Failing to configure keyborad shortcuts for xfce4-terminal

[bli]

Quite some time ago, I remember it was possible to configure keyboard shortcuts for the Terminal simply by typing the shortcut while hovering the mouse over the corresponding menu entry, provided so called "accelerators were enabled.

The "Appearance" setting application contains a "Setting" tab where an "Enable editable accelerators" option exists, but it seems to have no effect on keyboard shortcuts (their menu entry are grey and pressing the desired shortcut when hovering over it doesn't change them).

This post proposes to do this by editing the

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~/.config/xfce4/terminal/accels.scm

file:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/966877/ ... -shortcuts

However, this does not seem to work for me: The "Previous Tab" and "Next Tab" shortcuts are still "Shift+Left" and "Shift+Right" even after doing the following edits:

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; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/next-tab" "<Shift>Right")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/next-tab" "<Shift>Page_Up")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/prev-tab" "<Shift>Left")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/prev-tab" "<Shift>Page_Down")

Is this supposed to work in MXLinux, and under what conditions?


I'm using MXLinux, that I installed from MX-17_January_x64.iso:

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System:    Host: latimeria Kernel: 4.14.0-3-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64
           Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 Distro: MX-17_x64 Horizon December 15, 2017
Machine:   Device: laptop System: Dell product: Latitude 7480 serial: N/A
           Mobo: Dell model: 00F6D3 v: A00 serial: N/A
           UEFI [Legacy]: Dell v: 1.7.3 date: 11/10/2017

[dolphin_oracle]

since the migration to gtk3 has started, some of the in-gui editing of accelerators has been disabled/removed, because unlike gtk2, gtk3 does not support editable accelerators.

I'm curious about your text snippet of your accels.scm file. Our defaults have "Primary + Page_up" and "Primary + Page_down" for next and previous tabs, respectively. Primary on my keyboard is the control key.

That said, I was able to make the adjustment you describe without issue.

My modified accels.scm is below.

I've also noticed a tendency for xfce ignore config file entries, sometimes in total, sometimes up to the point of a typo in the file. So look not only at the entries you are trying to modify, but other entries as well.

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; xfce4-terminal GtkAccelMap rc-file         -*- scheme -*-
; this file is an automated accelerator map dump
;
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-4" "<Alt>4")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-3" "<Alt>3")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/file-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-other-tabs" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search" "<Primary><Shift>f")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/next-tab" "<Shift>Right")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-1" "<Alt>1")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-menubar" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-reset" "<Primary>0")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/terminal-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-window" "<Primary><Shift>q")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-tab" "<Primary><Shift>w")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/save-contents" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/new-tab" "<Primary><Shift>t")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/view-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-toolbar" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/paste" "<Primary><Shift>v")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/copy" "<Primary><Shift>c")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/edit-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/fullscreen" "F11")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/read-only" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/detach-tab" "<Primary><Shift>d")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-8" "<Alt>8")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-2" "<Alt>2")
 (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/prev-tab" "<Shift>Left")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/move-tab-left" "<Primary><Shift>Page_Up")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-in" "<Primary>plus")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search-prev" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/reset-and-clear" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/about" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search-next" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/toggle-menubar" "F10")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-7" "<Alt>7")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/select-all" "<Primary><Shift>a")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/help-menu" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-9" "<Alt>9")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-borders" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/preferences" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-6" "<Alt>6")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/contents" "F1")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/new-window" "<Primary><Shift>n")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/move-tab-right" "<Primary><Shift>Page_Down")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-out" "<Primary>minus")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/set-title" "<Primary><Shift>s")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/paste-selection" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/undo-close-tab" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-5" "<Alt>5")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/reset" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/tabs-menu" "")

[bli]

Thanks for your quick answer.

My xfce4 config was copied from an older installation (Xubuntu 16.04 on another computer), where the original entries were:

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(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/next-tab" "<Shift>Right")

and

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(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/prev-tab" "<Shift>Left")

I tried to use the file you provide, in order to avoid possible typos, simply using "Page_Up" instead of "Right" for the "next-tab" action, and this has apparently no effect on the shortcuts, even after opening new terminals.

My problem must be somewhere else...

[bli]

To see if the "accels.scm" file was read by xfce4-terminal, I tried to apply the technique used here:
https://unix.stackexchange.com/q/18844/55127

It seems that this program does not read the file. Is there something to configure somewhere in order to have it be the case?

[dolphin_oracle]

I think you should post your entire file.

My accels.scm file is certainly being processed. Here's mine revised again with your Page_Up and Page_Down

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; xfce4-terminal GtkAccelMap rc-file         -*- scheme -*-
; this file is an automated accelerator map dump
;
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-4" "<Alt>4")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-3" "<Alt>3")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/file-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-other-tabs" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search" "<Primary><Shift>f")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/next-tab" "<Shift>Page_Up")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-1" "<Alt>1")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-menubar" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-reset" "<Primary>0")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/terminal-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-window" "<Primary><Shift>q")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-tab" "<Primary><Shift>w")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/save-contents" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/new-tab" "<Primary><Shift>t")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/view-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-toolbar" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/paste" "<Primary><Shift>v")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/copy" "<Primary><Shift>c")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/edit-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/fullscreen" "F11")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/read-only" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/detach-tab" "<Primary><Shift>d")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-8" "<Alt>8")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-2" "<Alt>2")
 (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/prev-tab" "<Shift>Page_Down")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/move-tab-left" "<Primary><Shift>Page_Up")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-in" "<Primary>plus")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search-prev" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/reset-and-clear" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/about" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search-next" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/toggle-menubar" "F10")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-7" "<Alt>7")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/select-all" "<Primary><Shift>a")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/help-menu" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-9" "<Alt>9")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-borders" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/preferences" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-6" "<Alt>6")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/contents" "F1")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/new-window" "<Primary><Shift>n")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/move-tab-right" "<Primary><Shift>Page_Down")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-out" "<Primary>minus")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/set-title" "<Primary><Shift>s")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/paste-selection" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/undo-close-tab" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-5" "<Alt>5")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/reset" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/tabs-menu" "")

I tried to use the file you provide, in order to avoid possible typos, simply using "Page_Up" instead of "Right" for the "next-tab" action, and this has apparently no effect on the shortcuts, even after opening new terminals.

FYI, you will need to close any running terminal before your changes will take place.

[bli]

I just copied the file you posted:

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bli@latimeria:~$ cat .config/xfce4/terminal/accels.scm
; xfce4-terminal GtkAccelMap rc-file         -*- scheme -*-
; this file is an automated accelerator map dump
;
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-4" "<Alt>4")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-3" "<Alt>3")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/file-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-other-tabs" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search" "<Primary><Shift>f")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/next-tab" "<Shift>Page_Up")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-1" "<Alt>1")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-menubar" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-reset" "<Primary>0")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/terminal-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-window" "<Primary><Shift>q")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/close-tab" "<Primary><Shift>w")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/save-contents" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/new-tab" "<Primary><Shift>t")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/view-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-toolbar" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/paste" "<Primary><Shift>v")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/copy" "<Primary><Shift>c")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/edit-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/fullscreen" "F11")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/read-only" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/detach-tab" "<Primary><Shift>d")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-8" "<Alt>8")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-2" "<Alt>2")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/prev-tab" "<Shift>Page_Down")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/move-tab-left" "<Primary><Shift>Page_Up")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-in" "<Primary>plus")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search-prev" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/reset-and-clear" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/about" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/search-next" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/toggle-menubar" "F10")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-7" "<Alt>7")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/select-all" "<Primary><Shift>a")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/help-menu" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-9" "<Alt>9")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/show-borders" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/preferences" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-6" "<Alt>6")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/contents" "F1")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/new-window" "<Primary><Shift>n")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/move-tab-right" "<Primary><Shift>Page_Down")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-out" "<Primary>minus")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/set-title" "<Primary><Shift>s")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/paste-selection" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/undo-close-tab" "")
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/goto-tab-5" "<Alt>5")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/zoom-menu" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/reset" "")
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/terminal-window/tabs-menu" "")

Adn here is the terminalrc file:

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bli@latimeria:~$ cat .config/xfce4/terminal/terminalrc 
[Configuration]
FontName=Liberation Mono 11
MiscAlwaysShowTabs=FALSE
MiscBell=FALSE
MiscBordersDefault=TRUE
MiscCursorBlinks=FALSE
MiscCursorShape=TERMINAL_CURSOR_SHAPE_BLOCK
MiscDefaultGeometry=80x24
MiscInheritGeometry=FALSE
MiscMenubarDefault=TRUE
MiscMouseAutohide=FALSE
MiscToolbarDefault=FALSE
MiscConfirmClose=TRUE
MiscCycleTabs=TRUE
MiscTabCloseButtons=TRUE
MiscTabCloseMiddleClick=FALSE
MiscTabPosition=GTK_POS_TOP
MiscHighlightUrls=TRUE
MiscScrollAlternateScreen=TRUE
ColorBackground=#1f1f1f1f1f1f
ColorForeground=#dcdcdcdccccc
ColorPalette1=#3f3f3f3f3f3f
ColorPalette2=#e8e893939393
ColorPalette3=#9e9ecece9e9e
ColorPalette4=#f0f0dfdfafaf
ColorPalette5=#8c8cd0d0d3d3
ColorPalette6=#c0c0bebed1d1
ColorPalette7=#dfdfafaf8f8f
ColorPalette8=#efefefefefef
ColorPalette9=#3f3f3f3f3f3f
ColorPalette10=#e8e893939393
ColorPalette11=#9e9ecece9e9e
ColorPalette12=#f0f0dfdfafaf
ColorPalette13=#8c8cd0d0d3d3
ColorPalette14=#c0c0bebed1d1
ColorPalette15=#dfdfafaf8f8f
ColorCursor=#8f8fafaf9f9f
ColorPalette16=#efefefefefef
ScrollingOnOutput=FALSE
MiscBellUrgent=FALSE
MiscMouseWheelZoom=TRUE
MiscMiddleClickOpensUri=FALSE
MiscCopyOnSelect=FALSE
MiscDefaultWorkingDir=
MiscRewrapOnResize=TRUE
MiscUseShiftArrowsToScroll=FALSE
MiscSlimTabs=FALSE
TitleMode=TERMINAL_TITLE_PREPEND
ShortcutsNoHelpkey=TRUE

This one has effects: If I change

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MiscAlwaysShowTabs

to TRUE, I do get a tab bar when I open a new terminal.

[bli]

After a reboot, the shortcuts changes have been taken into account.

I thought simply starting a new terminal would have been enough...

[dolphin_oracle]

After a reboot, the shortcuts changes have been taken into account.

I thought simply starting a new terminal would have been enough...

interesting, its supposed to be just starting a terminal.

YOu didn't by any chance have a dropdown-terminal at any point did you. those don't close when they vanish.

[rickc]

I've got this problem too. Having come from world of buntus, I'm used to ctrl/act/t for terminal

Using gnome. The keyboard shortcuts in settings allow me to change other things but not the terminal. I've now added terminal to the dock so I'll survive!

[Jerry3904]

I'm used to ctrl/act/t for terminal

You can just define it in Settings > Keyboard > Application Shortcuts, as image shows