[comp.windows.x] Permanent caps lock mode - how does it happen?

dce@smsc.sony.com (David Elliott) (10/20/90)

This may be platform-specific, but it's possible that someone can
help me.

We use Sony NEWS workstations with US/English keyboards.  There are a
couple of extra keys (marked Nfer and Xfer) on either side of the space
bar.  People accidentally enter some unknown key sequence that puts
them into permanent CAPS LOCK mode (the caps key won't get them out) or
into permanent CTRL LOCK mode.  This isn't confined to one xterm --
it's global.  We have no idea how to get out of this mode except to
bang on the keyboard or play the game xhextris (and this doesn't always
work).

We can reproduce the behavior, but only by randomly banging on the
keyboard.  Even using xev to analyze the keystrokes doesn't give us
anything useful.

Can anyone give me any insight into what is going on?

janssen@parc.xerox.com (Bill Janssen) (10/20/90)

We've also seen this on the Sun server, but figured it was in some
way specific to the Sun keyboard drivers (with no real evidence that
that is the case).

Bill
--
 Bill Janssen        janssen@parc.xerox.com      (415) 494-4763
 Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, California   94304

fgreco@dprg-330.GOVt.shearson.COM (Frank Greco) (10/22/90)

I often get the infamous "caps lock mode" on my Sun 3/60.  As per recommendations
from der Mouse, it appears that an up event is not being noticed.  Instead of
bring the server down and up again, if you try to tap on both shift keys
either one-at-a-time or simultaneously, it usually restores caps sanity.

Frank G.