I managed to download the file.
How do I extract it ?
numlockx-1.2-5-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

    17 days later

    bichler
    you're going to want to get zstd
    sudo eopkg it zstd
    then
    zstd -d numlockx-1.2-5-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
    don't forget to symlink the binary to your /usr/bin folder.
    Also while this thread contains valuble info it is a year old and lightdm configs are no longer located in /etc/lightdm/
    to find your config files run
    lightdm --show-config
    and add
    greeter-setup-script=/usr/bin/numlockx on on the slick-greeter conf under the [Seat:*]

      2 months later

      kyrios Unless you have an old machine, the preferred method should be to set it from the computer's firmware (UEFI or BIOS).

      Hello,

      I am a beginner with Linux and use the current Solus version 4.1.

      But I couldn't find an option in the settings for my old computer (9 years old).

      Can you add it for the next version, then the end user can activate it in the graphical user interface?

      Thanks.

        6 months later

        Not everyone has a BIOS that offers the option of setting the Num Lock key. Having read this entire thread, it seems unreasonable that the user should have to jump through all these hoops! This should NOT be so hard to do in Solus! Why not make it an option in the Keyboard options when you go into Control Center?

        I just did this using this tutorial:

        TO WHOM THIS CONCERNS:
        You need a c compiler like gcc and the libxi-devel pakage
        Also, if you dont have the devel files run: sudo eopkg it -c system.devel

        install numlockx from https://github.com/rg3/numlockx
        unzip the package
        enter into terminal this: cd /home/(your username)/Downloads/numlockx-master
        enter ./configure
        enter sudo make
        enter sudo make install
        enter sudo make xsetup (if that gets you errors its fine)
        enter sudo make xinitrc
        enter sudo lightdm-settings
        then go to Settings -> turn on Activate numlock

          joemartin Thank you for this solution. I am running Solus 4.1 MATE and it worked. However, I had to make some modifications to what you wrote. If you download and extract the numlockx file (a tar.gz file) from the github URL you gave, and place it in your Downloads folder, then when you extract it there, it creates a folder named numlockx-1.2, NOT numlock-master. So, you must cd to numlockx-1.2.
          Then, all the steps worked, EXCEPT the last two: sudo lightdm-settings does not work, it comes back with the message "command not found". Also, you do not need to "go to Settings ->turn on Activate numlock"; in fact, I could not even understand what this means, what Settings are you talking about? But the good news is, the Num Lock now turns on automatically once I have signed on at the login screen. So, it is not on when you login with your password, but it is automatically on after that (if you enter the correct password, of course). Also, since numlockx is now installed, you can go to terminal, and type numlockx ? to see the options. They are on, off, and toggle; and on is the default.
          I still think Solus should just make this an option on Keyboard settings, to avoid all this extra hassle.

            Glad it worked.

            Install lightdm-settings from package manager, launch it, then settings tab and activate numlock from there.

            No tweaking needed on my install. Tutorial was perfect.

              joemartin Well, yes, it is perfect. But only IF you have already installed the lightdm-settings package before you begin. I did not know that, and your original post did not mention it. Then, running sudo lightdm-settings causes a "Login Window" to appear, and that is where the Settings tab is. So now I understand, but it was not clear (at least, not clear to me) from the first post. So now, the result is better; once you activate numlock on the Settings tab (the last step), then numlock is even activated on the login screen, which is nice if you have a password that has numbers in it.

                7 months later
                10 months later

                kyrios Yep, just checked - in UEFI there's a setting to turn on numlock on boot. Observed: turn on PC - numlock is on, grub boot selection shows - numlock is on, starts booting Solus - numlock turns off instantly.

                So, it's 2022 and this simple simple problem is not resolved, you actually have to download a package from another distro and manually edit a text file. Oof. Big oof.