Perl script manages keyboard shortcuts
Taking Shortcuts

The Autokey utility automates desktop processes by triggering specific actions when the user enters predefined text shortcuts or presses hotkey combinations. Perl helps to manage these helpers.
Going back five years, I fondly remember the Gnome window manager Metacity launching applications at the press of a keyboard shortcut, simply by adding an entry with the gconf-editor
utility [1]. As a heavy terminal user, I probably open about 100 such windows in the course of the day, so it was a great time saver to map the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+N to a shell script that opened the new terminal with a special font and background color no matter which application the keyboard was currently focused on.
With the Compiz window manager now reigning over the Unity desktop, this capability seems to be a thing of the past, and I'm just fed up of continually modifying my scripts to reflect the changing fashions that desktop frameworks tend to follow.
Middle Man
Instead, in this column, I will be looking to put a man in the middle to handle the interface between the keyboard, the window manager currently en vogue in the Gnome world, and the actions I want to trigger.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
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.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.