[SOLVED] Creating a new keyboard layout with xkb and set it as default

mke21 · 2021-08-11 13:55:06

I'm trying to make my own keyboard layout with xkb. Although it mostly seems to work, I don't seem to be able to set the layout as a default. I first tried to make a layout based off the US keyboard where the CapsLock and Escape are swapped. Later I want to change more.

I made the file /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/mke with the following content:

default partial alphanumeric_keys modifier_keys
xkb_symbols "basic" {

    include "us(basic)"
    name[Group1]= "Caps (US)";

    include "eurosign(5)"
    key <CAPS> {        [     Escape           ]        };
    key <ESC>  {        [     Caps_Lock             ]        };
};

I added the following line to the /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/base.lst under the '! layout' line:

  mke             Caps (US)

I can now set the keyboard for this session with the following command:

setxkbmap mke

So the layout seems to work, however I don't seem to be able to set it as a default:

$ sudo localectl set-keymap --no-convert mke
Failed to set keymap: Keymap mke is not installed.

When switching to XFCE which is also installed on my system (I normally use DWM) I cannot see the mke keyboard in the list to select as a keyboard either. What am I missing here?

Last edited by mke21 (2021-08-11 15:18:54)

seth · 2021-08-11 14:22:03

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xorg/K … tion_files
"set-keymap" is for the console.

Be aware that desktop environments have a tendency to overwrite the layout w/ their own configuration during the session start, you might have to find and overwrite that setting by hand (since in doubt there'll be no GUI entry in the DEs settings)

mke21 · 2021-08-11 15:18:33

Ah, that's what I missed. I can set it through

sudo localectl set-x11-keymap mke

and then the keyboard layout works for at least the X environment indeed.

Thanks!

Arch Linux

#1 2021-08-11 13:55:06

[SOLVED] Creating a new keyboard layout with xkb and set it as default

#2 2021-08-11 14:22:03

Re: [SOLVED] Creating a new keyboard layout with xkb and set it as default

#3 2021-08-11 15:18:33

Re: [SOLVED] Creating a new keyboard layout with xkb and set it as default

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