How to confgure capslock as a standalone key?

Question

In Windows, you can use AutoHotKey to make Capslock a standalone key (say, binding it to 'escape') as well as a modifier (so that you can bind, say 'CapsLock + k', to launch a browser).

I've tried everything under sun to make CapsLock have its own special binding PLUS make it a modifier key in Ubuntu and Xubuntu, and tried various Autokey python scripts, but it seems this is not possible on Ubuntu/Xubuntu?

Am I wrong? Does anyone know a way this could be possible?

Answer 1

Try this in a console:

setxkbmap -option caps:none
xmodmap -e 'keycode 66 = Multi_key';

Than your Caps-Lock work as a Compose key.

Ie: If you hit successively:

• Compose, o, then e will render "œ",
• Compose, o, then r will render "®",
• Compose, 3, then 4 will render "¾",
• Compose, o, then / will render "ø",
• Compose, +, then - will render "±",
• Compose, s, then s will render "ß",
• ...

And so on.

Answer 2

I finally found my solution with the Xcape which allows you to send key events when modifier keys are released on his own.

Answer 3

If you install gnome tweak-tool, you can redefine Caps-Lock from the Typing tab.

You can make it for instance an Escape or Ctrl. I've turned it into a BackSpace.

You can install it using:

sudo apt-get install gnome-tweak-tool

I'm running Ubuntu 14.04.