Bug#523199: xautomation: xte "str foo@bar" => BadValue (integer parameter out of range for operation)

[Marco Steinacher]

Hi,

Most likely this behavior depends on the keyboard layout. Currently the 
command 'str' only supports character that can be typed on the user's 
specific keyboard, either without key modifiers or with the modifiers 
Shift_L or ISO_Level3_Shift. You will get a list of available 
character/keys if you run xte in debug mode:

  xte -d 2 "str f...@bar"

In my case, 'xte "str f...@bar"' works, because I currently use an US 
keyboard, where '@' is simply Shift+2. I suppose you have to type 
something more complicated on your keyboard to get an '@'.

I get the same error as you when I try 'xte "str naïve"', because ï is 
AltGr+"+i on my US keyboard. I think xte should print a more 
comprehensible error or warning in that case. I've attached a patch 
which should do this job.


I'll think about a way to get characters working, which require a more 
complicated key sequence (e.g. involving Multi_key). A workaround is 
specifying the key sequence explicitly:

  str na
  keydown Multi_key
  str "i
  keyup Multi_key
  str ve

This will print 'naïve' correctly. This workaround, however, will only 
work for users that use compatible keyboard layouts.

Cheers,
Marco





--- xautomation-1.02/xte.c	2008-03-17 16:12:49.000000000 +0100
+++ xautomation-1.02-mod/xte.c	2009-04-09 19:00:14.000000000 +0200
@@ -82,25 +82,29 @@ void send_string( Display *d, char *thin
     /* keysym = wchar value */
     keysym = wc_singlechar_str[ 0 ];
     if( keysym >= MAX_KEYSYM ) {
-      fprintf( stderr, "Special character '%ls' is currently not supported.\n", thing );
+      fprintf( stderr, "Special character '%ls' is currently not supported.\n", wc_singlechar_str );
     }else{
       /* Keyboard modifier and KeyCode lookup */
       wrap_key = key_modifiers[ keysym_to_modifier_map[ keysym ] ];
       keycode = keysym_to_keycode_map[keysym];
-
-      dmsg( 1, "Keycode: %d\n",
-        keycode );
-
-      if( wrap_key != NULL )
-          XTestFakeKeyEvent( d, thing_to_keycode( d, wrap_key ), True, CurrentTime );
-      XTestFakeKeyEvent( d, keycode, True, CurrentTime );
-      XTestFakeKeyEvent( d, keycode, False, CurrentTime );
-      if( wrap_key != NULL )
-          XTestFakeKeyEvent( d, thing_to_keycode( d, wrap_key ), False, CurrentTime );
-
-      /* Not flushing after every key like we need to, thanks
-       * thors...@staerk.de */
-      XFlush( d );
+      if ( keycode == 0 ) {
+        fprintf( stderr, "Character '%ls' is currently not supported on this keyboard layout.\n", wc_singlechar_str );
+      } else {
+
+        dmsg( 1, "Keycode: %d, Wrap key: %s\n",
+          keycode, wrap_key );
+
+        if( wrap_key != NULL )
+            XTestFakeKeyEvent( d, thing_to_keycode( d, wrap_key ), True, CurrentTime );
+        XTestFakeKeyEvent( d, keycode, True, CurrentTime );
+        XTestFakeKeyEvent( d, keycode, False, CurrentTime );
+        if( wrap_key != NULL )
+            XTestFakeKeyEvent( d, thing_to_keycode( d, wrap_key ), False, CurrentTime );
+
+        /* Not flushing after every key like we need to, thanks
+         * thors...@staerk.de */
+        XFlush( d );
+      }
     }
 
     i++;