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vort3

Member

Registered: 2025-08-31

Posts: 15

Global hotkeys (Ctrl+Alt+Letter) don't work

As requested, making a separate topic. Copied from previous topic:

Global hotkeys simply don't work. I go to global hotkeys tab in keyboard settings and add a few typical Ctrl+Alt+Letter hotkeys, like Ctrl+Alt+T for Terminal (konsole). Pressing the hotkey doesn't do anything. How do I debug? I have no idea. I know keyboard settings can be a mess, for example sometimes things like setting Left Alt + Shift to change keyboard layout somehow break things and now a DE sees this keyboard event as "ISO_Next_Group" rather than left alt or left shift. Also making compose key to be Right Alt can break things that are bound to Alt+Letter keys. I'm not sure what exactly is the problem here, but for reference I do use left alt + shift to switch layouts (I use 2 layouts) and I do use right alt as compose key. Anyone have any idea why Alt+Ctrl+T can't launch my Terminal?

The original topic was here: https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6017

The global hotkeys tab I'm referring to is found here:
settings:/Accessibility/ , choose "Keyboard Shortcuts" from there, go to "Command Shortcuts" from there.

In the list I expand "Programs" category and find "Konsole". On the bottom I press "Custom" button, in a new window that appears I click on "Primary" field and type Ctrl+Alt+T.
The hotkey appears in the "Command shortcuts" tab. I press apply, ok, close the window.

I press Ctrl+Alt+T. Nothing happens.

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 6,114

Website

Re: Global hotkeys (Ctrl+Alt+Letter) don't work

Yes, that's the correct way that works fine here. You may only need to re/login/boot after the shortcut configuration. Does it work for you after login again ?

vort3

Member

Registered: 2025-08-31

Posts: 15

Re: Global hotkeys (Ctrl+Alt+Letter) don't work

Yes, that's the correct way that works fine here. You may only need to re/login/boot after the shortcut configuration. Does it work for you after login again ?

I'll try once I don't need any critical processes and have the opportunity to reboot, thanks.
However, I expected this to work without reboot, immediately after hitting "apply"…
I'll try to not forget and report here if it works.

UPD: Issue solved, logout and login worked, thanks! Is this intended behavior that a logout is required? Is it a bug? Is there a way to "force" hotkeys to be updated without logout?

Last edited by vort3 (2026-03-28 21:05)

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 6,114

Website

Re: Global hotkeys (Ctrl+Alt+Letter) don't work

Is it a bug? Is there a way to "force" hotkeys to be updated without logout?

It's no bug just Trinity desktop design. Underlying daemon needs to be restarted.

vort3

Member

Registered: 2025-08-31

Posts: 15

Re: Global hotkeys (Ctrl+Alt+Letter) don't work

It's no bug just Trinity desktop design. Underlying daemon needs to be restarted.

Which daemon is it? I'll try to restart it with systemctl.

Also I'm not sure what's causing it, but now when I press (or release) left Alt, dekstop icons "flicker". They disappear for a short time and appear again. This is annoying… Pressing any combination which involves the left Alt key does this. I checked, it only happens when desktop is focused (or, alternatively, when no other window is focused). Any idea how to troubleshoot?

Pressing Super_L triggers Alt+F1 so also makes desktop icons flicker.

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 6,114

Website

Re: Global hotkeys (Ctrl+Alt+Letter) don't work

Which daemon is it? I'll try to restart it with systemctl.

Please refer to Control Panel > TDE Components > Service Manager. However, some TDE services are integrated into the desktop code and can only be restarted by restarting the entire desktop environment.

... when I press (or release) left Alt, dekstop icons "flicker". They disappear for a short time and appear again. ...

Yes, we can confirm this issue. It looks like a Trinity native issue, but we are not sure yet, so we need to investigate a bit.