caps lock confusion

caps lock confusion

[kj]

I have had this problem occur to me about half a dozen times in
the last two weeks (I don't know why, this had never happened
before):  Emacs suddenly starts interpreting my keystrokes as if
the caps lock key had been pressed (all caps, etc.), except it
hasn't been; and if I do press the caps lock key, then Emacs will
interpret my keystrokes in the opposite way, as if the caps lock
were off.

My caps lock key appears to be in perfect order.  It has a little
light that indicates when it is on.  And the behaviors of all other
applications are consistent with this indicator.  Emacs is the only
one whose behavior is backwards.

In the past, the only way I have found to solve this problem is to
kill and restart Emacs, which I find terribly disruptive.

Is there some other way to reset Emacs?

Also, any tips that would help me troubleshoot this problem would
be greatly appreciated!

Kynn

-- 
NOTE: In my address everything before the first period is backwards;
and the last period, and everything after it, should be discarded.

Re: caps lock confusion

[Pascal J. Bourguignon]

kj <socyl@987jk.com.invalid> writes:

> I have had this problem occur to me about half a dozen times in
> the last two weeks (I don't know why, this had never happened
> before):  Emacs suddenly starts interpreting my keystrokes as if
> the caps lock key had been pressed (all caps, etc.), except it
> hasn't been; and if I do press the caps lock key, then Emacs will
> interpret my keystrokes in the opposite way, as if the caps lock
> were off.
>
> My caps lock key appears to be in perfect order.  It has a little
> light that indicates when it is on.  And the behaviors of all other
> applications are consistent with this indicator.  Emacs is the only
> one whose behavior is backwards.
>
> In the past, the only way I have found to solve this problem is to
> kill and restart Emacs, which I find terribly disruptive.
>
> Is there some other way to reset Emacs?
>
> Also, any tips that would help me troubleshoot this problem would
> be greatly appreciated!

Perhaps you activated caps-mode?
It would be surprizing since AFAIK, it's not a bundled mode,
and there's no shortcut binding to activate it.
Try:  M-x caps-mode RET  to toggle it.

-- 
__Pascal Bourguignon__

RE: caps lock confusion

[Drew Adams]

> From: Pascal J. Bourguignon Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 10:34 AM
> kj <socyl@987jk.com.invalid> writes:
> 
> > I have had this problem occur to me about half a dozen times in
> > the last two weeks (I don't know why, this had never happened
> > before):  Emacs suddenly starts interpreting my keystrokes as if
> > the caps lock key had been pressed (all caps, etc.), except it
> > hasn't been; and if I do press the caps lock key, then Emacs will
> > interpret my keystrokes in the opposite way, as if the caps lock
> > were off.
> >
> > My caps lock key appears to be in perfect order.  It has a little
> > light that indicates when it is on.  And the behaviors of all other
> > applications are consistent with this indicator.  Emacs is the only
> > one whose behavior is backwards.
> >
> > In the past, the only way I have found to solve this problem is to
> > kill and restart Emacs, which I find terribly disruptive.
> >
> > Is there some other way to reset Emacs?
> >
> > Also, any tips that would help me troubleshoot this problem would
> > be greatly appreciated!
> 
> Perhaps you activated caps-mode?
> It would be surprizing since AFAIK, it's not a bundled mode,
> and there's no shortcut binding to activate it.
> Try:  M-x caps-mode RET  to toggle it.

FWIW - I had a similar problem, with a Dell Latitude laptop (D610, if I remember
right). But it affected all apps, not only Emacs.

Dell replaced the onboard keyboard (even though I had the same problem with an
external keyboard) and the motherboard, but that didn't help. Eventually, Dell
replaced the entire laptop (with a D620), and that took care of it.

Dunno if your problem is related (probably not, if other apps are not affected).
If it is, contact Dell. (Googling will also show similar problems reported for
some other laptops, including some IBM models.) Also, try hitting just the Shift
key several times in succession - sometimes that can unblock the problem. (And
be sure sticky keys is turned off.)

HTH.

Re: caps lock confusion

[Dan Espen]

kj <socyl@987jk.com.invalid> writes:

> I have had this problem occur to me about half a dozen times in
> the last two weeks (I don't know why, this had never happened
> before):  Emacs suddenly starts interpreting my keystrokes as if
> the caps lock key had been pressed (all caps, etc.), except it
> hasn't been; and if I do press the caps lock key, then Emacs will
> interpret my keystrokes in the opposite way, as if the caps lock
> were off.
>
> My caps lock key appears to be in perfect order.  It has a little
> light that indicates when it is on.  And the behaviors of all other
> applications are consistent with this indicator.  Emacs is the only
> one whose behavior is backwards.
>
> In the past, the only way I have found to solve this problem is to
> kill and restart Emacs, which I find terribly disruptive.
>
> Is there some other way to reset Emacs?
>
> Also, any tips that would help me troubleshoot this problem would
> be greatly appreciated!

Look at your shift key, it's stuck!

No, really, happened to me just a few weeks ago.

Re: caps lock confusion

[Alan]

On Mar 20, 1:13 pm, "Drew Adams" <drew.ad...@oracle.com> wrote:
> > From: Pascal J. Bourguignon Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 10:34 AM
> > kj <so...@987jk.com.invalid> writes:
>
> > > I have had this problem occur to me about half a dozen times in
> > > the last two weeks (I don't know why, this had never happened
> > > before):  Emacs suddenly starts interpreting my keystrokes as if
> > > the caps lock key had been pressed (all caps, etc.), except it
> > > hasn't been; and if I do press the caps lock key, then Emacs will
> > > interpret my keystrokes in the opposite way, as if the caps lock
> > > were off.
>
> > > My caps lock key appears to be in perfect order.  It has a little
> > > light that indicates when it is on.  And the behaviors of all other
> > > applications are consistent with this indicator.  Emacs is the only
> > > one whose behavior is backwards.
>
> > > In the past, the only way I have found to solve this problem is to
> > > kill and restart Emacs, which I find terribly disruptive.
>
> > > Is there some other way to reset Emacs?
>
> > > Also, any tips that would help me troubleshoot this problem would
> > > be greatly appreciated!
>
> > Perhaps you activated caps-mode?
> > It would be surprizing since AFAIK, it's not a bundled mode,
> > and there's no shortcut binding to activate it.
> > Try:  M-x caps-mode RET  to toggle it.
>
> FWIW - I had a similar problem, with a Dell Latitude laptop (D610, if I remember
> right). But it affected all apps, not only Emacs.
>
> Dell replaced the onboard keyboard (even though I had the same problem with an
> external keyboard) and the motherboard, but that didn't help. Eventually, Dell
> replaced the entire laptop (with a D620), and that took care of it.
>
> Dunno if your problem is related (probably not, if other apps are not affected).
> If it is, contact Dell. (Googling will also show similar problems reported for
> some other laptops, including some IBM models.) Also, try hitting just the Shift
> key several times in succession - sometimes that can unblock the problem. (And
> be sure sticky keys is turned off.)
>
> HTH.

I have a Dell Latitude D531 which occasionally behaves as if Caps is
locked on.  Based on previous experience with this problem I made the
following note to myself:

"To turn off the filter keys hold down shift, press F7, then push the
other shift key three times. The PC will beep like it does when you
turn filter keys on."

I recall finding this advice in one of the Microsoft community
newsgroups.

I originally experienced this problem on a different PC, after holding
the Shift key down too long.  Microsoft's software then decided I was
handicapped.

RE: caps lock confusion

[Drew Adams]

> > FWIW - I had a similar problem, with a Dell Latitude laptop 
> > (D610, if I remember right). But it affected all apps, not
> > only Emacs.
> >
> > Dell replaced the onboard keyboard (even though I had the 
> > same problem with an external keyboard) and the motherboard,
> > but that didn't help. Eventually, Dell replaced the entire
> > laptop (with a D620), and that took care of it.
> >
> > Dunno if your problem is related (probably not, if other 
> > apps are not affected). If it is, contact Dell. (Googling
> > will also show similar problems reported for
> > some other laptops, including some IBM models.) Also, try 
> > hitting just the Shift key several times in succession -
> > sometimes that can unblock the problem. (And
> > be sure sticky keys is turned off.)
> >
> > HTH.
> 
> I have a Dell Latitude D531 which occasionally behaves as if Caps is
> locked on.  Based on previous experience with this problem I made the
> following note to myself:
> 
> "To turn off the filter keys hold down shift, press F7, then push the
> other shift key three times. The PC will beep like it does when you
> turn filter keys on."
> 
> I recall finding this advice in one of the Microsoft community
> newsgroups.
> 
> I originally experienced this problem on a different PC, after holding
> the Shift key down too long.  Microsoft's software then decided I was
> handicapped.

Yes, that's what I meant by "sticky keys" - dunno what the correct name for it
is. But in my case that didn't help; it was a hardware problem of some kind, I
guess.

Anyway, from the sound of it, the OP doesn't have either problem, since it
happens for the OP only in Emacs. But it's good to know.