NAME

       kbd_mode - report or set the keyboard mode

SYNOPSIS

       kbd_mode [ -a | -u | -k | -s ] [ -C CONSOLE ]

DESCRIPTION

       Without argument, kbd_mode prints the current keyboard mode (RAW, MEDIUMRAW or XLATE).  With argument, it
       sets the keyboard mode as indicated:

       -s: scancode mode (RAW),

       -k: keycode mode (MEDIUMRAW),

       -a: ASCII mode (XLATE),

       -u: UTF-8 mode (UNICODE).

       Of  course  the  "-a" is only traditional, and the code used can be any 8-bit character set.  With "-u" a
       16-bit character set is expected, and these chars are transmitted to the kernel  as  1,  2,  or  3  bytes
       (following the UTF-8 coding).  In these latter two modes the key mapping defined by loadkeys(1) is used.

       kbd_mode  operates  on the console specified by the "-C" option; if there is none, the console associated
       with stdin is used.

       Warning: changing the keyboard mode, other than between  ASCII  and  Unicode,  will  probably  make  your
       keyboard unusable.  This command is only meant for use (say via remote login) when some program left your
       keyboard  in  the wrong state.  Note that in some obsolete versions of this program the "-u" option was a
       synonym for "-s".

SEE ALSO

       loadkeys(1)

                                                   6 Apr 1994                                        KBD_MODE(1)