[Qemu-devel] Interpretation of key symbols in QEMU's VNC server

[Fabian Holler]

Hello,

I'm not sure if I found a bug in QEMU's VNC keysymbol to scancode
mapping or if it is
a general Problem with the implemented VNC server:

Scenario:
QEMU started with: "-k de"
Keyboard layout in VM: de
Keyboard layout from Client OS: us

What i expect:
I type the '/' character on the Client OS (key left from the
right-shift-key) on US layout.
key symbol '/' is send over VNC to the QEMU.
QEMU lookup in the de keyboard mapping table for the character '/' and
should find the scancodes for the keys shift+'7'.
The Scancodes for shift and '7' are send to the VM's emulated keyboard
controller and the '/' appears in the VM.

But what actually happens is that the '7' character shows up in the VM.
It seems that QEMU misses to generates an additional  Shift Scancode/Keypress.

Is this a general problem in the VNC server implementation?
So that an interpretation (http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6143#section-7.5.4)
of the received key symbols to eg add an additional shift keypress
isn't implemented?

If yes, would a QEMU patch that adds keysymbol interpretation have a
chance to be merged into upstream?
Or are there reasons that it isn't a good idea to interpret the
VNC keysymbols and add/remove additional needed scancodes to get the expected
character on the VM?


regards

Fabian