Re: Changing keyboard languages? (between French and English)

["Guillermo S. Romero / Familia Romero" <famrom infernal-iceberg com>]

marku cs waikato ac nz (2001-09-25 at 2233.32 +1200):
> This successfully changes the mapping of the textual console,
> but gnome seems to override this when Gnome or X starts up.

Your override problem with X is probably due the fact that you have to
change X config too, in /etc/X11/XF86Config (if you use version 4, the
name has a -4 suffix). Search for something like XkbLayout "lang_code"
or "XkbLayout" "lang_code". But that will change it for everyone and
maybe not what the labels in the keys say, so read next.

> What am I missing here...

XKBD extension and tools like the GKB Keyboard Switcher that allows
hot change. Also interesting is the Compose key provided by X, which
IMO is better, cos you keep the layout printed in the plastic, but
have access to lots of other keys your keyboard does not has, like "©"
(at least mine does not has it printed in any key). It works globally,
so you can use it even if the machine has no GNOME but an acceptable X
system installed.

The XKBD should be activated and working in your install, and the GKB
appears under Applets/Utility menu. The Compose key varies from one
keyboard to another, sometimes you have to "create" it, but once it is
working it is as easy as hit Compose, hit one key, then another, and
you get a different char. The reference list of "one - another" keys
is in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/locale/iso8859-1/Compose for your languages,
and the above example can be obtained with "Compose C O" sequence.

I created my Compose key with this ~/.Xmodmap file that I got in
another list (it also overloads the Alt key to be Meta and Alt, and
creates new Hyper keys, nice for window management tasks):

! Alt works as Alt and as Meta
keysym Alt_L = Meta_L Alt_L
! Make the rare keys work as Hyper
clear mod4
keycode 115 = Hyper_L
add mod4 = Hyper_L
keycode 116 = Hyper_R
add mod4 = Hyper_R
! The menu key works as Compose
keycode 117 = Multi_key

You can try it with your machine or get xkeycaps application (should
be in the RH CDs, at least in the 7.1 was) and play around with the
mapping.

GSR