Reclaim Your Muscle Memory: Install Tweak Tools to Customize Ubuntu 14.04 Keyboard

Switching from macOS to Ubuntu can be a breath of fresh air, but for users deeply ingrained in the Apple ecosystem, the different keyboard layout can be a persistent annoyance. Muscle memory is a powerful thing, and retraining your fingers for new keyboard shortcuts can seriously slow down your workflow. If you’re using Ubuntu 14.04 and longing for that familiar Mac keyboard feel, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through installing and using tweak tools to remap your keyboard and bring your Ubuntu experience closer to macOS, focusing on achieving that seamless transition for users accustomed to the Mac way of doing things.

This article expands on the original guide by providing more context, clearer explanations, and SEO optimization for English-speaking users searching for solutions to customize their Ubuntu 14.04 keyboard layout. We’ll delve into various methods to remap keys, ensuring a smoother and more efficient workflow on your Ubuntu system.

Understanding the Need for Keyboard Tweaking in Ubuntu 14.04

For macOS veterans transitioning to Ubuntu 14.04, the most immediate friction point is often the keyboard. The placement of the Control, Alt, and Super (Windows key) keys are reversed compared to the Command, Option, and Control keys on a Mac keyboard. This difference, while seemingly minor, can significantly disrupt your muscle memory and productivity.

Ubuntu 14.04, while a stable and reliable operating system, doesn’t offer macOS-style keyboard remapping out-of-the-box in the same user-friendly manner as later versions. This means we need to dive a bit deeper and utilize tweak tools and configuration files to achieve the desired layout.

Methods to Install Tweak Tools and Remap Your Keyboard in Ubuntu 14.04

Several methods can be employed to remap your keyboard in Ubuntu 14.04. We’ll cover the most effective approaches, combining command-line tools and configuration file modifications to give you comprehensive control over your keyboard layout.

1. Utilizing Xmodmap for Key Remapping

Xmodmap is a powerful utility in the X Window System (which Ubuntu 14.04 uses) that allows you to modify the keyboard mapping table. This method is particularly useful for swapping key functionalities, such as exchanging the positions of the Control and Alt keys to mimic a Mac layout.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Xmodmap:

1. Create the .Xmodmap file: Open your terminal and use a text editor like nano or vim to create a file named .Xmodmap in your home directory.

   nano ~/.Xmodmap

2. Populate .Xmodmap with remapping directives: Paste the following configuration into your .Xmodmap file. This configuration is designed to swap the Ctrl and Alt keys, and also remap the Windows keys to Alt and vice versa, effectively mirroring a Mac keyboard layout.

   ! -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
   ! keycode 37 = Control_L NoSymbol Control_L
   ! keycode 64 = Alt_L Meta_L Alt_L Meta_L
   ! keycode 105 = Control_R NoSymbol Control_R
   ! keycode 108 = Alt_R Meta_R Alt_R Meta_R
   ! keycode 133 = Super_L NoSymbol Super_L
   ! keycode 134 = Super_R NoSymbol Super_R
   ! keycode 135 = Menu NoSymbol Menu
   ! keycode 147 = XF86MenuKB NoSymbol XF86MenuKB
   ! keycode 204 = NoSymbol Alt_L NoSymbol Alt_L
   ! keycode 206 = NoSymbol Super_L NoSymbol Super_L
   !
   ! keycode 105 = Alt_R Meta_R clear control clear mod1 clear mod4
   keycode 37 = Super_L
   keycode 105 = Super_R
   keycode 133 = Alt_L Meta_L
   keycode 64 = Control_L
   keycode 108 = Control_R
   add control = Control_L Control_R
   add mod1 = Alt_L Meta_L
   add mod4 = Super_L Super_R

   This code snippet remaps keycodes to different functionalities. For example, keycode 37 which usually corresponds to the Control_L key is being remapped to Super_L (the left Windows key), and vice-versa for other keys to achieve the Mac-like layout.

3. Save and apply .Xmodmap: Save the file (in nano, press Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter). To apply these changes, execute the following command in your terminal:

   xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap

   This command loads the keymap defined in your .Xmodmap file, immediately changing your keyboard layout.

4. Make .Xmodmap persistent on startup: To ensure your keyboard remapping is applied every time you log in, you need to execute xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap at startup. A common method is to modify the .xinitrc file.

   echo 'if [ -s ~/.Xmodmap ]; then xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap fi' > ~/.xinitrc

   And to ensure it executes:

   echo 'xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap' >> ~/.xinitrc

   Ensure .xinitrc is executable:

   chmod +x ~/.xinitrc

   This script checks if .Xmodmap exists and then applies it using xmodmap whenever you start your X session.

2. Modifying X11 Keyboard Symbol Files

Another approach involves directly modifying the X11 keyboard symbol files. This method is more system-level and can be useful for deeper customization.

Steps to Modify X11 Keyboard Symbol Files:

1. Identify your keyboard layout: Determine your keyboard layout. In the original article, the keyboard is recognized as pc105. You can typically find this information in your system settings or by running localectl status in the terminal.

2. Modify the keyboard symbol file: Locate the symbol file for your keyboard. For pc105, it’s usually located at /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/pc. It’s crucial to back up this file before making any changes.

   sudo cp /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/pc /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/pc.backup
   sudo nano /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/pc

3. Include altwin(ctrl_alt_win): Within the pc file, find the section defining the pc105 layout. Before the line // End of modifier mappings., add the following line:

   include "altwin(ctrl_alt_win)"

   This line includes the ctrl_alt_win configuration from the altwin symbol file, which defines the key swapping behavior. The relevant content of /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/altwin is provided in the original article for manual verification or modification if needed.

   // Ctrl is mapped to the Alt, Alt to the Super, and Win to the Ctrl keys.
   partial modifier_keys xkb_symbols "ctrl_alt_win" {
       key <lalt>  {       [ Control_L, Control_L ]       };
       key <ralt>  { type[Group1]="TWO_LEVEL",symbols[Group1]=[ Control_R, Control_R ] };
       key <lwin>  {       [ Alt_L, Meta_L ]        };
       key <rwin>  {       [ Alt_R, Meta_R ]        };
       key <lctl>  {       [ Super_L ]               };
       key <rctl>  {       [ Super_R ]               };
   
       modifier_map Control   { <ralt>, <lalt> };
       modifier_map Mod1      { <lwin>, <rwin> };
       modifier_map Mod4      { <lctl>, <rctl> };
   };

4. Save the modified file: Save the pc file (in nano, press Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter).

5. Apply changes: You may need to reboot your system or restart the X server for these changes to take full effect.

3. Modifying /etc/default/keyboard

The /etc/default/keyboard file is another system-level configuration file that controls keyboard settings. You can modify this file to achieve key remapping, although it might be less flexible than Xmodmap for complex customizations.

Steps to Modify /etc/default/keyboard:

1. Edit /etc/default/keyboard: Open the file with root privileges using a text editor:

   sudo nano /etc/default/keyboard

2. Modify XKBOPTIONS: Locate the XKBOPTIONS line. If it doesn’t exist, add it. Modify the line to include the ctrl:alt,alt:win,win:ctrl options. Your /etc/default/keyboard file might look something like this after modification:

   # KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION FILE
   
   # Consult the keyboard(5) manual page.
   
   XKBMODEL="pc105"
   XKBLAYOUT="us"
   XKBVARIANT=""
   XKBOPTIONS="caps:shift_nocancel,ctrl:alt,alt:win,win:ctrl"
   BACKSPACE="guess"

   The XKBOPTIONS="caps:shift_nocancel,ctrl:alt,alt:win,win:ctrl" line is crucial here. ctrl:alt swaps Ctrl and Alt, alt:win swaps Alt and Win (Super), and win:ctrl swaps Win and Ctrl. Combined, they achieve the desired Mac-like key remapping.

3. Save and apply changes: Save the file and update the keyboard settings by running:

   sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration

   Follow the on-screen prompts to reconfigure your keyboard. Reboot your system for the changes to fully apply.

4. Importing GNOME and Marco Keybindings (Optional)

The original article also provides GNOME and Marco keybinding configurations. These are specific to the GNOME and Marco desktop environments (Marco is the window manager for MATE Desktop, which is mentioned as the user’s environment in the original article). These configurations primarily deal with application shortcuts and window management, not directly with key remapping in the same way as the previous methods.

If you are using GNOME or MATE Desktop with Marco and want to further align your Ubuntu experience with macOS, you can import these settings using dconf. However, this is optional and focuses on application-level shortcuts rather than fundamental key remapping.

Importing Keybindings (Example for GNOME):

1. Install dconf-cli: If not already installed, install dconf-cli:

   sudo apt-get install dconf-cli

2. Import GNOME keybindings: Save the GNOME keybindings configuration from the original article to a file (e.g., gnome-keybindings.dconf). Then, import it using:

   dconf load /org/gnome/desktop/wm/keybindings/ < gnome-keybindings.dconf

3. Import Marco keybindings (if using MATE Desktop): Similarly, save the Marco keybindings to marco-keybindings.dconf and import them:

   dconf load /org/mate/marco/global-keybindings/ < marco-keybindings.dconf
   dconf load /org/mate/marco/window-keybindings/ < marco-keybindings.dconf

Note: These keybinding imports are optional and customize application shortcuts and window management behaviors. They are not essential for basic key remapping but can further enhance the macOS-like experience.

Applying and Testing Your Keyboard Tweaks

After implementing any of these methods, it’s essential to test if the key remapping is working as expected. Open a text editor and try using the Control, Alt, and Super keys in their new positions. Ensure shortcuts you are used to from macOS now function correctly on your Ubuntu 14.04 system.

If changes are not immediately apparent, try logging out and logging back in, or rebooting your system. If you encounter issues, double-check your configuration files for typos and ensure you have followed each step correctly.

Conclusion: Tailoring Ubuntu 14.04 to Your Workflow

Customizing your keyboard layout in Ubuntu 14.04 to match your macOS muscle memory can significantly improve your comfort and efficiency. By utilizing tools like Xmodmap, modifying system configuration files, and optionally importing keybindings, you can create a more familiar and productive environment.

While Ubuntu 14.04 is an older distribution, these methods provide robust solutions for keyboard customization. Experiment with these techniques to find the configuration that best suits your needs and reclaim your muscle memory, making your transition from macOS to Ubuntu 14.04 a smoother and more enjoyable experience.