Still cannot open virtual consoles F2 F3 ...etc

[jd1008]

On 11/01/2015 06:56 PM, jd1008 wrote:
>
>
> On 10/31/2015 07:04 PM, Paolo Galtieri wrote:
>> I'm using the Mate desktop as well and I have this same problem that 
>> ctrl-alt-f2 does not go to a virtual console on my laptop keyboard, 
>> but fn-ctrl-alt-f2 does. However, I have an external keyboard plugged 
>> into the system via a KVM switch and on that keyboard ctrl-alt-f2 
>> does take me to a virtual console.   At some point in time 
>> ctrl-alt-f2 worked on my laptop keyboard, but after some update it 
>> stopped.  Using fn-ctr-alt-f2 requires too many fingers :-).  It may 
>> also be the case that my external keyboard does not have a fn key and 
>> that's why ctr-alt-f2 works.
>>
>> Paolo
>>
>> On 11/01/2015 10:26 AM, jd1008 wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> On 10/31/2015 11:41 AM, Porfirio Andres Paiz Carrasco wrote:
>>>> 2015-10-31 0:23 GMT-06:00 jd1008 <jd1008 at gmail.com>:
>>>>> DT is mate (fully up-to-date) Fedora 22.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ctrl-Alt-F[23456]... etc
>>>>>
>>>>> no longer function.
>>>>> I am not switched to the virtual console.
>>>>> Display remains in mate DT display.
>>>>>
>>>> Check if the function keys (F1, F2, F3, ..., F12) is been used by
>>>> multimedia task. In my T440p I have to keep pressed Fn key to allow
>>>> Function key instead of multimedia function. Also you could try to
>>>> swap between multimedia function key to just function key as your
>>>> primary "function" in the bios configs. Please excuse all of the
>>>> redundant words.
>>>>
>>>> If I want to increase panel brightness I just press F6, but if I want
>>>> to move to a virtual console I have to press Fn+Ctrl+Alt+F6, other
>>>> than that, nothing change.
>>>>
>>>> Check if this is your case.
>>>>
>>> Unfortunately, it is not :(
>>>
>>> Is there a file that creates a different mapping than what the 
>>> default is??
>>>
>>
> Your description of the history of this dilemma is identical to mine.
> I just have no idea what made it stop from doing what it always did.
>
> Tried Fn-Ctrl-Alt F2  (and 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8....) to no avail.
>
> When I get home I will try the external KB.
>
> Cheers,
>
> JD

I found the problem.
A bit embarrassing really.
I had .xmodmap in my home dir,
and one of the login scripts was using it to map backspace and delete keys
to do actually Control-H and ASCII-Del
Well it was working, but also messing up the mapping of the
function keys.
It is useful for when I login on the console in single user mode or level 3.
So, now I will have to make use of it only when I login on the machine
when no GUI is started.