Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!snorkelwacker!bloom-beacon!ATHENA.MIT.EDU!swick
From: swick@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Ralph R. Swick)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: Alt vs. Meta in Xt translations
Message-ID: <9007201609.AA04845@lyre.MIT.EDU>
Date: 20 Jul 90 16:09:21 GMT
References: <jsparkes.648484149@bcars85>
Sender: daemon@athena.mit.edu (Mr Background)
Organization: DEC/MIT Project Athena
Lines: 18


	What is the difference between Alt and Meta in Xt translations?

They are (just) different pairs of KeySyms; no special meaning is attached
to either.  There is also an abbreviation symbol ("$") which can be
used in a key sequence to indicate that the modifier key assigned to
Meta_L or Meta_R must be asserted.  No such abbreviation exists for Alt_*.

    My
    NCD X terminal defines Alt_L and Alt_R, but it seems that xedit uses Meta in
    it translation table, so it doesn't work.

You need to use xmodmap to assign one or more keys to the Meta_L and
Meta_R keysyms and then assign these same keys to a free modifier bit.
If you chose to use the Alt keys as both Meta and Alt keys, then
one possible sequence to do this is:
% xmodmap -e "keysym Alt_L = Alt_L Meta_L" -e "keysym Alt_R = Alt_R Meta_R"
(assuming Alt is already assigned as a modifier key).