July 13 2007

Custom Global Keybindings in Gnome / Ubuntu

Simple custom keybindings in Gnome/Ubuntu

Gnome’s default keybinding app sucks (maybe Linus was right and Gnome treats its users like idiots? sucks for me I guess). Here is a way to bind anything you’d like to any key you’d like, globally. I found this useful because I naturally use WIN-E for an explorer or WIN-R for a run dialog and I couldn’t get that working the right way through Gnome’s default shortcut app (/System/Preferences/Keyboard Shortcuts).

Anyway, doing this is really simple. Open up a terminal and type gconf-editor. Browse the /app/Metacity/global_keybindings and keybinding_commands. Edit the corresponding global_keybinding command_# to the keybinding_command command_# and you’re golden.

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