Use the Keyboard Accessibility preference tool, also known as AccessX, to configure the keyboard accessibility options. To start AccessX, choose Applications ▸ Desktop Preferences ▸ Accessibility ▸ Keyboard.
The Keyboard Accessibility Preferences (AccessX) dialog enables you to customize your keyboard in the following ways:
If you are using the GNOME Desktop for the Solaris™ 8 operating system or the Solaris 9 operating system, you must enable XKB on your system before you can use the AccessX preference tool.
XKB is not currently supported on Sun Ray™ systems.
To enable XKB on a non-Sun Ray Solaris system, perform the following steps:
Log in as root.
Check if the path and file /etc/dt/config/Xservers exists on your system.
If the /etc/dt/config directory does not exist, enter the following command:
mkdir -p /etc/dt/config
If the Xservers file is not present, enter the following command:
cp /usr/dt/config/Xservers /etc/dt/config/Xservers
Open the Xservers file in a text editor and scroll to the end of the file.
Append the following to the command line at the end of the file:
+kb
Save and close the file.
Enter the following command at a command line:
pkill -HUP dtlogin
Log out of your GNOME session and log in again.
To verify if XKB is running, enter xdpyinfo and search for XKEYBOARD in the extensions list.
To activate the keyboard accessibility options, perform the following steps:
Select the Enable keyboard accessibility features option.
Click on the Basic tab to display the Basic tabbed section.
Select the Beep when features turned on or off from the keyboard option to receive an audible notification each time a user enables or disables a keyboard accessibility option using the following keyboard shortcuts:
To automatically disable the keyboard accessibility options if the options are not used for a specified number of seconds, select the Disable if unused for X seconds option. Use the slider to specify the number of seconds of keyboard idle time required before the system disables the keyboard accessibility options.
This option is intended for computers that are shared by a number of different users, some of whom require the keyboard accessibility options.
If you are a GNOME for Linux user, you must log out and log in again before the accessibility settings take effect.
The mouse keys feature enables you to use the numeric keypad on the keyboard to emulate mouse actions. This feature benefits users who have difficulty using a mouse or other pointing device. To enable and configure the mouse keys feature, perform the following steps:
Click on the Mouse Keys tab to display the Mouse Keys tabbed section.
Select the Enable Mouse Keys option.
Configure the following options to determine the behavior of the mouse pointer when you control the pointer from the numeric keypad:
Use this spin box to specify the maximum speed, in pixels per second, at which the pointer moves around the screen.
Use this spin box to specify the duration, in milliseconds, before the pointer accelerates to the maximum pointer speed.
Use this spin box to specify the interval, in milliseconds, between a keypress and the time when the pointer starts to move.
When you enable mouse keys, the keys on the numeric keypad have the following functions:
| Numeric Keypad Keys | Function |
|---|---|
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Move the mouse pointer around the screen |
| 5 | Mouse button click |
| 0 | Mouse button double-click |
| . | Mouse button press |
| / | Mouse button 1 |
| * | Mouse button 2 |
| - | Mouse button 3 |
| Numeric Keypad Keys | Function |
|---|---|
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Move the mouse pointer around the screen |
| 5 | Mouse button click |
| + | Mouse button double-click |
| 0 | Mouse button 3 |
Some Solaris systems also use the function keys to emulate the mouse buttons. The common function key to mouse button mappings are described in the following table.
The slow keys feature enables you to customize how the keyboard handles user input in the following ways:
To enable and configure the slow keys feature, perform the following steps:
Click on the Filters tab to display the Filters tabbed section.
Select the Enable Slow Keys option.
To select or deselect this feature from the keyboard, press-and-hold Shift for eight seconds. This keyboard shortcut automatically selects all of the slow keys options. If you selected the Beep when features turned on or off from the keyboard option, after four seconds the system beeps three times to indicate that the system is about to select or deselect the feature. If you enable this feature from the keyboard, you must press-and-hold Shift for eight seconds again to disable the feature.
Use the Only accept keys held for slider or spin box to specify the duration, in milliseconds, for which you must press-and-hold a key before the system accepts the keypress. Use the Type to test settings text box to test the slow keys setting and modify the setting as required.
To enable audible indications of keyboard input and acceptance, select the following options:
Select this option to hear a beep when you press a key.
Select this option to hear a beep when the system accepts a keypress.
Select this option to hear a beep when the system rejects a keypress. The system rejects a keypress if you do not press-and-hold the key for the duration that is specified in the Only accept keypress after x msecs setting.
The bounce keys feature enables you to customize the keyboard to ignore rapid, repeated keypresses of the same key. For example, users with impaired motor skills might press the same key several times when they intend to press the key once. This feature enables you to customize the keyboard to ignore repeated keypresses.
To enable and configure the bounce keys feature, perform the following steps:
If you wish to enable the bounce keys feature, please ensure that the Enable Slow Keys option is deselected. The slow keys feature requires you to press a key for a specified duration before the system accepts the keypress as a valid keypress. If you cannot press the key for the duration that is specified by the slow keys setting, the system does not accept your input unless you deselect the Enable Slow Keys option.
The sticky keys feature enables you to press the keys in a key combination in sequence rather than simultaneously. This feature is designed for users who are unable to press two or more keys simultaneously.
To enable and configure the sticky keys feature, perform the following steps:
Click on the Basic tab to display the Basic tabbed section.
Select the Enable Sticky Keys option.
To enable the sticky keys feature from the keyboard, press Shift five times. This keyboard shortcut automatically selects all of the sticky keys options. If you selected the Beep when features turned on or off from the keyboard option, the system beeps to indicate that the system is about to select or deselect the feature. If you enable this feature from the keyboard, press Shift five times again to disable the feature.
Select the Beep when modifier is pressed option to receive an audible indication each time you press a modifier key. This option is useful to remind you whether a modifier key is active or inactive.
To automatically disable the sticky keys feature when a user presses two keys simultaneously, select the Disable if two keys pressed together option.
You can use the sticky keys feature in latch or lock mode. The following table describes how to choose a mode and the difference between the two modes.
| To use the sticky keys feature in... | Press the modifier key... | The modifier key stays active until... |
|---|---|---|
| Latch mode | Once. | You press a non-modifier key. |
| Lock mode | Twice in quick succession. | You press the modifier key again. |
For example, if you want to press Alt+F1, you should do the following:
As another example, if you want to press Ctrl+Alt+Tab, you should do the following.
A toggle key is any key on the keyboard that can switch between two states. The Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock keys are toggle keys. Most toggle keys have an associated light emitting diode (LED) on the keyboard that lights when the toggle key is active. To assist users with visual impairments, you can customize the keyboard to emit an audible notification when a user presses a toggle key. For example, when you press Num Lock, you can determine whether the key is toggled or not toggled by the sound.
To enable accessible toggle keys, select the Enable Toggle Keys option in the Filters tabbed section. When you activate the Num Lock, Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock keys, the system beeps once. When you deactivate a toggle key, the system beeps twice.
The repeat keys feature enables you to repeat a keystroke multiple times without pressing the key more than once. This feature is designed for users who cannot release keys quickly, for example users who operate a mouth stick. When you enable repeat keys, you can specify the duration for which you must press a key before the key starts to repeat.
To enable and configure the repeat keys feature, perform the following steps: