---
name: "XkbGetCompatMap"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libx11"
version: "1.8.14-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/XkbGetCompatMap"
---

# XkbGetCompatMap(3)

Fetch any combination of the current compatibility map components from the server

## NAME

XkbGetCompatMap - Fetch any combination of the current compatibility map components from the server

## SYNOPSIS

**Status XkbGetCompatMap** **(Display \****display***,** **unsigned int** *which***,** **XkbDescRec \****xkb***);**

## ARGUMENTS

- *display*

  connection to server

- *which*

  mask of compatibility map components to fetch

- *xkb*

  keyboard description where results placed

## DESCRIPTION

When another client modifies the compatibility map, you are notified if you have selected for XkbCompatMapNotify events. *XkbGetCompatMap* is particularly useful when you receive an event of this type, as it allows you to update your program's version of the compatibility map to match the modified version now in the server. If your program is dealing with multiple servers and needs to configure them all in a similar manner, the updated compatibility map may be used to reconfigure other servers.

*XkbGetCompatMap* fetches the components of the compatibility map specified in *which* from the server specified by *display* and places them in the *compat* structure of the keyboard description *xkb.* Valid values for *which* are an inclusive OR of the values shown in Table 1.

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Table 1 Compatibility Map Component Masks |
| Mask | Value | Affecting |
| XkbSymInterpMask | (1\<\<0) | Symbol interpretations |
| XkbGroupCompatMask | (1\<\<1) | Group maps |
| XkbAllCompatMask | (0x3) | All compatibility map components |

If no compatibility map structure is allocated in *xkb* upon entry, *XkbGetCompatMap* allocates one. If one already exists, its contents are overwritten with the returned results.

*XkbGetCompatMap* fetches compatibility map information for the device specified by the *device\_spec* field of *xkb.* Unless you have specifically modified this field, it is the default keyboard device. *XkbGetCompatMap* returns Success if successful, BadAlloc if it is unable to obtain necessary storage for either the return values or work space, BadMatch if the *dpy* field of the *xkb* argument is non-NULL and does not match the *display* argument, and BadLength under certain conditions caused by server or Xkb implementation errors.

## DIAGNOSTICS

- **BadAlloc**

  Unable to allocate storage

- **BadLength**

  The length of a request is shorter or longer than that required to minimally contain the arguments

- **BadMatch**

  A compatible version of Xkb was not available in the server or an argument has correct type and range, but is otherwise invalid