Re: [Vectorlinux-devel] X Configuration

[Oleg <ya...@gm...>]

> * I know jack about X keyboard configuration. Every time I needed to
> input i18n text (German and Devanagari scripts, basically), I did it
> in Emacs or Yudit. Arey! Any help on the architecture of X keyboard
> support?
Do you need help on xorg.conf keyboard configuration format or on keyboard 
switching tool?
Anyway, below is my configuration, and I use "kkbswitch" package for switching 
keyboard layout.

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier  "Keyboard0"
        Driver      "kbd"
        Option      "CoreKeyboard"
        Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
        Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
        Option "XkbLayout" "us,ru(winkeys),ua(winkeys)"
        Option "XkbOptions" "grp:caps_toggle,grp_led:scroll"
EndSection

Option "XkbLayout" is a list of languages to switch between, in my case 
English, Russian and Ukrainian. In your case there would be 
        Option "XkbLayout" "us,de"
I don't know about Devanagari support.
Now "winkeys" in my configuration is a variant of keyboard layout, for 
different languages there are different sets of layouts, I think you can get 
the full list via
  grep -o "pc/.*(.*)" /etc/X11/xkb/symbols.dir
Next line:
        Option "XkbOptions" "grp:caps_toggle,grp_led:scroll"
grp:caps_toggle sets the way of persistent toggle of keyboard layout.
Full list of toggle options:
  grep -o "group(.*_toggle)" /etc/X11/xkb/symbols.dir
There are also "switch" options, see
  grep -o "group(.*_switch)" /etc/X11/xkb/symbols.dir
They allows to toggle layout temporarily, when the switch key is pressed.
Next option, grp_led:scroll set the indicator of layout change.
The full list of variants is here:
  grep -o "leds(.*)" /etc/X11/xkb/compat.dir

> * How should I integrate console keyboard support with X keyboard
> support? Or should I let them be separate?
Console keyboard is another story. It has another set of layouts, switches, 
toggles, etc. Generally it's more restricted than X. E.g., it's quite hard to 
configure switching between 3 layouts (I did this in console-cyrillic package 
for en-ru-uk, but AFAIK there is no general solution).
So if you don't want to restrict X keyboard setup, don't integrate it with 
console keyboard setup too tightly. 
If someone need only 2 languages, such integration may make sence, though.

> * I've heard complaints about getting foreign keyboard layouts to
> work. I believe they should Just Work(tm). How did you solve your
> problems?
Include "kkbswitch" package into default VL installation. I haven't heard 
about any other keyboard switching tool which Just Work(tm).

> * cdialog configuration of X is sufficient, yes? I don't think having
> a GUI version is really necessary.
I don't agree. One may want to setup X keyboard via GUI. 
KDE Control Center allows some X settings via GUI.