Ubuntu – Remap Caps Lock key to ‘Run Command’ (Alt+F2)

If you first remove the lock modifier from the Caps Lock key you should then be able to assign the key in Keyboard Shortcuts, use the command below to do that:

echo  'remove lock = Caps_Lock' | xmodmap -

1. add a new XKB partial file

sudo vi /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/altgr_vim

with this content:

partial keypad_keys
xkb_symbols "altgr-vim" {
  # replace Caps with AltGr
  key <CAPS> { [ ISO_Level3_Shift            ] };
  # Add vim cursor keys to be accessed with AltGr
  key <AB02> { [ x, X, Delete, Delete        ] };
  key <AC02> { [ s, S, KP_Enter, KP_Enter    ] };
  key <AC03> { [ d, D, Next, Next            ] };
  key <AC04> { [ f, F, BackSpace, BackSpace  ] };
  key <AC06> { [ h, H , Left, Left           ] };
  key <AC07> { [ j, J, Down, Down            ] };
  key <AC08> { [ k, K, Up, Up                ] };
  key <AC09> { [ l, L, Right, Right          ] };
  key <AD07> { [ u, U, Prior, Prior          ] };
  key <AE03> { [ 3, section, Home, Home      ] };
  key <AE04> { [ 4, dollar, End, End         ] };
};

2. include the partial in your language file

for example for german it is /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/de (where /de is your language) add this inside the first block (xkb_symbols "basic"):

include "altgr_vim(altgr-vim)"

Note: This part has to be repeated after every distribution update

3. reload the window session

Press ALT+F2, enter "r" to reload the gnome session or just log out and in again. Now the new key compositions will be available

4. solve some problems

1. Some applications don't accept the settings, for example: sublime which can be replaced by atom.

2. Some applications need extra settings, e.g. in yakuake the key-bindings are set to "XFree 4", if you set them to "Linux" or "Solaris", then the XKB settings works there also:

   

remaining problems:

1. some apps still don't accept those settings
2. after an upgrade, where the symbols file is updated, you have to repeat step 2