39

I am a new Xubuntu user. Earlier when using Gnome, I was able to configure several desktop shortcuts, particularly for navigation between workspaces.

But, now in Xubuntu, I cannot find those options.

Where can I find those options.

enzotib
  • 93,831
Ankit
  • 1,131
  • 2
  • 12
  • 25

6 Answers6

52

Keyboard shortcuts are tucked away in your Settings Manager - Window Manager - Keyboard

enter image description here

Scroll down the list - you will see several workspace shortcuts, some defined with a shortcut and some awaiting to be defined.

fossfreedom
  • 172,746
23

There are more available in Settings Editor in Settngs Manager, which can be launched from the command-line using:

xfce4-settings-editor

This will display:

XFCE4 Settings Editor

Dave Jarvis
  • 959
23 93 26 35 19 57 3 89
  • 5,636
8

For Xfce 4.8 (Xubuntu 12.04 LTS)

Keyboard shortcuts are accessible from Settings -> Settings Manager -> Keyboard -> Application Shortcuts:

enter image description here

  • Choose "Add" to add a command you need to assign to a shortcut.
    enter image description here

  • In the window following "Ok" press the key combination you want to assign:
    enter image description here

Community
  • 1
Takkat
  • 142,284
7

Automate this with xfconf-query

If multiple machines require configuring keyboard shortcuts, this can be done without having to repeatedly open windows. Rather, use the very handy xfconf-query command in a bash script to --set a --property in xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts.xml.

Here is an example:

$ xfconf-query --create --channel xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts --property /commands/custom/XF86AudioMute --type string --set 'amixer -D pulse set Master 1+ toggle'

As a matter of fact, this is part of my solution to restore the function of the mute button in Xubuntu 12.04.

Community
  • 1
Serge Stroobandt
  • 5,268
  • 1
  • 48
  • 59
  • 2
    Works great if you are adding a new shortcut. If you however need to alter an existing one, you first have to delete it by the --reset option and create it again. Otherwise the running XFCE session will not pick it up. – Jakub Dec 27 '15 at 10:49
  • How would one go about using a different button to bind the command to? For example CtrlAltUp? In other words, how did you know to use /commands/custom/XF86AudioMute? – Ulad Kasach Apr 22 '16 at 21:17
1

You can also play in a console with gedit and /apps/metacity/keybinding_commands or /apps/metacity/global_keybindings

java_xof
  • 111
1

Easy Way

Heres a script that handles binding commands to keys cleanly in Xubuntu. Download keybind.c, compile it (example is given in readme in link) and simply run ./keybind "<keys to bind to>" "<command>"

For example heres some I use:

./keybind "<Control><Alt>Delete" "gnome-system-monitor"

./keybind "<Control><Alt>Up" "xrandr -o inverted"
./keybind "<Control><Alt>Down" "xrandr -o normal"
./keybind "<Control><Alt>Right" "xrandr -o left"
./keybind "<Control><Alt>Left" "xrandr -o right"

Disclosure: I created the script.

Slightly less Easy Way

If you're running a Xubuntu system and want to do it from the terminal it is a simple procedure too.

For debugging, here is where keybinding shortcuts are stored in XFCE4: $ gedit ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts.xml

Underlying Schema:
1) Remove existing commands bound to the binding keys
2) Set new command to keys

1a) 
`xfconf-query --reset --channel xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts --property "/commands/custom/<Control><Alt>Down"`<br />
`xfconf-query --reset --channel xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts --property "/xfwm4/custom/<Control><Alt>Down"`<br />
2)
`xfconf-query --create --channel xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts --property "/commands/custom/<Control><Alt>Down" --type string --set 'gedit'`

note if you're binding to key, ubuntu systems treat and equally and you will need to unbind any key bindings with in the above example <Primary><Alt>Down

Ulad Kasach
  • 1,686
  • Is that linked "script" really a C program, that just runs terminal commands, kind of like a more complicated shell script? – Xen2050 Feb 15 '19 at 11:47