alt-d alt-f etc. stops working in my xterm












7















Something weird sometimes happens on my Debian system. Typically at the prompt line I can use combo like alt-d to delete a word, alt-f to go to the next word, etc.



But quite regularly something happens in my xterm that makes alt-d and alt-f not work anymore: suddenly they print 'ä' (alt-d) and 'æ' (alt-f).



Note that this happens in a terminal that was acting like I wanted to at first. But then somehow must send a code or something that changes the behavior of the terminal.



It happens in xterm because that's where I always work. If I go to a console by doing ctrl+alt+f1 then by default alt-d does what I want (delete word) and so does alt-f. Maybe that I could screw that one too by doing some bad manipulation: I just don't know because I don't work in text mode.



Also note that if I spawn an xterm from the "broken" xterm, then the new xterm work as I expect.



What is going on? What am I turning on that was off previously?



My .Xresources says that and, once again, when I open an xterm it behaves as I expect it, it's only later on that "something" makes that it goes back to broken "I-print-characters-with-diacritics-and-other-nonsense" mode:



$ more .Xresources 
XTerm.vt100.eightBitInput: false
XTerm*eightBitInput: False









share|improve this question





























    7















    Something weird sometimes happens on my Debian system. Typically at the prompt line I can use combo like alt-d to delete a word, alt-f to go to the next word, etc.



    But quite regularly something happens in my xterm that makes alt-d and alt-f not work anymore: suddenly they print 'ä' (alt-d) and 'æ' (alt-f).



    Note that this happens in a terminal that was acting like I wanted to at first. But then somehow must send a code or something that changes the behavior of the terminal.



    It happens in xterm because that's where I always work. If I go to a console by doing ctrl+alt+f1 then by default alt-d does what I want (delete word) and so does alt-f. Maybe that I could screw that one too by doing some bad manipulation: I just don't know because I don't work in text mode.



    Also note that if I spawn an xterm from the "broken" xterm, then the new xterm work as I expect.



    What is going on? What am I turning on that was off previously?



    My .Xresources says that and, once again, when I open an xterm it behaves as I expect it, it's only later on that "something" makes that it goes back to broken "I-print-characters-with-diacritics-and-other-nonsense" mode:



    $ more .Xresources 
    XTerm.vt100.eightBitInput: false
    XTerm*eightBitInput: False









    share|improve this question



























      7












      7








      7


      1






      Something weird sometimes happens on my Debian system. Typically at the prompt line I can use combo like alt-d to delete a word, alt-f to go to the next word, etc.



      But quite regularly something happens in my xterm that makes alt-d and alt-f not work anymore: suddenly they print 'ä' (alt-d) and 'æ' (alt-f).



      Note that this happens in a terminal that was acting like I wanted to at first. But then somehow must send a code or something that changes the behavior of the terminal.



      It happens in xterm because that's where I always work. If I go to a console by doing ctrl+alt+f1 then by default alt-d does what I want (delete word) and so does alt-f. Maybe that I could screw that one too by doing some bad manipulation: I just don't know because I don't work in text mode.



      Also note that if I spawn an xterm from the "broken" xterm, then the new xterm work as I expect.



      What is going on? What am I turning on that was off previously?



      My .Xresources says that and, once again, when I open an xterm it behaves as I expect it, it's only later on that "something" makes that it goes back to broken "I-print-characters-with-diacritics-and-other-nonsense" mode:



      $ more .Xresources 
      XTerm.vt100.eightBitInput: false
      XTerm*eightBitInput: False









      share|improve this question
















      Something weird sometimes happens on my Debian system. Typically at the prompt line I can use combo like alt-d to delete a word, alt-f to go to the next word, etc.



      But quite regularly something happens in my xterm that makes alt-d and alt-f not work anymore: suddenly they print 'ä' (alt-d) and 'æ' (alt-f).



      Note that this happens in a terminal that was acting like I wanted to at first. But then somehow must send a code or something that changes the behavior of the terminal.



      It happens in xterm because that's where I always work. If I go to a console by doing ctrl+alt+f1 then by default alt-d does what I want (delete word) and so does alt-f. Maybe that I could screw that one too by doing some bad manipulation: I just don't know because I don't work in text mode.



      Also note that if I spawn an xterm from the "broken" xterm, then the new xterm work as I expect.



      What is going on? What am I turning on that was off previously?



      My .Xresources says that and, once again, when I open an xterm it behaves as I expect it, it's only later on that "something" makes that it goes back to broken "I-print-characters-with-diacritics-and-other-nonsense" mode:



      $ more .Xresources 
      XTerm.vt100.eightBitInput: false
      XTerm*eightBitInput: False






      linux xterm






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited May 18 '11 at 15:53







      Weezy

















      asked May 18 '11 at 15:48









      WeezyWeezy

      3451414




      3451414






















          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          9














          you need



          xterm*metaSendsEscape:  true


          in your ~/.Xdefaults



          xrdb ~/.Xdefaults


          Start a new xterm, hopefully that shouldn't have the problem anymore






          share|improve this answer
























          • @freethinkey: when I start a new xterm there's never any issue: but it drives me crazy when my current xterm does it. But how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape? (+1 btw)

            – Weezy
            May 18 '11 at 19:35













          • well not sure whats resetting the settings, you can do a ctrl+leftclick and see if "Meta Sends Escape" is ticked or not, if it happens again

            – freethinker
            May 19 '11 at 1:51






          • 2





            Worked for me. xterm now black on white instead of white in black as it was before.

            – SabreWolfy
            Oct 14 '12 at 22:36



















          1














          add this:



          % grep -i escape .Xdefaults 
          xterm*metaSendsEscape: true


          (so, tell xterm that your alt key is sending escape)






          share|improve this answer
























          • +1 too, same comment as for freethinker: how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape?

            – Weezy
            May 18 '11 at 19:36











          • well, you can change things on-the-fly, may that be by accident or whatever: if alt stops working, check your xterm by pressing strg leftmouse and see if the option is ticked (just like @freethinker said). then investigate, if yout pressed some keys before the change happened

            – akira
            May 19 '11 at 5:55








          • 2





            german are we? strg? Surely that must be ctrl!? :)

            – Weezy
            May 19 '11 at 15:22











          • well, brainiac, it states 'germany' at my profile quite clearly, so ... trivial to spot, even without whats printed on the keyboard.

            – akira
            May 19 '11 at 16:17



















          0














          I have the same problem here. Everything works fine on my local xterm on Debian. However, if I ssh into a RHEL server, m-b/m-f doesn't work. They still don't work even after I logged out from RHEL.



          I digged the source code and find a hack, just add the following lines in your ~/.Xresources:



          XTerm*VT100*Translations: #override n
          Meta <KeyPress>:insert-seven-bit()





          share|improve this answer























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            3 Answers
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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

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            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            9














            you need



            xterm*metaSendsEscape:  true


            in your ~/.Xdefaults



            xrdb ~/.Xdefaults


            Start a new xterm, hopefully that shouldn't have the problem anymore






            share|improve this answer
























            • @freethinkey: when I start a new xterm there's never any issue: but it drives me crazy when my current xterm does it. But how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape? (+1 btw)

              – Weezy
              May 18 '11 at 19:35













            • well not sure whats resetting the settings, you can do a ctrl+leftclick and see if "Meta Sends Escape" is ticked or not, if it happens again

              – freethinker
              May 19 '11 at 1:51






            • 2





              Worked for me. xterm now black on white instead of white in black as it was before.

              – SabreWolfy
              Oct 14 '12 at 22:36
















            9














            you need



            xterm*metaSendsEscape:  true


            in your ~/.Xdefaults



            xrdb ~/.Xdefaults


            Start a new xterm, hopefully that shouldn't have the problem anymore






            share|improve this answer
























            • @freethinkey: when I start a new xterm there's never any issue: but it drives me crazy when my current xterm does it. But how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape? (+1 btw)

              – Weezy
              May 18 '11 at 19:35













            • well not sure whats resetting the settings, you can do a ctrl+leftclick and see if "Meta Sends Escape" is ticked or not, if it happens again

              – freethinker
              May 19 '11 at 1:51






            • 2





              Worked for me. xterm now black on white instead of white in black as it was before.

              – SabreWolfy
              Oct 14 '12 at 22:36














            9












            9








            9







            you need



            xterm*metaSendsEscape:  true


            in your ~/.Xdefaults



            xrdb ~/.Xdefaults


            Start a new xterm, hopefully that shouldn't have the problem anymore






            share|improve this answer













            you need



            xterm*metaSendsEscape:  true


            in your ~/.Xdefaults



            xrdb ~/.Xdefaults


            Start a new xterm, hopefully that shouldn't have the problem anymore







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered May 18 '11 at 16:49









            freethinkerfreethinker

            2,75031519




            2,75031519













            • @freethinkey: when I start a new xterm there's never any issue: but it drives me crazy when my current xterm does it. But how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape? (+1 btw)

              – Weezy
              May 18 '11 at 19:35













            • well not sure whats resetting the settings, you can do a ctrl+leftclick and see if "Meta Sends Escape" is ticked or not, if it happens again

              – freethinker
              May 19 '11 at 1:51






            • 2





              Worked for me. xterm now black on white instead of white in black as it was before.

              – SabreWolfy
              Oct 14 '12 at 22:36



















            • @freethinkey: when I start a new xterm there's never any issue: but it drives me crazy when my current xterm does it. But how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape? (+1 btw)

              – Weezy
              May 18 '11 at 19:35













            • well not sure whats resetting the settings, you can do a ctrl+leftclick and see if "Meta Sends Escape" is ticked or not, if it happens again

              – freethinker
              May 19 '11 at 1:51






            • 2





              Worked for me. xterm now black on white instead of white in black as it was before.

              – SabreWolfy
              Oct 14 '12 at 22:36

















            @freethinkey: when I start a new xterm there's never any issue: but it drives me crazy when my current xterm does it. But how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape? (+1 btw)

            – Weezy
            May 18 '11 at 19:35







            @freethinkey: when I start a new xterm there's never any issue: but it drives me crazy when my current xterm does it. But how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape? (+1 btw)

            – Weezy
            May 18 '11 at 19:35















            well not sure whats resetting the settings, you can do a ctrl+leftclick and see if "Meta Sends Escape" is ticked or not, if it happens again

            – freethinker
            May 19 '11 at 1:51





            well not sure whats resetting the settings, you can do a ctrl+leftclick and see if "Meta Sends Escape" is ticked or not, if it happens again

            – freethinker
            May 19 '11 at 1:51




            2




            2





            Worked for me. xterm now black on white instead of white in black as it was before.

            – SabreWolfy
            Oct 14 '12 at 22:36





            Worked for me. xterm now black on white instead of white in black as it was before.

            – SabreWolfy
            Oct 14 '12 at 22:36













            1














            add this:



            % grep -i escape .Xdefaults 
            xterm*metaSendsEscape: true


            (so, tell xterm that your alt key is sending escape)






            share|improve this answer
























            • +1 too, same comment as for freethinker: how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape?

              – Weezy
              May 18 '11 at 19:36











            • well, you can change things on-the-fly, may that be by accident or whatever: if alt stops working, check your xterm by pressing strg leftmouse and see if the option is ticked (just like @freethinker said). then investigate, if yout pressed some keys before the change happened

              – akira
              May 19 '11 at 5:55








            • 2





              german are we? strg? Surely that must be ctrl!? :)

              – Weezy
              May 19 '11 at 15:22











            • well, brainiac, it states 'germany' at my profile quite clearly, so ... trivial to spot, even without whats printed on the keyboard.

              – akira
              May 19 '11 at 16:17
















            1














            add this:



            % grep -i escape .Xdefaults 
            xterm*metaSendsEscape: true


            (so, tell xterm that your alt key is sending escape)






            share|improve this answer
























            • +1 too, same comment as for freethinker: how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape?

              – Weezy
              May 18 '11 at 19:36











            • well, you can change things on-the-fly, may that be by accident or whatever: if alt stops working, check your xterm by pressing strg leftmouse and see if the option is ticked (just like @freethinker said). then investigate, if yout pressed some keys before the change happened

              – akira
              May 19 '11 at 5:55








            • 2





              german are we? strg? Surely that must be ctrl!? :)

              – Weezy
              May 19 '11 at 15:22











            • well, brainiac, it states 'germany' at my profile quite clearly, so ... trivial to spot, even without whats printed on the keyboard.

              – akira
              May 19 '11 at 16:17














            1












            1








            1







            add this:



            % grep -i escape .Xdefaults 
            xterm*metaSendsEscape: true


            (so, tell xterm that your alt key is sending escape)






            share|improve this answer













            add this:



            % grep -i escape .Xdefaults 
            xterm*metaSendsEscape: true


            (so, tell xterm that your alt key is sending escape)







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered May 18 '11 at 16:50









            akiraakira

            49k15112152




            49k15112152













            • +1 too, same comment as for freethinker: how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape?

              – Weezy
              May 18 '11 at 19:36











            • well, you can change things on-the-fly, may that be by accident or whatever: if alt stops working, check your xterm by pressing strg leftmouse and see if the option is ticked (just like @freethinker said). then investigate, if yout pressed some keys before the change happened

              – akira
              May 19 '11 at 5:55








            • 2





              german are we? strg? Surely that must be ctrl!? :)

              – Weezy
              May 19 '11 at 15:22











            • well, brainiac, it states 'germany' at my profile quite clearly, so ... trivial to spot, even without whats printed on the keyboard.

              – akira
              May 19 '11 at 16:17



















            • +1 too, same comment as for freethinker: how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape?

              – Weezy
              May 18 '11 at 19:36











            • well, you can change things on-the-fly, may that be by accident or whatever: if alt stops working, check your xterm by pressing strg leftmouse and see if the option is ticked (just like @freethinker said). then investigate, if yout pressed some keys before the change happened

              – akira
              May 19 '11 at 5:55








            • 2





              german are we? strg? Surely that must be ctrl!? :)

              – Weezy
              May 19 '11 at 15:22











            • well, brainiac, it states 'germany' at my profile quite clearly, so ... trivial to spot, even without whats printed on the keyboard.

              – akira
              May 19 '11 at 16:17

















            +1 too, same comment as for freethinker: how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape?

            – Weezy
            May 18 '11 at 19:36





            +1 too, same comment as for freethinker: how comes at first it works, then someone the xterm interprets a meta as not an escape anymore even though 5 seconds before that same xterm interpreted it as an escape?

            – Weezy
            May 18 '11 at 19:36













            well, you can change things on-the-fly, may that be by accident or whatever: if alt stops working, check your xterm by pressing strg leftmouse and see if the option is ticked (just like @freethinker said). then investigate, if yout pressed some keys before the change happened

            – akira
            May 19 '11 at 5:55







            well, you can change things on-the-fly, may that be by accident or whatever: if alt stops working, check your xterm by pressing strg leftmouse and see if the option is ticked (just like @freethinker said). then investigate, if yout pressed some keys before the change happened

            – akira
            May 19 '11 at 5:55






            2




            2





            german are we? strg? Surely that must be ctrl!? :)

            – Weezy
            May 19 '11 at 15:22





            german are we? strg? Surely that must be ctrl!? :)

            – Weezy
            May 19 '11 at 15:22













            well, brainiac, it states 'germany' at my profile quite clearly, so ... trivial to spot, even without whats printed on the keyboard.

            – akira
            May 19 '11 at 16:17





            well, brainiac, it states 'germany' at my profile quite clearly, so ... trivial to spot, even without whats printed on the keyboard.

            – akira
            May 19 '11 at 16:17











            0














            I have the same problem here. Everything works fine on my local xterm on Debian. However, if I ssh into a RHEL server, m-b/m-f doesn't work. They still don't work even after I logged out from RHEL.



            I digged the source code and find a hack, just add the following lines in your ~/.Xresources:



            XTerm*VT100*Translations: #override n
            Meta <KeyPress>:insert-seven-bit()





            share|improve this answer




























              0














              I have the same problem here. Everything works fine on my local xterm on Debian. However, if I ssh into a RHEL server, m-b/m-f doesn't work. They still don't work even after I logged out from RHEL.



              I digged the source code and find a hack, just add the following lines in your ~/.Xresources:



              XTerm*VT100*Translations: #override n
              Meta <KeyPress>:insert-seven-bit()





              share|improve this answer


























                0












                0








                0







                I have the same problem here. Everything works fine on my local xterm on Debian. However, if I ssh into a RHEL server, m-b/m-f doesn't work. They still don't work even after I logged out from RHEL.



                I digged the source code and find a hack, just add the following lines in your ~/.Xresources:



                XTerm*VT100*Translations: #override n
                Meta <KeyPress>:insert-seven-bit()





                share|improve this answer













                I have the same problem here. Everything works fine on my local xterm on Debian. However, if I ssh into a RHEL server, m-b/m-f doesn't work. They still don't work even after I logged out from RHEL.



                I digged the source code and find a hack, just add the following lines in your ~/.Xresources:



                XTerm*VT100*Translations: #override n
                Meta <KeyPress>:insert-seven-bit()






                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered Feb 3 at 3:18









                zhao tianleizhao tianlei

                1




                1






























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