keyboard layout, taskbar not working, and LibreOffice fonts

[SillyOne]

Hi all,

I recently installed Linux Mint 11 x64 on my computer, I'm really impressed. a few silly questions though.

First, when trying to type a pipe symbol (|) on bed-old windows, I press the button next to the z plus SHIFT, when trying to type a backslash (\), I press the button next to the z alone. but in Linux, that gives me < and >, (the same was in knoppix, that's why I assume it's the Linux way). so my silly question is simple, how do I type the above symbols in Linux (USA layout, generic 105-key (intl) pc)?

Next, my taskbar (or whatever you call the bottom area where applications are minimized and applets live) is making me real problems. at first, there was some cool applets (keyboard switcher, network connections, etc), but now, not only are those gone, but I can't even restore minimized applications, nothing shows up in that area more than the clock and the start menu, why?, how do I fix that?

One more question, how do I add fonts to LibreOffice?, after installing some fonts into /usr/share/fonts/truetype/windows-fonts and then doing sudo fc-cache -fv, they show up using fc-list, but they didn't show up in LibreOffice, even opening the font in font viewer and clicking install didn't help.

thank you!

[viper]

For the first one open menu> preferences> keyboard > layout then click add and add the UK layout and move the uk layout to the top like in the pic

Screenshot-11.png

the second right click panel and add notification area and windows list and see if that helps. Sorry but i'm not sure about the last one.

Edit: if you dont want to change the layout rather get accustomed to it the select the already installed layout in the layout screen and click show.

[xenopeek]

Hi all,

I recently installed Linux Mint 11 x64 on my computer, I'm really impressed. a few silly questions though.

Welcome to Linux Mint! As the forum rules state, there are no "stupid" questions. But perhaps you have found a loophole with silly questions

First, when trying to type a pipe symbol (|) on bed-old windows, I press the button next to the z plus SHIFT, when trying to type a backslash (\), I press the button next to the z alone. but in Linux, that gives me < and >, (the same was in knoppix, that's why I assume it's the Linux way). so my silly question is simple, how do I type the above symbols in Linux (USA layout, generic 105-key (intl) pc)?

On my keyboard the key you mention left of the Z is just below left of the return/enter key. However, I suggest you go to Menu -> Control Center -> Keyboard and change the Layout there. Change it to the region that matches yours (or the origin of your keyboard), and try the various symbol keys to test if you have found a match.

Next, my taskbar (or whatever you call the bottom area where applications are minimized and applets live) is making me real problems. at first, there was some cool applets (keyboard switcher, network connections, etc), but now, not only are those gone, but I can't even restore minimized applications, nothing shows up in that area more than the clock and the start menu, why?, how do I fix that?

It is called the panel. You can reset the panel to its installation default. Please open Terminal (find it in Menu) and run:

Code: Select all

gconftool-2 –-shutdown
gconftool –-recursive-unset /apps/panel
rm -rf ~/.gconf/apps/panel
pkill gnome-panel

One more question, how do I add fonts to LibreOffice?, after installing some fonts into /usr/share/fonts/truetype/windows-fonts and then doing sudo fc-cache -fv, they show up using fc-list, but they didn't show up in LibreOffice, even opening the font in font viewer and clicking install didn't help.

thank you!

Ah, last one I don't know.

[SillyOne]

Thank you all,

so basically, the keyboard layout is not a windows/Linux difference but a UK/USA one, now that's silly!

Also the help for the Panel issue was great, I used xenopeek's code to reset to default and viper's advice to spice it up.

It's a bit sad no one answered about how to install fonts so that LibreOffice knows about them. I think I will ask at LibreOffice's mailing list and then post back here (editing the title here as SOLVED, of course...)

all the best for everybody.

[viper]

by default every font installed in your system should appear on libreoffice so this prob is kinda odd, see if this works try copying the font in ~/.fonts folder.

[SillyOne]

Well, that was it!

you need to copy the fonts to ~/.fonts, and make sure the permissions are set up correctly! (that was my mistake, I have already copied the fonts there too, but without read & write access )

cheers.

Why can't I edit the title to add [SOLVED]?

[zerozero]

Hi, do you mean you can't go to your first post and edit it, and then change the title to add [solved] to it?

[SillyOne]

oh, sorry, I didn't see the reply.

no, I can't add anything to the title.

[viper]

then try shortening and title and adding [solved]