I recently got a cat into my household. She is kind of disruptive when I am on my laptop. Is there a kind of “cat-mode” for KDE, a keyboard-combination, which I can use to prevent my cat from pressing any keys while I am watching a movie or doing a call?
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In internet a lot of webs mention xtrlock to do your request.
Regards
You’d need to be more specific - will you be using an external or wireless keyboard and disabling the laptop?
It might also be feasible to have a perspex (or other) cover for the laptop, my son did this so that when space is tight he can put his mechanical keyboard on top of the laptop keyboard… we trimmed the perspex to fit, and attached some sticky silicone feet so that it stands slightly clear of the laptop and doesn’t slide around.
Otherwise you’ll need to come up with a script:
That’s for X11 though…
Unless your laptop has a keyboard lock function, it might not be so easy… except for the touchpad.
Take a look at the System Settings → Mouse & Touchpad → Screen Edges setting –
- Set a screen corner to “Overview” or what ever and –
Send the mouse pointer to that corner when you’re watching a movie or taking a call …
AFAICS, movies keep on playing while in this mode but, the keyboard types in the “Search” field – which isn’t really so helpful …
At the least the cat can’t disrupt everything.
Maybe someone will produce a “Disable input for the cat” Plasmoid …
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I would just want to continue to use the existing keyboard, but have some lets say 3 three key combination to turn all keys + touchpad on/off so that it does not work when the cat walks over it.
We use a laptop to play movies sometimes, we turn the laptop screen off and close the lid.
If using the laptop screen then a shield would do the trick, and use a bluetooth or other keyboard.
Cats are such adorable creatures aren’t they? Haha.
If anyone has a tablet laptop, simply swivel your display so that the keyboard faces down and use a mechanical keyboard that has an on/off switch if you have one. 
With a Keychron K8, I don’t think the cat can access a switch using their paws to turn it back on and see that beautiful RGB lighting on the keyboard. 
Too bad my Logitech G600 mouse cannot be turned off… I can just unplug it from my USB hub though.
But then, I don’t have a cat and I don’t want to deal with the responsibility of caring for one and feeding cat food anyway.
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For a while, I had a spare mouse for this reason - one problem with such mice is that it’s too easy to wake up the computer if you suspend before putting the mouse away…
For portability and flexibility I picked up a small Goojodoo mouse that could be used wired, 2.4G, and two bluetooth channels which also had a power switch for that reason. Can’t remember the price - but it was really neglibible.
Meta + Shift + Paws?
(sorry)
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In Windows, Win+L brings up the lock screen, preventing any actions on the computer until the password is re-entered. Isn’t there a functionally equivalent key combination in KDE?
Meta+L does the same in KDE Plasma.
But OP wants…
…and bringing up the lockscreen prevents you watching your movie or doing your call.
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Meta+Ctrl+L could lock the keyboard and touch pad but otherwise not interfere with what is running or showing on the screen.
the problem then becomes how do you regain access without your input devices.
if you just use the shortcut as a toggle, then the cat could still step on Meta+Ctrl+L and unlock the keyboard (don’t look at me like that, cats can find a way!!)
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My brother claimed to have proven that the Earth is not flat: If it were, cats would have by now pushed everything over the edge.
But seriously, try closing the lid on your laptop.
IDK how to do this, but both the keyboard and mouse have to connect to the system via drivers. It should, theoretically :), be possible to modify or replace those drivers with ones that can ignore events except for one very specific one that could renable input.
I asked an AI and it suggested
xinput disable “AT Translated Set 2 keyboard”
xinput disable “Synaptics TM3052-003”
Obviously, you would modify the above to match your system.
Getting back out of that is a bit tricky. You can run it in a script which times out and renables input or you can ssh back into your system from another device and run a reenable script…
Using a (another) wireless keyboard just to get back in would work too.
This only works if you’re using an external monitor… you can’t watch a movie when the laptop lid is down otherwise…
OP didn’t clarify when I mentioned this…
Consider asking in your local zoo store, usually they have special repeller sprays. These sprays are not harmful but cats dislike the smell. Usually they are used to prevent cats to urinate into your shoes. Also you can buy ultra-sound repeller. Another option – I used it – is to set up a cozy place for your cat next to the keyboard.
cats walk across your keyboard and in front of the monitor because you are paying attention to it… and they want that attention (greedy cats).
maybe the solution is to just give the cat more pets….
Then I could not see anything. There is no external screen, since the laptop has a very good 4K screen.
Ok, that’s interesting - I mean I’m touted as being out of date because I have only a 42" 1080p TV, with decent speakers for surround and deep bass sounds - so I can’t imagine a mobile device being better for movies.