Bug 480594 – Gnome blocks Ctrl+Alt+Backspace from restarting X

• Status: RESOLVED FIXED
• Product: Gentoo Linux

[Description Pacho Ramos 2013-08-11 11:37:53 UTC]

I know it's not the default in new X version, and that we need to add something like:
Section "InputClass"
    Identifier "keyboard-all"
    Driver "evdev"
    Option "XkbLayout" "es"
    Option "XkbOptions" "terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp"
MatchIsKeyboard "on"
EndSection

To recover it. What I don't understand is why I need to use gnome-tweak-tool to stop gnome from blocking the sequence (again!):
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg#Ctrl.2BAlt.2BBackspace_does_not_work

At least, we need to remember to document this, but I would try to change this upstream default to the oposite that way, people manually adding (like me) the needed stuff in xorg.conf will get the desired behavior, while others shouldn't be affected as X shouldn't catch that keys.

Otherwise, I will need to run gnome-tweak-tool for all users, and figure out what to do for gdm :|

[Comment 1 Gilles Dartiguelongue (RETIRED) 2013-08-11 20:44:59 UTC]

like any other settings, Gnome resets it for gods knows what reason. Keyboard, mouse, screens, pick yours.

[Comment 2 Pacho Ramos 2013-08-13 13:08:55 UTC]

Do you have any idea about what is the key changed by gnome-tweak-tool? I cannot find it :@

[Comment 3 poncho 2013-08-13 13:23:08 UTC]

dconf read /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/xkb-options
['terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp']

https://git.gnome.org/browse/gnome-tweak-tool/tree/gtweak/tweaks/tweak_typing.py#n98

[Comment 4 Tom Wijsman (TomWij) (RETIRED) 2013-08-13 13:39:39 UTC]

> Summary: Gnome blocks Ctrl+Alt+Backspace from restarting X

GNOME doesn't block it, it's off by default in X and enabling it through either the config or through gnome-tweak-tool will enable it again; the only thing that GNOME blocks (if I were to believe that documentation you linked) is when the user runs `setxkbmap -option terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp` which probably does not talk straight to X or so but through some kind of interface.

For this last thing it is questionable whether this ever worked; anyhow, given that there are two alternatives I guess this isn't too problematic (it doesn't sounds productive to manually set it through `setxkbmap` each time).

So, if I understand correctly, the only thing missing here is documentation.

Where should this be documented; the project page, the wiki, somewhere else?

[Comment 5 Pacho Ramos 2013-08-13 13:45:48 UTC]

It blocks the signal as I am editing my xorg.conf to let X be killed with Ctrl+Alt+Backspace. It work if I run plain X, or icewm... but gnome will again block that keymap due this setting

(and the key sequence works when I use gnome-tweak-tool to re-enable it)

[Comment 6 Gilles Dartiguelongue (RETIRED) 2013-08-25 17:24:08 UTC]

moving to proper tracker.

[Comment 7 Pacho Ramos 2013-08-26 06:38:40 UTC]

Do you know the "proper way" for changing settings for gdm? (I guess will need to run the commands as gdm user or similar)

Thanks

[Comment 8 poncho 2013-08-26 13:43:49 UTC]

(In reply to Pacho Ramos from comment #7)
> Do you know the "proper way" for changing settings for gdm? (I guess will
> need to run the commands as gdm user or similar)
> 
> Thanks

I used this guide ( https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GDM#Configuration ) to customize gdm in the past. Not sure if it still works though.

> Configure X server access permission:
> # xhost +SI:localuser:gdm
> 
> Change the theme:
> $ sudo -u gdm dbus-launch gnome-control-center
> 
> For more configuration options, do:
> $ sudo -u gdm dbus-launch gconf-editor

[Comment 9 Pacho Ramos 2013-09-07 19:56:20 UTC]

Finally updated after learning how does it work from upstream :)
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=707588