I picked up a razer blackwidow ultimate that has additional keys meant for macros that are set using a tool that's installed on windows. I'm assuming that these arn't some fancypants joojoo keys and should emit scancodes like any other keys.

Firstly is there a standard way to check these scancodes in linux? Secondly how do i set these keys to do things in command line and x based linux setups? My current linux install is xubuntu 10.10, but i'll be switching to kubuntu once i have a few things fixed up. Ideally the answer should be generic and system-wide

Things i have tried so far:

showkeys from the built in kbd package (in a seperate vt) - macro keys not detected

xev - macro keys not detected

lsusb and evdev output

this ahk script's output suggests the M keys are not outputting standard scancodes

Things i need to try snoopy pro + reverse engineering (oh dear)

Wireshark - preliminary futzing around seems to indicate no scancodes emitted when what i seem to think is the keyboard is monitored and keys pressed. Might indicate additional keys are a seperate device or need to be initialised somehow.

Need to cross reference that with lsusb output from linux, in 3 scenarios - standalone, passed through to a windows VM without the drivers installed, and the same with.

LSUSB only detects one device on a standalone linux install

It might be useful to check if the mice use the same razer synapse driver , since that means some variation of razercfg might work (not detected. only seems to work for mice)

Things i have Have worked out: In a windows system with the driver, the keyboard is seen as a keyboard and a pointing device. And said pointing device uses, in addition to your bog standard mouse drivers.. a driver for something called a razer synapse.

Mouse driver seen in linux under evdev and lsusb as well

Single Device under OS X apparently, though i have yet to try lsusb equivilent on that

Keyboard goes into pulsing backlight mode in OS X upon initialisation with the driver. This should probably indicate that there's some initialisation sequence sent to the keyboard on activation.

They are, in fact, fancypants joojoo keys.

Extending this question a little I have access to a windows system so if i need to use any tools on that to help answer the question, its fine. I can also try it on systems with and without the config utility. The expected end result is still to make those keys usable on linux however.

I also realise this is a very specific family of hardware. I would be willing to test anything that makes sense on a linux system if i have detailed instructions - this should open up the question to people who have linux skills, but no access to this keyboard

The minimum end result i require I need these keys detected, and usable in any fashion on any of the current graphical mainstream ubuntu varients