[help-gv] gv, xorg-libX11, and XKeysymDB

[Bob Nnamtrop]

I sent this to X11-users and macports-users lists but am curious if
this is really a gv issue (note that I am using X11 gv on Mac OS X
10.5.8 using macports):

On Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 6:40 PM, Bob <address@hidden> wrote:
> I sent this to X11-users list but meant to send it here:
>
> I have an an issue with gv (installed via Macports) for a while.  I
> get the warning (on any ps file):
>
> gv idl.ps
> Warning: translation table syntax error: Unknown keysym name:  apLineDel
> Warning: ... found while parsing '<Key>apLineDel:
> GV_Page(page+5)         '
> Warning: String to TranslationTable conversion encountered errors
>
> Although gv mostly works the pageUp and pageDown buttons did not.
> This broke a "few" months ago when upgrading.  A bit of searching and
> I have discovered that this is due to the XKeysymDB file not being
> present in /opt/local/share/X11.  When I run locate on this file I
> get:
>
>  locate XKeysymDB
> /opt/local/var/macports/software/xorg-libX11/1.3.5_0/opt/local/share/X11/XKeysymDB
> /usr/X11/share/X11/XKeysymDB
>
> which suggest that xorg-libX11 used to provide this file but
> apparently does not any more (I have xorg-libX11 1.4.0 installed).
> Coping this file to /opt/local/share/X11 fixes the issue with gv.  So
> my question is: why doesn't xorg-libX11 provide this file anymore and
> what is the correct way to get this file using Macports.

I got a reply from Jeremy Huddleston who suggested:

> The file was removed between 1.3.5 and 1.3.6:

> http://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/lib/libX11/commit/?h=libX11-1.3-branch&id=50b4b07073bd46cbef3627c160a240bd2a2b99d5

Looking at that commit (on the xorg site) it states:

"Since XStringToKeysym now supports all the vendor keysyms, just
delete our XKeysymDB, which was incomplete at best, misleading at
worst, and always an annoyance."

This would suggest that gv should not need this file and should use
XstringToKeysym (whatever that is).  I am wonder if this is the case
and if there is something which needs to be updated in gv, or if xorg
should still have this file.

Thanks,
Bob