[SOLVED] Set default keyboard language

[SilenceIsG0lden]

I'm reanimating the question from a previous post (viewtopic.php?t=365959), because I have the same issue and because no-one ever answered the OP's question.

In my case, I have an English and German keyboard layout installed. My system language is English. Both have to stay on the system. Most of the time I want the German language keyboard layout. No problem switching by clicking on the flag in the taskbar -- but: every time the system sits idle and the log-in screen appears before I start again, the language switches back to English. It's a minor thing, but annoying since I start typing right away, with the wrong keyboard layout.

Isn't there a way to switch this so the German keyboard is the default, and the English one only by choice? I searched all the settings, in vain -- only discovered that I apparently can't install German as a language, though I'm not sure why; there's no error message. But that's (maybe) for another topic.

[MiZoG]

I can tell from your signature you are on Cinnamon



Use the arrows to move keyboard layouts up n down.
the upmost becomes the "default"
it works for me

[SilenceIsG0lden]

Thanks for the idea, but German was already on top, US English second, no other ones.

I know the languages settings are supposed to be independent of the keyboard options, but: do you actually have Greek and French installed as languages, too? (I wonder if my inability to install German may have anything to do with this issue.)

[MiZoG]

I've got English installed and partly ("some language files missing") Greek.

[SilenceIsG0lden]

Finally had some time to look into this more deeply. Got it solved by hacking a file.
For anyone with the same problem, do this:

In nemo, go to File System and make your way into
/etc/default

There, right click into the folder (not highlighting any file), choose Open as Root, enter your password.

Open the file named "keyboard" in your text editor.
You'll likely see the lines:

XKBMODEL="pc105"
XKBLAYOUT="us"

Find somewhere the correct 2-digit abbreviation for the language you want to have as the default -- in my case it's "de" for German.
Replace the "us" with your chosen language, save the file.
Reboot and voilá, you're set!

There is definitely something wrong with the keyboard settings in 21.1, because 1. why would there be an option to move the languages around, if it weren't for the usual reason: that the topmost one is the default? And 2. it works exactly that way (topmost as default) on my 19.3 machine.