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Bug 6972

Summary:	[Key Bindings] Can't use ctrl+f4 in Linux for "close editor"
Product:	[Eclipse Project] Platform	Reporter:	Jared Burns <jared_burns>
Component:	UI	Assignee:	Chris McLaren <csmclaren>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED	QA Contact:
Severity:	normal
Priority:	P2	CC:	simon_arsenault
Version:	2.0	Keywords:	usability
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	Other
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:

Description Jared Burns

2001-12-15 11:41:56 EST

The current hotkey for closing an editor is "ctrl+f4"

We can't use this hotkey in most Linux desktop environments (KDE and Gnome for
certain ), because it's already taken. In these Linux environments, ctrl+fX
switches between desktops. Hitting ctrl+f4, for instance, switches to the fourth
desktop. Note that ctrl+alt+fX is also taken. It switches between virtual consoles.

Since alt+f4 is a standard key (in both Windows and Unix-based OSes) for closing
an app, I suggest using shift+alt+f4 to close an editor and shift+ctrl+f4 to
close all.

Comment 1 Nick Edgar

2001-12-20 09:47:52 EST

I was under the impression that switching between desktops is done using 
Ctrl+Alt+Fn.  This is the case on the Gnome setups we have here, so Ctrl+F4 
works on these.  We will try on KDE.

Which Linux and desktop (and their versions) are you using?  Have you changed 
any of the key bindings yourself?
Do you have any pointers to documentation saying Ctrl+Fn switches desktops?

Comment 2 James Moody

2001-12-20 12:14:16 EST

Ctrl+Alt+Fn switches between Virtual Terminals. I.e. Ctrl-Alt-F1 switches to a 
TEXT (non-X) console, Ctrl-Alt-F2 (or F7, depending on your setup) switches you 
back to X. Jared is describing switching between desktops within X. This is a 
feature of the window manager, and is highly configurable. I don't think this 
is actually a feature of KDE and Gnome, but rather of whatever window manager 
you're running. Regardless, it is possible that the default wm in kde and gnome 
conflicts with these.

Comment 3 Nick Edgar

2001-12-20 12:25:50 EST

Alt+F4 and Ctrl+F4 are fairly Windows-centric to begin with, although they 
might be normal for Motif as well.
Are there more appropriate accelerators we should be using for these?

Comment 4 Jared Burns

2001-12-21 09:32:26 EST

I'm running KDE. The hotkeys are there by default.

Comment 5 Tod Creasey

2002-01-10 10:50:14 EST

On Linux 7,2 it appears that Alt F4 does the desktop switching not Ctrl F4. 
Which version of Linux uses Ctrl F4?

Comment 6 Jared Burns

2002-01-10 11:30:39 EST

You're running Gnome (RedHat 7.2's default desktop), which uses alt+fX by
default to switch between desktops.

I'm running KDE on Mandrake 8.1, which comes with Linux kernel version 2.4.8.
The Linux version has nothing to do with this UI stuff though.

KDE default => ctrl+fX to switch desktops
GNOME default => alt+fX to switch desktops

Comment 7 Tod Creasey

2002-03-06 09:25:32 EST

Not a section 508 issue. Changing from accessibility to usability.

Comment 8 Seth Nickell

2002-08-09 20:40:11 EDT

The correct shortcut for this item in GNOME is ctrl-w.

Comment 9 Chris McLaren

2002-10-18 14:55:39 EDT

the new key bindings engine in M2 will support keybindings that distinguish between 
window managers, etc. but there is currently no way to get window manager information 
from SWT. 

the solution that will definately work is the keybindings customization UI (tentatively for 
M3) such that you can set the default key to anything you want if the default doesn't work 
on your window manager.

Comment 10 Chris McLaren

2002-12-02 13:23:56 EST

configurable keybinding support allows you to solve this problem. if there are 
specific keys that should best be used for these actions which correspond to 
the reslut of SWT.getPlatform(), i can change the defaults in the plugin.xml 
file. if these are window manager specific, SWT does not provide me enough 
information to disambiguate.