Update the PinePhone keyboard driver to support missing characters?

[pifou]

@Peter

  Below is what I did when after the latest updates and OS upgrades I lost (completely in Mobian and partially in PostmarketOS) the PPKC functionality.  The kb151 kernel module is not present anymore in either OS after all the above.  It will get some top row functionality back.
  These are the fixes for PostmarketOS.  I used this wiki page for inspiration:  https://wiki.mobian-project.org/doku.php...ccessories


Step 1
======
I changed the "kb151" to in "/sys/bus/i2c/drivers/kb151/2-0015" to "pinephone-keyboard" as below
/sys/bus/i2c/drivers/pinephone-keyboard/2-0015

In my home dir I created the "bin" subdir and in it I put the "kbd-external.sh" script.  Make sure it's executable.

Code:

mkdir bin
<vim, nano, your_editor> bin/kbd-external.sh
chmod +x bin/kbd-external.sh

kbd-external.sh

Code:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# a11y is "a one one y" aka a-eleven-y aka accessibility
# Turns off onscreen keyboard when PPKC is present
# Disable vibration

if [ -L "/sys/bus/i2c/drivers/pinephone-keyboard/2-0015" ]; then
  gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.a11y.applications screen-keyboard-enabled false
else
  gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.a11y.applications screen-keyboard-enabled true
fi
# return status
echo "org.gnome.desktop.a11y.applications screen-keyboard-enabled is:"
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.a11y.applications screen-keyboard-enabled
# disable vibration on mouse and key presses
gsettings set org.sigxcpu.feedback profile silent
echo "org.sigxcpu.feedback profile is:"
gsettings get org.sigxcpu.feedback profile

Step 2
======
Then, add this to “~/.config/autostart/kbd-external.desktop”

kbd-external.desktop

Code:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Keyboard
Type=Application
Icon=object-rotate-left-symbolic
Exec=/home/user/bin/kbd-external.sh
Categories=Utility;
NoDisplay=true

Step 3
======
In my case this was already the case but if it isn't, make sure that XKB_DEFAULT_MODEL env variable is ppkb
  echo $XKB_DEFAULT_MODEL
should return
    ppkb

If NOT, add the following to /etc/systemd/system/phosh.service.d/override.conf:

override.conf

Code:

[Service]
Environment=XKB_DEFAULT_MODEL=ppkb

Step 4
======
In the Settings app in "Phosh -> Settings -> Keyboard -> Alternate Characters Key" select "Left Super"
to have the pinecone key act as Fn used to for the TOP ROW ONLY: Pinecone-[0-9]
The Fn key still worked/works for the arrow, Home, End keys.

Try setting some other special keys if you prefer something else as modifier.