Description of problem: Generally, the "LEFT" CTLR+ALT+(LEFT|RIGHT) Arrow keys are shortcuts for switching between workspaces in GNOME. It seems, an unexpected side-effect of this behavior, is that the (UP|DOWN) Arrow keys do not register at all; though, when pressing the "RIGHT" CTLR+ALT+(LEFT|RIGHT|UP|DOWN) Arrow keys DO register. Note: This key behavior in RHEL 8 work as expected, but it has changed in RHEL9. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): RHEL 9 How reproducible: Very Steps to Reproduce: Perform test steps in RHEL 8 and RHEL 9 to obtain contrasting behavior 1. Open terminal, run the following command: $ dconf watch / 2. Open gedit and type in several lines of text, move cursor to the middle of it. 3. Hold down [ Left Crtl + Left Alt ] and press [ UP or Down or LEFT or RIGHT arrow keys ] Then Hold down [ Right Crtl + Right Alt ] and press [ UP or Down or LEFT or RIGHT arrow keys ] 4. RHEL 9 Only: Open the Gnome setting menu and select keyboard. The terminal with dconf watch will now say: /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/per-window false /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/xkb-options ['lv3:ralt_switch'] 5. RHEL 9 Only: Switch to Open Gedit window and put cursor in the middle of the text. Then hold down [ Left Crtl + Left Alt ] and press [ UP or Down or LEFT or RIGHT arrow keys ] Then Hold down [ Right Crtl + Right Alt ] and press [ UP or Down or LEFT or RIGHT arrow keys ] Note the behavior difference in workspace switching. Actual results: RHEL 8: The workspace switcher works not matter if RIGHT set or LEFT set of [ Ctrl + Alt + Arrows ] is used RHEL 9: Before touching the "Compose key" setting it behaves as RHEL8, however after just going into keyboard settings it behaves differently, it will scroll around the gedit text Expected results: Should behave like RHEL 8, or give option to set to RHEL 8 type behavior without forcing a default behavior upon opening keyboard settings. Or we should document this setting change in keyboard behavior if this is expected behavior or explore a way to unset within the settings. Additional info: This seems to be a side effect the new defaults enforced by the keyboard settings in Gnome in RHEL 9. This can be undone in RHEL 9 by running the following command: $ dconf reset /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/xkb-options However re-loading the keyboard settings in gnome setting will re-establish this setting by default: /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/xkb-options ['lv3:ralt_switch']
> Before touching the "Compose key" setting it behaves as RHEL8 Turns out it's actually the "Alternate Characters Key" that affects this, not the compose key setting. In RHEL8 this was unset (dconf shows an empty xkb options array by default) but a bug in the GNOME control center sets it to `lv3:ralt_switch` on the first invocation - where it cannot easily be unset through the GUI. The upstream bug for this is https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/-/issues/918, there is a proposed-but-stale MR upstream too here https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/-/merge_requests/910, those are the two I found reasonably quickly. Reassigning to gnome-control-center.