UK keyboard is just wrong - RESOLVED.

JontomXire · 2025-03-15 07:30:37

I have a standard UK keyboard. When I install XUbuntu and select "UK" as the keyboard, I get UK keys. A pound symbol instead of #, pipe and forward slash instead of > and <.

When installing ArchLinux I did `loadkeys uk`. I have since tried `loadkeys mod-dh-iso-uk`. The result for both seems much the same and it is completely incorrect.

Last edited by JontomXire (2025-03-15 11:32:50)

seth · 2025-03-15 08:51:22

In what context? XFce?
cause those set the console keymap, it's irrelevant to your GUI.

Also

and it is completely incorrect

don't paraphrase, https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=57855

If everyone else can get keymapping correct, why can't I?

ftfy, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xorg/K … figuration

JontomXire · 2025-03-15 11:32:06

Thanks, Seth.

Struggling to understand why the keyboard layout is different for X11 from basic console, and why when X11 is installed it doesn't default in some way using the locale settings set up during the basic installation guide. Oh, and also why the XFCE guide I followed didn't mention it (or maybe I missed it somehow).

To help others with the same problem, my solution was:

```
localectl set-x11-keymap gb pc105
```

Seth, thanks for being so patient with me and my frustration, in this thread and others. I really appreciate it.

seth · 2025-03-15 15:50:46

Because X11 and the console are completely different things, developed at different times and there're different tools/files for their configuration.
There's no reason to not configure the console from an X11 session, it's just not what you wanted.
Debian and some other non-LFS distros provide an abstraction layer to configure the system, but the downside of that is that because the capabilities and limitations of the various system parts are vastly different, you get the smallest intersection resp. the abstraction layer just will take decisions for you.

Archlinux will usually not make decisions for you. You have to do this all by yourself.
Get comfortable w/ openning the hood bonnet a lot.
The upside is that you learn and can do all by yourself - exactly as you want to.

also why the XFCE guide I followed

It's not xfce specific.
The only guide you wanted to follow when installing the arch was https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide which ends with https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Genera … mendations - see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Genera … ut_devices

Arch Linux

#1 2025-03-15 07:30:37

UK keyboard is just wrong - RESOLVED.

#2 2025-03-15 08:51:22

Re: UK keyboard is just wrong - RESOLVED.

#3 2025-03-15 11:32:06

Re: UK keyboard is just wrong - RESOLVED.

#4 2025-03-15 15:50:46

Re: UK keyboard is just wrong - RESOLVED.

Board footer