This is a selected excerpt taken from a related bug reported by moi. I intended to copy pertinent info over but must have never gotten it. I'd also hoped that it was noticed and taken care upstream but seeing now that 12.10 still has issues with changing layouts, here it is.
1) Changing the layout in unity's "applet" does not change it in X. /etc/default/keyboard shows the following, even if layouts are repositioned in Keyboard Layout in System Settings. XKBMODEL="pc104" XKBLAYOUT="us" XKBVARIANT="intl" XKBOPTIONS="terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp" 2) lightdm takes to the change, at least if it's done via Keyboard Layout. 3) X doesn't take to the change even if it's done via Keyboard Layout. Clearly there is a conflict between /etc/default/keyboard and Keyboard Layout. I would assume a workaround to be to run the following: 1. sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration 2. and then to edit /etc/default/keyboard to coincide with the input into the previous routine (pkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration) See http://krisreeves.com/things-that-should-be-easy/permanently-change- keyboard-layout-on-ubuntu-server-11-10/ There are various manifestations of this bug: 1) The issue of not being able to change a layout within a session from the Unity "applet", /etc/default/keyboard not keeping sync with the unity indicator. 2) And the issue of /etc/default/keyboard not keeping in sync with selections taken in Keyboard Layout, which explains why desktop sessions (X) revert to previous settings. /etc/default/keyboard seems to want to do it's own thing, regardless of what other utilities want. 3) There are also the issues of any layout chosen from dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration not sticking, /etc/default/keyboard not keeping sync with dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration. ** Summary changed: - Can't change layout using Unity indicator nor Gnome Control Center --Precise upgrade + Can't change layout using Unity indicator nor Gnome Control Center --12.10 upgrade -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to gnome-control-center in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/986322 Title: Can't change layout using Unity indicator nor Gnome Control Center --12.10 upgrade Status in Unity: Invalid Status in “gnome-control-center” package in Ubuntu: New Bug description: Problem: I can't use the keyboard mapping recently chosen. Details: Selecting anything other than the US International with dead keys layout from the Unity applet doesn't invoke a layout change. Going to gnome-keyboard-properties and high lighting and moving desired layout to top don't help. gnome-control-center version: Version: 1:3.4.1-0ubuntu1 Reproducible? 100% on my system Steps to Reproduce: 1.log in and change keyboard layout from US International with dead keys to "anything else" via the Unity applet 2. type Actual results: US International with dead keys layout continues to be in effect. The following two commands results don't change regardless of what Keyboard Layout or "applet" selection. cat /etc/default/keyboard XKBMODEL="pc104" XKBLAYOUT="us" XKBVARIANT="intl" XKBOPTIONS="terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp" cat ~/.dmrc [Desktop] Language=en_US.utf8 Layout=us mac Langlist=en_US:en LCMess=en_US.UTF-8 Session=ubuntu gconftool-2 -R /desktop/gnome/peripherals/keyboard/kbd model = macintosh_hhk layouts = [us intl,us alt-intl,us altgr-intl,us colemak] options = [terminate terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp,keypad keypad:atm,grp grp:shift_caps_toggle] Expected results: "Anything else" layout is nowhere to be seen, US International with dead keys remains activated. Workaround -seems to be to choose the layout from lightdm. Comments I don't seem to have gnome-keyboard-properties since running that from terminal doesn't produce the Keyboard Layout pane. Is gnome-keyboard-properties part of Precise? Control Center shouldn't be overridden by system settings. Rather, it should allow the user to change the system defaults or change it on behalf of the user. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04 Package: gnome-control-center 1:3.4.1-0ubuntu1 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-23.36-generic 3.2.14 Uname: Linux 3.2.0-23-generic i686 ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu5 Architecture: i386 Date: Fri Apr 20 14:37:03 2012 InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release i386 (20110427.1) SourcePackage: gnome-control-center UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-03-23 (27 days ago) usr_lib_gnome-control-center: activity-log-manager-control-center 0.9.4-0ubuntu3 deja-dup 22.0-0ubuntu2 gnome-bluetooth 3.2.2-0ubuntu5 indicator-datetime 0.3.94-0ubuntu2 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/unity/+bug/986322/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : [email protected] Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
