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This project was inspired by David Levitan's sonyfxd project. Ideas used in sonykeyd are taken from sonypid (event readnig) and acpid project (handling events - running shell that has to deal with event).

• sonyfxd is a X program that emulate behavior of Sony Windows software. It can make use of Sony keys (as P-keys, jogdial, etc.) and set Sony laptop specific properties (brightness, audio controls, power controls).
• acpid is a daemon that allows user to attach any program to ACPI events.
• sonypid is a small daemon that prints the names of pressed Sony keys
• sonykeyd is a tiny daemon that allow attach programs to sonypid events (Sony key-strokes)

Description

Installation

1. sonypi driver
   

   Compile recent 2.4 kernel. You must compile sonypi driver. This description assumes it is compiled as an module, but can configure it as solid part of the kernel
   It is option "<M> Sony Vaio Programmable I/O Control Device support" in "Character devices" section of kernel configuration.

   If your model doesn't have Jogdial button, you should use this patch, which is part of -ac kernel patch. Probably 2.4.19 kernel will have this patch integrated.
   If you don't apply the patch, your P2, P3, will not work, and P1 will act as Jogdial. Other keys will work properly.

   Next you have to add options for this module. Edit your /etc/modules.conf file, and add these lines:

           alias char-major-10-63 sonypi
           options sonypi minor=63 nojogdial=1
         

   Of course if your model has Jogdial, clear "nojogdial=1" option!

   Create a /dev/sonypi special file:

           $ mknod  /dev/sonypi c 10 63
         

   You can now test if driver works, by downloading and running sonypid daemon. It should print names of Sony keys pressed.

2. sonykeyd daemon

   Download source package: sonykeyd.tar.bz2.

   Unpack it:

           $ tar -xjf sonykeyd.tar.bz2
         

   or (if it doesn't work):

           $ bunzip2 -c sonykeyd.tar.bz2 | tar -xvf -
         

   Make it:

           $ cd sonykeyd
           $ make
         

   You may have to modify Makefile and change /usr/src/linux/include to wherever your kernel is.

3. install driver

           # make install
         

   will simply copy sonykeyd file to /usr/local/sbin. You can do it by hand.

4. create the script

   By default, when sonypi event is registered, /usr/local/sbin/sonykey.sh program (script) is called. As a first parameter name of key pressed is passed. Names of keys are in the table.

   My bash script will do as following:

           Fn+F3: mute/unmute
           Fn+F4: select global/pcm volume for changing
           Fn+F5: select brightness for changing
           Fn+1:  decrease amount of selected option
           Fn+2:  increase amount of selected option
           Fn+E:  eject the cdrom
         

   This script calls ALSA aumix program to control volume, spicctrl program to control brightness, and eject (eject package) program.

   I know it is not perfect: it remembers it's options (a mute state, option selected for changing) in filesystem.
   But this is only an example. Modify it, and give the sonypi keys meaning you want!

5. make it work

   Run the sonykeyd program. It will fork into background
   Default program run on event catch is /usr/local/sbin/sonykey.sh but you can pass other name as an argument to sonykeyd.

   Copy your program/script to /usr/local/sbin as sonykey.sh, and make it executable. Eg:

           $ cp sonykey.sh /usr/local/sbin
           $ chmod 0700 /usr/local/sbin/sonykey.sh
         

   If you use an example sonykey.sh script, you must additionally:

           $ mkdir -p /var/local/sound/state
         

   and has ALSA working, eject utility on path and spicctrl in /usr/local/sbin/.

   Try it!
   Press Fn+F5, and Fn+1 several times... Does it get darker?
   Now play some music and press Fn+F4 and Fn+1. Any change?
   

6. (optional) make it work always...

   I have RedHat.
   I use RedHat.
   I know RedHat.
   This is for RedHat. Sorry.
   If you can write description for other distributions...do it! Many people Debian/Mandrake/... users will be grateful
   

   If you want daemon running after each system start you can copy my RedHat "service" script. It is modified (and cleaned) version of sshd startup script, but works for me.

   Here it is: sonypi script
   copy it to /etc/rc.d/init.d and create links:

           $ cp sonypi /etc/rc.d/init.d
           $ chmod 0755 /etc/rc.d/init.d/sonypi
           $ ln -s ../init.d/sonypi /etc/rc.d/rc2.d/S86sonypi
           $ ln -s ../init.d/sonypi /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/S86sonypi
           $ ln -s ../init.d/sonypi /etc/rc.d/rc4.d/S86sonypi
           $ ln -s ../init.d/sonypi /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/S86sonypi
           $ ln -s ../init.d/sonypi /etc/rc.d/rc0.d/K02sonypi
           $ ln -s ../init.d/sonypi /etc/rc.d/rc6.d/K02sonypi
         

TODO

• Better mute handling
• Make source nicer/commented/safer...
• Wait while suspend of laptop is possible (swsup project), and add a shortcut to suspend (to memory - Fn+Esc, to disk - Fn-F12)
• Wait while SpeedStep is supported and add shortcut (when - who knows, see cpurate project)
• Wait while LCD/VGA, LCD/TV switching is supported, and add shortcuts (when - who knows)

Keys table