mapping the keyboard globally - again

[Séamas Ó Brógáin]

I have permanently changed my default keyboard with the following
method. I too found it almost impossible to find accurate information
but eventually pieced it together from various sources and of course
from trial and error.

The only file you need to find and change is the xkb symbols file for
your chosen country. The identification is usually the standard
two-letter symbol; for example, my keyboard (Ireland) is at

                   /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/ie

This is an XML file. When you open it with a text editor the syntax will
be fairly self-explanatory.

            key <AD03> { [ e, E ], [ eacute, Eacute ] };

Each line begins with the identifier of the physical key, but you will
be able to deduce this from the characters already assigned to it. (If
not, there is a way of identifying them.) The first two letters are
level 1 (normal) and level 2 (shift); the second group is what you get
with group 2 (alt). (There are other levels and other groups if you are
feeling adventurous.) You can also change the allocation of the modifier
keys (shift, alt, caps lock, etc.)

You may have to log out for the changes to take effect.

I hope this is the information you need, and that it works for you.