmodmap (commented out because it gives errors "bad keysym in remove modifier list 'Caps_Lock', no corresponding keycodes", this was mostly described in forums)

keycode  66 = BackSpace
! remove Lock    = Caps_Lock
remove Mod5    = Mode_switch Mode_switch

Referencing xmodmap to load in .profile etc did not work either. I could live with installing the Gnome-Keyboard Settings tool on my xfce system, if nothing else helps - which package is it?

EDIT: setxkbmap -option caps:backspace works, BUT: key does not repeat on holding down UNLESS i use xmodmap -e "clear Lock" as well. Not quite elegant, but apparently working.

Solution 1

To close this one, I'll add my current fix. Maybe someone can use it too. Put this in a script, autostart it with DE:

setxkbmap -option caps:backspace
setxkbmap -option shift:both_capslock
xmodmap -e "clear Lock"

Solution 2

You can actually make some changes to your keys exchange. Click on power icon, on the extreme top right hand corner of your screen. Select 'System Settings' and double-click on 'Keyboard Layout'. Locate 'Option' at the popup box and click on it. Look for 'CAPS Lock Key Behavior' and click on the arrow before that option, from the drop-down menu select 'Make Caps lock additional Backspace'. I hope that answers your question. Thank you.

Comments

[marto]

I just found out about setxkbmap and the option "caps:backspace", which seems to be what gnome does via GUI

[marto]

setxkbmap -option caps:backspace works, BUT: key does not repeat on holding down

[marto]

yep, thx for the hint

[marto]

I'm on XFCE, as I described there is no such such option like in gnome also edited tags for better visibility

[marto]

yes, but somehow it does not always work. Or it works partly. Ghost in the machine..

[Wesley Baugh]

then I'm sorry, never had any problems with that. thought so because in your .xmodmap you only have one keycode command.

[all4naija]

I don't understand why it doesn't work for you. FYI, I am not using gnome either but it worked for me.

[Geo]

For ubuntu, see askubuntu.com/a/432966/12648, no xmodmap or autostart needed, just options 'caps:backspace','shift:both_capslock' in dconf-editor org >> gnome >> desktop >> input-sources >> xkb-options list.

[A.Wan]

@bonger the dconf-editor doesn't work with key repeat though (Ubuntu 14.04)

[Mo D Genesis]

The answer @bonger gave worked for me. Note that you have t oplace in the custom values the text ['caps:backspace', 'shift:both_capslock'] don't forget the brackets.