Why does Fn+A keybinding not work in Zenbooks?

Question

By default, the Fn+A combo doesn't work, so I wanted to map that keycode to a script. I created a shortcut that maps to the keycode (0xf8) but it doesn't work. Additionally, my o key does not work. When I change the mapping to something else (ctrl+o for example), everything works as expected.

Experimenting with the second hardware. The first keybindings do not work with the graphic packages xserver-xorg-video-intel, nor modesetting after purging the intel package and rebooting. The problem may be GPU independent because the first hardware configuration is with NVidia, while the second is with Intel.

Ubuntu: 14.04, 16.04
Hardware: Asus Zenbook UX32VD, Zenbook UX303UA
Linux kernel: 3.19.0-42, 4.4-4.7
GPU: NVidia Geforce GT 620M, Intel integrated
Graphic packages in 2nd hardware: xserver-xorg-video-intel, modesetting

Can you show us a piece of code how you map the keycode, please. — Léo Léopold Hertz 준영, Aug 25 '16 at 06:33
I'm pretty sure that the operating system can't "see" the Fn key being pressed. Fn keypresses are interpreted by the BIOS. I'm happy to be proven wrong, but I think this issue has come up before — Nick Weinberg, Aug 25 '16 at 06:41
@NickWeinberg Yes, I can prove that you are wrong. See the answer below. Pressing Fn+something else gives you different keybinding than just something else. — Léo Léopold Hertz 준영, Aug 27 '16 at 11:39

score 2 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:24

The OP wants to express the function of the keybinding fn+a i.e. Fig. 1 Print of the keybinding in the keyboard where it has the lamp -symbol with the word auto; please, comment if you know what is the name of this feature exactly

Below you can see that the keybinding combination returns zero bytes i.e. its function is connected nowhere. Options to solve the case

Use the graphic package xserver-xorg-video-intel, edit /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf TODO Similar approach is here in the thread How to Enable Brightness Buttons in 16.04 of Zenbook? but I am not sure about the precise method what to change.
Use modesetting i.e. purge the Intel graphic package, and find an alternative stable method.

Experimenting the keycodes in UX303UA

Do xev, press fn+a and press fn+a where you see that there is a difference between the two keybindings in the system, but the action is not run

KeyPress event, serial 37, synthetic NO, window 0x3c00001,
    root 0xe6, subw 0x0, time 112925284, (10,-18), root:(10,34),
    state 0x0, keycode 248 (keysym 0x0, NoSymbol), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 37, synthetic NO, window 0x3c00001,
    root 0xe6, subw 0x0, time 112925284, (10,-18), root:(10,34),
    state 0x0, keycode 248 (keysym 0x0, NoSymbol), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XFilterEvent returns: False

MappingNotify event, serial 38, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    request MappingKeyboard, first_keycode 8, count 248

KeyPress event, serial 38, synthetic NO, window 0x3c00001,
    root 0xe6, subw 0x0, time 112926726, (10,-18), root:(10,34),
    state 0x0, keycode 38 (keysym 0x61, a), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (61) "a"
    XmbLookupString gives 1 bytes: (61) "a"
    XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 39, synthetic NO, window 0x3c00001,
    root 0xe6, subw 0x0, time 112926790, (10,-18), root:(10,34),
    state 0x0, keycode 38 (keysym 0x61, a), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (61) "a"
    XFilterEvent returns: False

Hardware: Asus Zenbook UX303UA
Ubuntu: 16.04
Linux kernel: 4.4-4.7
GPU: Intel integrated
Graphic packages: xserver-xorg-video-intel, modesetting

Fn+A is meant to control the Ambient Light Sensor (ALS). However, I've not yet enabled it on my UX303UA. — freddybob, Mar 25 '17 at 11:14

Why does Fn+A keybinding not work in Zenbooks?

1 Answers1

Experimenting the keycodes in UX303UA