Member Avatar for Aeonix

I'm on latest Kubuntu.

Here I am with English US keyboard input. But I'd like to install say Norwegian, Polish, Japanese, whatever.
I decide the easiest step. Which is to search "input". "Input Method" sounds promising. I run it.
Then I get window. That says:

Current configuration for the input method:
 * Active configuration: missing (normally missing)
 * Normal automatic choice: none (normally ibus or fcitx or uim)
 * Override rule: zh_CN,fcitx:zh_TW,fcitx:zh_HK,fcitx:zh_SG,fcitx:ja_JP,fcitx:ko_KR,fcitx:vi_VN,fcitx
 * Current override choice:  (en_US)
 * Current automatic choice: none
 * Number of valid choices: 1 (normally 1)
The override rule is defined in /etc/default/im-config.
The configuration set by im-config is activated by re-starting X.
Explicit selection is not required to enable the automatic configuration if the active one is default/auto/cjkv/missing.

Have no clue what it says or what it does. The only button up here is "ok".

After "Ok" another window pops up asking.

Do you explicitly select the user configuration?

* Select NO, if you do not wish to update it. (recommended)
* Select YES, if you wish to update it.

If I select "Yes", window disappears and nothing happens. When I select "No", a window pops up with following message.

Keeping the user configuration /home/kubuntu/.xinputrc as missing.
Automatic configuration selects: none
This does not set any IM from im-config.
This is the automatic configuration choice if no required IM packages are installed.
If a daemon program for the previous configuration is re-started by the X session manager, you may need to kill it manually with kill(1).
See im-config(8) and /usr/share/doc/im-config/README.Debian.gz for more.

20 lines of text, for just changing the input method.

So, could someone please guide me on how to install other input languages? (mentioned Norwegian, Polish and Japanese).

P.S. : Yes, I just finished installing updates.

Edited by Aeonix
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Dani AI

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Good news: that scary dialog is from im-config. It manages input method frameworks (IBus/Fcitx/UIM) used for complex scripts. It does not change plain keyboard layouts. That is why it prints lots of text and an OK button.

For Norwegian or Polish, do exactly what suggested: use System Settings > Input Devices > Keyboard > Layouts. Enable layouts, Add the ones you need, and set a switch shortcut. No input method framework required.

Japanese is different because you need an IME (engine) in addition to a layout. On KDE, Fcitx + Mozc is a smooth combo:

  • Install the pieces, set Fcitx as your framework, then log out/in.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install fcitx fcitx-mozc im-config
im-config -n fcitx
  • After logging back in, open "Fcitx Configuration", click the + button, add "Mozc", and choose a toggle key (e.g., Ctrl+Space). You will see a small keyboard icon in the tray; switch there or with your shortcut.

A few tips that make this less cryptic:

  • Seeing "Active configuration: missing" simply means no framework was selected yet. Once you install and run im-config -n fcitx, it will write ~/.xinputrc for you.
  • Only run one framework at a time. If IBus is also autostarting, disable it so Fcitx owns input.
  • Changes apply after restarting X, so log out/in. Test in a simple editor (e.g., KWrite).
  • If characters show as boxes, install Japanese fonts and language support, then relogin.

That should cover both cases: layouts for European languages in System Settings, and an IME for Japanese.

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Member Avatar for Gribouillis

In kubuntu 14.04 you can do it with the System Configuration app. See the attached snapshots (sorry it's in french). I can add as many keyboard layouts as needed. I don't know if this will work in more recent versions of kubuntu

capture8.png 145.13 KB capture9.png 104.35 KB
Member Avatar for Aeonix

Yep. In Kubuntu 16.04 LTS it's called "System Settings".
Done, thanks.

Edited by Aeonix
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