Activating your multimedia keys with ReMoot

PLAYBACK

Article from Issue 85/2007
Author(s):

If your laptop multimedia keys aren’t working in Linux, the fix could be easier than you think. We’ll show you how to manage multimedia applications from the keyboard using ReMoot.

From this article, you will learn how to make Linux (with KDE) recognize special-function keys and how to make them function with all your favorite multimedia applications. Many contemporary desktop and laptop keyboards include multimedia keys (for “Play,” “Mute,” “Volume Up,” and so on), but often these special keys don’t work well with Linux. Recently, I decided it was high time to get the multimedia keys on my laptop to work.

I needed to solve two problems. The first was getting Linux to recognize the (potentially non-standard) keys; the second was getting each key to perform the necessary multimedia function. Fortunately, KDE lets you easily associate keyboard actions with commands, and a tool called ReMoot provides the necessary command set for accessing multimedia applications. In this article, I describehow to activate keyboard and laptop multimedia keys with ReMoot.

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • At Your Fingertips

    This DIY, programmable input device is a compact companion to your keyboard, with nine keys and 16 layers that can be customized for different applications and games.

  • Mpeg Menu System V2

    You’ll forget you’re even working with a computer when you browse for your favorite videos, pictures, and audio files with Mpeg Menu System.

  • FOSSPicks

    This month Graham looks at SonoBus, NewsFlash, Kinto.sh, RetroShare, Emilia Pinball, and much more!

  • LMMS

    Linux has truly started to compete with Windows and MacOS as a platform for professional sound applications. Linux Multimedia Studio (LMMS) is a Linux sound tool that packs a variety of impressive features into a neat bundle.

  • Command-Line Tools

    Learn more about Linux text-based multimedia utilities for playing streams, editing images, and reading CDs or DVDs from the command-line.

comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News