Laptop numpad quirk [solved - not VBs fault]

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Hello,

I've been using VirtualBox for Linux virtualization for some time now (since 1.5), so I think it's about time I complained about something So, here it goes...

I have vbox on XP (SP3) and Vista (SP1) hosts running Slackware 12.1 and have the latest (2.0.4) additions installed. All this is on my laptop (MSI VR700X), which has a numeric keyboard and Home and End keys are on Numpad1 and Numpad7.

Now, being a long term Windows user and programmer I neither can live without my Shift+Home/End key combination nor know how to configure vbox & slack to recognize it as such. Even though NumLock is off I get 1 or 7 when I press Shift+Home/End. However, this doesn't happen with a "direct" install of slack, but only when in vbox

Can you please help me with this?

BTW: I'm using the default US keyboard configuration.

[Sasquatch]

It looks to me that the VM OS thinks that numlock is on. Press it once while in the VM and see if that changes anything. If it doesn't press it again to turn it off again and see how it does now. You might need to boot the VM while you have numlock turned ON, then turn it off.

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Hey, thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately, I think you misunderstood my problem.

No matter when/how I turn off num lock it's the same. With num lock off, when I press Numpad1=End the caret goes to the end of the line, when I press Numpad7=Home the caret goes to the beginning of the line. But when I press e.g. Shift+Numpad7, which is supposed to be interpreted as Shift+Home and select everything left of the caret to the beginning of the current line, it just gives me a 7. A similar thing happens when I hit Shift+Numpad1, which gives me a 1

The only thing I can think of is a bad keyboard layout or vbox having some sort of trouble passing the keyboard input to slack and I have no idea how to fix either...

[Sasquatch]

Hmm, the same thing happens on my Host system, Xubuntu 8.10. When it's off, it does the Home/End thing, but when on, it gives the corresponding number. When using shift, it's the other way around.

So, this is not a VB issue, it's a problem how Linux handles these combinations.

Numlock ON and use Shift + 7, select to beginning of line.
Numlock OFF and use Shift + 7 gives a 7.
At least, on my system. Same with 1.

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He he, what do you know - same here I'm so embarrassed right now, I'd never think of trying that

OK, well, thanks anyway, I'm glad to know VB isn't the one to blame Still, strangely enough, it worked fine with a direct install... if I remember correctly Guess now I'll start digging through drivers and layouts then

[Sasquatch]

I doubt a layout or similar will help. I set my keyboard exactly as I have it, that is a US International Logitech UltraX keyboard. That gives this same response. Only other choice is not to use the numpad section. But as laptop manufactures are, they sometimes want to save some cash and leave out the stand alone keys for home etc.

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In that case I'll go after the driver. One way or the other I'm going to get my Home and End keys back

Actually, I have both of these keys above my numpad, but grouped with PgUp and PgDown, so to use them I have to hold the function key (left of my left Ctrl) which is nice in all sorts of ways - boy do I wish I had the address of the guy who invented laptop keyboards

[Sasquatch]

I have the Fn key also left of my left ctrl. You get used to it. I like it now anyway, because I type blind and don't have to stretch my finger that much .

You know who I want the address of? The person who decided to put the '\|' key next to the 'z', right at the place I always use shift . Luckily, I don't have such a keyboard, but as things are, the keyboards I like all have that key there .