Cannot switch keyboard layouts

lukej · 2018-05-27 17:08:29

Hello,
To preface this, I am pretty much a linux noob, be patient please.

I have tried following the Keyboard configuration in Xorg article on wiki to set up two keyboard layouts and left alt+left shift shortcut to switch between them. Alas, it just does not work. No idea why.

Here's the output of $ setxkbmap -print -verbose 10

Applied rules from evdev:
rules: evdev
model: pc104
layout: cz,us
variant: ,
options: grp:lalt_lshift_toggle
Trying to build keymap using the following components:
keycodes: evdev+aliases(qwertz)
types: complete
compat: complete
symbols: pc+cz+us:2+inet(evdev)+group(lalt_lshift_toggle)
geometry: pc(pc104)
xkb_keymap {
xkb_keycodes { include "evdev+aliases(qwertz)" };
xkb_types { include "complete" };
xkb_compat { include "complete" };
xkb_symbols { include "pc+cz+us:2+inet(evdev)+group(lalt_lshift_toggle)" };
xkb_geometry { include "pc(pc104)" };
};

And $ localectl status:

System Locale: LANG=cs_CZ.UTF-8
VC Keymap: us
X11 Layout: cz,us
X11 Model: pc104
X11 Variant: ,
X11 Options: grp:lalt_lshift_toggle

My understanding is that the cz(qwertz) should be the default layout, but the system is still using the us layout.

If that has anything to do with it, I am using this old-ish laptop that has a non-standard physical keyboard layout - basically, it's missing the numpad and the "home, end" etc. keys are set up differently than a standard keyboard. If anyone can point me somewhere where I can find the name of this physical layout to set it up properly with localectl, I'd be grateful.

Last edited by lukej (2018-05-27 17:08:56)

seth · 2018-05-27 20:16:31

Your session (in particular "desktop environment" - which?) might tamper with this.
Also, to rule out the obvious, this is not on wayland, is it? ("loginctl session-status")

lukej · 2018-05-27 21:29:34

Hi, thanks for replying. I'm using Xorg and awesome WM.

seth · 2018-05-27 22:13:17

Does the toggle work?
Do you configure this with setxkbmap or an Xorg configlet for the keyboard?
Does this apply to all clients (notably stuff you launched after issuing setxkbmap, in case) or only awesome?
Ultimately please paste your xorg log.

lukej · 2018-05-28 17:56:40

Hi seth, when searching the wiki for where to find the Xorg log, I stumbled upon the solution...
I was using the localectl to set up the keyboard layouts and toggle, as per the wiki instruction (the wiki says the toggle doesn't persist between reboots when set using setxkbmap, so I just skipped that).
Apparently, I need to set the toggle in awesome separately. Instructions here in case anyone has the same problem and finds this post.

Good call on the session interfering! I should have checked the awesome wiki page straight away after that.
Thank you for your willingness to help. Cheers

Last edited by lukej (2018-05-28 17:59:22)

Arch Linux

#1 2018-05-27 17:08:29

Cannot switch keyboard layouts

#2 2018-05-27 20:16:31

Re: Cannot switch keyboard layouts

#3 2018-05-27 21:29:34

Re: Cannot switch keyboard layouts

#4 2018-05-27 22:13:17

Re: Cannot switch keyboard layouts

#5 2018-05-28 17:56:40

Re: Cannot switch keyboard layouts

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