[Resolved]Re: OT: M-S-$ Not Working

[Bo Grimes <vcg3rd@fastmail.com>]

On Fri, 5 Feb 2021 21:40:25 +0700
Maxim Nikulin <manikulin@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 05/02/2021 06:25, Bo Grimes wrote:
> > 
> > OS: PopOS 20.10, DE: GNOME 3.38.2 WM: Mutter
> > GNU Emacs 26.3 (build 2, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 3.24.14)
> > 
> > M-S-$ does not spellcheck word.  
> 
> Does C-h l view-lossage show something useful after an attempt to 
> perform spellcheck? Is there anything in the *Message* buffer?

Thanks! I didn't know C-h l, and I never thought to check messages.
Sorry, I'm a non-tech, learn-what-I-need-as-I-go-but-committed-to-FOSS
guy.

Unfortunately, messages doesn't show anything, and here's the output of
C-h l, which I ran first as a marker, then typed a commonly misspelled
word, did M-S-$, and then ran it again:

 C-h l [view-lossage]
 m [org-self-insert-command]
 i [org-self-insert-command]
 s [org-self-insert-command]
 p [org-self-insert-command]
 e [org-self-insert-command]
 l [org-self-insert-command]
 l [org-self-insert-command]
 C-h l [view-lossage]

Nothing between the last two, which is when I did M-S-$

> 
> I could not suggest something in the case of wayland session, but if
> it is X11 then attempt to acquire key grab should fail if another 
> application already set this shortcut. So you could try if e.g. 
> xbindkeys would report a conflict if such keystroke is added to its 
> config. I have never used it, but there is an interesting feature 
> XF86LogGrabInfo: 
> https://askubuntu.com/questions/406543/unable-to-set-a-shortcut-to-grab-screenshot-area 
> Due to global shortcut emacs should lose focus for a moment and it 
> should be noticeable. I would also check if xev reports expected key 
> symbol. Just to be sure that $ is in its usual place yet.
> 

So, that took me down a rabbit hole that led me nowhere in terms of
understanding wayland, Xorg, or X11 configs, BUT, somewhere down there
I got to thinking about how one of the first things I do on a new
system is remap Ctrl to Caps Lock.  I usually just do setxkbmap -layout
us -option ctrl:nocaps, but in attempting to see if there was a
problem there I was led to closely examine Tweeks Additional Layout
Options, where I saw Shift Does Not Cancel Num Lock, choose 3rd lvl
instead.

I have no idea what 3rd level is, but before I ticked it I turned off
my number lock, and C-S-$ worked!  So I ticked it and it stopped
working.  So I unticked it and ticked Number keypad always enters
digits, which is, of course, why I use Num Lock to begin with.

With that ticked Emacs behaves as expected.  I have always used Num
Lock and never had that problems

Wow!  Thanks for taking the time to put me in the rabbit hole on an
OT message!!! Frustrating, but less frustrating than a new distro or DM,
and I learned some things!  I am really grateful!

Cheers,
Bo Grimes