xdotool - how do I select text using shift+Home or shift+End?

Question

I'm trying to get text selection working the way I want on my laptop using Ubuntu 16.04. I don't have home/end keys on my laptop, so I installed xdotool and using the keyboard settings I mapped Super+left to xdotool getactivewindow key Home and Super+right to xdotool getactivewindow key End.

This is working as expected. However, I'd also like to have Shift+Super+Left select text from my cursor to the beginning of the line, and similarly Shift+Super+Right select to the end of the line. I tried mapping these combinations to xdotool using xdotool getactivewindow key shift+Home but this doesn't seem to work.

I've also tried running sleep 4 && xdotool key shift+Home in a terminal and then switching to my text editor, and it seems like only the Home key is firing - no text is selected. So it seems like a xdotool problem and not my keyboard. Does anyone know the proper key combination for xdotool to select text to the beginning/end of a line?

Update:

Runningsleep 4 && xdotool key Shift+Home with a capital S for shift works. Text is highlighted in my text editor from my cursor to the beginning of the line. However, it's still not working as a shortcut even with a capital S. So now I'm thinking there is something else wrong with the way I'm inputting the xdotool command into Ubuntu's keyboard settings.

Solution 1

Try the following:

xdotool keyup Shift+Super+Left key shift+Home

The keyup statement will release the hotkey you are pressing before simulating pressing the key combination shift+Home.

Solution 2

In order to bind Shift+Home/End together with xdotool, please use:

xdotool key --window '$(xdotool getactivewindow)' Shift+Home

xdotool key --window '$(xdotool getactivewindow)' Shift+End

Then, you can customize your shortcut by Shift+Alt+Right Arrow and Shift+Alt+Left Arrow.

Comments

[Jacob Vlijm]

If I understand correctly, you want to select the line? Is a triple-click an option?

[Arijit Chatterjee]

Here goes a resource for you cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/proto/x11proto/plain/keysymdef.h

[wjandrea]

In my experience, Xdotool is not good for complex keyboard shortcuts.

[greenerr]

@wjandrea are there better options for what I'm trying to do?

[greenerr]

@wjandrea nevermind, I installed Autokey and managed to get it working using that.

[dgonzalez]

+1 to autokey, maybe not the best/exact answer to original question... but i can't live without it!

[Mateen Ulhaq]

Also: xdotool getactivewindow key Shift+Home