[SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

clemens · 2015-12-30 09:44:53

Hello,

I am writing since I am trying to find the best way to write in various languages with the same computer.

At present I have an US-EN keyboard, which I use to write in English, and I have installed IBUS for Japanese and Chinese, that I can start using very easily, with the same US-EN keyboard and keyboard layout, just by pressing CTRL+SPACE (to actually use the Asian language) and CTRL+ALT (to switch language).
It might seem complex, but it is quite quite good for languages that have complex ideographic writing systems.

The problem is that I also need to write in other languages (mainly European) not present in IBUS, that have phonetic alphabets and the best thing for me would actually be just to switch keyboard layout (i.e. let the computer think that the keyboard has different letters written on them) since I know the letter position by heart.
For example from the US-EN to the FR-FR keyboard and back.

What I am using as a temporary solution, that I don't like since it blocks my writing flow, is to use IBUS with the latn-post (m17n), which allows me to put diacritics (the little accents, dots and lines on top or at the bottom of Latin characters) on letters so, to make "é" I type "e" and "'", to write "è" I type "e" and "`" and so on.
As you can imagine, the process is a bit tricky since I need to type two characters to get one and at the same time I need to be careful that the IBUS latn-post parser doesn't confuse things: dońt instead of don't (in the second case I had to press "'" twice).

The best would be some sort of software or script that switches the computer's keyboard layout through a keyboard shortcut.
I have tried looking around but could not find anything that seemed right.

Cheers,

Clemens

Last edited by clemens (2016-01-01 20:13:44)

clemens · 2015-12-30 15:19:17

Hello,

thank you for the reply.

I am at present using IBUS for Chinese and Japanese. My problem is that IBUS does not have, among the rest, input options for Norwegian and Spanish that I also need.

Although these languages don't need too many strange characters, they do it often enough to make the use of IBUS latn-post (m17n) annoying since it requires more typing than just using directly a local keyboard layout.
Hence my question on scripts or similar things to switch keyboard layout instead of parsers such as IBUS, that reinterpret what is being typed to show more complex characters (this is of course the best option for languages such as Chinese and Japanese with ideograms), that I would still use in parallel (since it does not matter much what keyboard layout you are using to input the characters to make the sound of the ideograms you need).

FCITX is completely new to me and seems nice, but it looks as if the Japanese and Spanish modules are not in the standard repositories.
Does it also allow me to choose and switch keyboard layouts (which is something IBUS does not do)?

Cheers,

Clemens

KrunchTime · 2015-12-31 11:56:31

Re: fcitx...

Jessie: v4.2.8.5
Testing & Unstable: v4.2.9.1

Source

Nice thread...thank you for starting it clemens.

Last edited by KrunchTime (2015-12-31 11:57:48)

clemens · 2015-12-31 19:51:34

to nobody: thank you for suggesting FCITX. I have just been playing with it a bit and it is extremely good!

I installed it from the default Wheezy repositories with all the various utils and language options I needed but somehow at first it wasn't working (I was selecting the various keyboards and input methods, but nothing was happening), even after configuring the system input method (changed from IBUS to FCITX). Then, just to try, I restarted the computer and magically everything began going the way it was supposed

It is quite easy to use and compared to IBUS and SCIM it has indeed the great advantage of allowing the user to select the keyboard layout as well, not just the parser, which is really a great plus.
I think that from now on I will remain with FCITX and will install it on my other machines as well.

to KrunchTime: thank you for the reply , I have no merit, I simply had a very specific need, and nobody provided a great solution. It is thanks to people like him, you, and everyone who kindly helps others find solutions that this community is so nice.

I wish you all a great end of the year and a Happy New Year!!

Cheers

Last edited by clemens (2015-12-31 19:52:12)

balloon · 2016-01-01 09:01:11

clemens wrote:

FCITX is completely new to me and seems nice, but it looks as if the Japanese and Spanish modules are not in the standard repositories.

No. The Japan of the repository will be included.
packages fcitx-mozc is becoming the mainstream of the input method in Japan.
I am using now the fcitx-mozc in some distributions including BunsenLabs.

Ubuntu flavor adopts the fcitx-mozc the installation of Japan from 15.10.
Debian has been reflected in the repository in response to this flow.
Debian Jessie of fcitx began to handle completely in Japanese.
Fcitx might support in Chinese from earlier.
Fcitx In BunsenLabs it will use in the future stable.

It should be noted, IBus has changed is greater than 1.5 specification.
Japanese users has increased to avoid the use of IBus in this effect.

Last edited by balloon (2016-01-01 09:07:00)

clemens · 2016-01-01 09:42:55

When I first replied on this thread I had just given a very brief look to FCITX and didn't spot mozc, since I was looking for anthy in the repositories, anyway, after looking more carefully and actually installing the software I found all the languages I needed

Just for information, I have read that sometimes mozc might create some problems that luckily are solvable:
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=192236

In my case all is going well.

Last edited by clemens (2016-01-01 10:49:45)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2016-01-01 12:17:22

clemens wrote:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=192236

Nice link, thank you!

Scott Robins is my hero 8)

clemens · 2016-01-01 20:21:49

Scott Robins is my hero

Before starting this thread I didn't know him, but since you mentioned, I checked his blog more in detail and I have to admit that it's full of interesting tutorials.

Last edited by clemens (2016-01-01 20:29:22)

#1 2015-12-30 09:44:53

[SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

#2 2015-12-30 15:19:17

Re: [SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

#3 2015-12-31 11:56:31

Re: [SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

#4 2015-12-31 19:51:34

Re: [SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

#5 2016-01-01 09:01:11

Re: [SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

#6 2016-01-01 09:42:55

Re: [SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

#7 2016-01-01 12:17:22

Re: [SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

#8 2016-01-01 20:21:49

Re: [SOLVED] How can I easily switch keyboard layouts?

Board footer