From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

I have a German QWERTZ keyboard. In my application I bind scripts to keys accessible via AltGr, e.g.
| (bar), \ (backslash), @ (at) etc. This works under Linux and macOS, but not under Windows.
It even works under Linux, which runs in a VirtualBox on this Windows system.

Why are the bindings not working under Windows?
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From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

Am 12.01.2026 um 15:04 schrieb Torsten:

I have a German QWERTZ keyboard. In my application I bind scripts to
keys accessible via AltGr, e.g. | (bar), \ (backslash), @ (at) etc. This works under Linux and macOS, but not under Windows.
It even works under Linux, which runs in a VirtualBox on this Windows system.

Why are the bindings not working under Windows?

I suppose, you have to bind to Ctrl+Alt+q for "@"

Why etc, no idea, sorry...

Harald
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From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

Am 12.01.2026 um 15:04 schrieb Torsten:

I have a German QWERTZ keyboard. In my application I bind scripts to keys accessible via AltGr, e.g. | (bar), \ (backslash), @ (at) etc. This works under Linux and macOS, but not under Windows.
It even works under Linux, which runs in a VirtualBox on this Windows system.

Why are the bindings not working under Windows?

Can confirm the behaviour of Torsten on German keyboards.

Execute the following simple script:

package require Tk
catch { console show }
ttk::label .b -text "Press any key to see keycode and keysym"
pack .b
bind . <Any-Key> [list puts "%k %K"]

Then typing "<" and "|" gives the following output:

Linux Tcl 8.6.17:
94 less
108 ISO_Level3_Shift
94 bar

Linux Tcl 9.0.3:
94 <
108 ISO_Level3_Shift
94 |

Windows Tcl 8.6.17:
226 less
17 Control_L
18 Alt_R
226 less

Windows Tcl 9.0.3:
226 <
17 Control_L
18 Alt_R
226 <

Also note, that the print-out of the keysyms is different on 8.6.17 and 9.0.3. Is this an intended change?

Paul

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From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

On 1/12/2026 9:24 AM, Paul Obermeier wrote:

Execute the following simple script:

package require Tk
catch { console show }
ttk::label .b -text "Press any key to see keycode and keysym"
pack .b
bind . <Any-Key> [list puts "%k %K"]

Then typing "<" and "|" gives the following output:

Linux Tcl 8.6.17:
94 less
108 ISO_Level3_Shift
94 bar

Linux Tcl 9.0.3:
94 <
108 ISO_Level3_Shift
94 |

Windows Tcl 8.6.17:
226 less
17 Control_L
18 Alt_R
226 less

Windows Tcl 9.0.3:
226 <
17 Control_L
18 Alt_R
226 <

And on Windows Tcl 8.6.16 with a US keyboard:

For "<":

16 Shift_L
188 less



For "|":

16 Shift_L
220 bar



Why so much variation? How can one convert code using these bindings to
be multilingual?



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From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl


Paul Obermeier <obermeier@poSoft.de> writes:

Am 12.01.2026 um 15:04 schrieb Torsten:

I have a German QWERTZ keyboard. In my application I bind scripts to keys accessible via AltGr, e.g. | (bar), \ (backslash), @ (at) etc. This works under Linux and macOS, but not under Windows.
It even works under Linux, which runs in a VirtualBox on this Windows system.
Why are the bindings not working under Windows?

Can confirm the behaviour of Torsten on German keyboards.

Execute the following simple script:

package require Tk
catch { console show }
ttk::label .b -text "Press any key to see keycode and keysym"
pack .b
bind . <Any-Key> [list puts "%k %K"]

Then typing "<" and "|" gives the following output:

Linux Tcl 8.6.17:
94 less
108 ISO_Level3_Shift
94 bar

Linux Tcl 9.0.3:
94 <

^^^^^^^

108 ISO_Level3_Shift
94 |

Windows Tcl 8.6.17:
226 less
17 Control_L
18 Alt_R
226 less

Windows Tcl 9.0.3:
226 <

^^^^^^^^

Which is a partiuclary bad reply because "<" is not allowed as
sequence in a bind command (as the documentation in fact mentions):

bind . <<> {puts fired}

virtual event "<<>>" is badly formed

Just as bad with ">". Reported as > by %K with 9.0.3.

bind . <>> {puts fired}

no event type or button # or keysym

rolf
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From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

On 1/12/2026 5:17 PM, Rolf Ade wrote:

Paul Obermeier <obermeier@poSoft.de> writes:

Am 12.01.2026 um 15:04 schrieb Torsten:

^^^^^^^^

Which is a partiuclary bad reply because "<" is not allowed as
sequence in a bind command (as the documentation in fact mentions):

bind . <<> {puts fired}

virtual event "<<>>" is badly formed

Just as bad with ">". Reported as > by %K with 9.0.3.

bind . <>> {puts fired}

no event type or button # or keysym

I wonder why that doesn't cause a syntax error of some sort. I thought
you'd have to use "<Key-xyz>" for bindings like this.

Here is an implementation which does work as intended:

package req Tk
bind . <Key-<> [list puts "LESS THAN: %k :: %K"]
bind . <Key->> [list puts "GREATER THAN: %k :: %K"]


# Sample output:
LESS THAN: 188 :: less
GREATER THAN: 190 :: greater
LESS THAN: 188 :: less
LESS THAN: 188 :: less
GREATER THAN: 190 :: greater
LESS THAN: 188 :: less
GREATER THAN: 190 :: greater
GREATER THAN: 190 :: greater
LESS THAN: 188 :: less

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