Multiple Keyboard Layouts

[darkeale]

Hi,

I have just installed Linux Mint LXDE 10 on my old desktop, and I really like it so far. The only thing I am struggling to do is set it up to have multiple keyboard layouts. In Windows, and Ubuntu, I could set my main keyboard layout to British, then by pressing a combination (shift + ctrl) the layout will change to Finnish. Is there any way to do this in Mint LXDE 10? I need to be able to get the special characters i.e. ä and ö.

Thanks,
Alex

[mads]

I don't know about LXDE, but in Gnome:
Menu > Preferences > Keyboard > Layouts

[darkeale]

I don't know about LXDE, but in Gnome:
Menu > Preferences > Keyboard > Layouts

In LXDE that allows me to change the layout, but I can only have one at a time, and have to access that menu to change it. What I am hoping to be able to do is to set it up so that a quick keyboard shortcut like shift+ctrl will change the layout.

Thanks,
Alex

[SimonTS]

Funnily enough, you may just find your answer in this thread from a couple of days ago;-

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 1&p=395049

It seems like you're not the only one trying to do this hey?

[darkeale]

I had an idea to make my own custom layout. So to add the characters ö and ä to my gb layout. However, when I go into the usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols folder and edit the gb file so that the key that is next to "p" (the [ and { key) is ä, then restart the computer, nothing happens. The output when I press the key is still the same as the default. Does anyone know how to edit this file so that the changes will be implimented on a reboot?

Thanks,
Alex

[darkeale]

change of approach. It appears that by typing:-

setxkbmap gb,fi -option "grp:alt_shift_toggle"

allows me to toggle between the gb and fi layouts using the alt+shift combination. However, after a restart this command has to be run again, even if I put it into the .linuxmint/skl file. Does anyone know how to add this command to the start up process so that it will automatically happen at each start up?

Thanks,
Alex

[SimonTS]

Hi again Alex,

It sounds like you are doing much as was suggested in the thread I gave;--

1. Open as root, the following file:
Code: Select all
/etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart
2. Add a line like this one (obviously change the locales at the appropriate ones :
Code: Select all
@setxkbmap -option grp:switch,grp:alt_shift_toggle,grp_led:scroll us,gr

Have you tried modifying the autostart file?

[darkeale]

Finallt got it!

for anyone else with the same problem, run the following in a terminal:-

gksu leafpad /etc/xdg/lxsession/Mint/autostart

Then in that file add the following line at the end:-

@setxkbmap gb,fi -option "grp:alt_shift_toggle"

Save the file, and reboot.

This enables to gb and fi keyboard layouts to be toggled with the alt+shift combination. change the "gb,fi" bit to whatever layouts you want.

Alex

[darkeale]

Hi again Alex,

It sounds like you are doing much as was suggested in the thread I gave;--

1. Open as root, the following file:
Code: Select all
/etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart
2. Add a line like this one (obviously change the locales at the appropriate ones :
Code: Select all
@setxkbmap -option grp:switch,grp:alt_shift_toggle,grp_led:scroll us,gr

Have you tried modifying the autostart file?

Thanks for you help, SimonTS. Just what I needed!

Alex

[SimonTS]

Olet tervetullut

Can you please now edit your first posting and put the word [SOLVED] in the subject line.

Thanks