Ubuntu does not provide keyboard shortcut to change keyboard layouts by default

[Dimitri John Ledkov]

After setting up alternative keyboard layout during installation, or post-install in the System Settings, one can only switch keyboard layouts using the keyboard indicator in the unity panel. One cannot use a keyboard shortcut to change the keyboard layout as none are enabled by default.

A very common shortcut to change keyboard layouts is Alt-Shift.

And if askubuntu.net is any indicator questions relating to keyboard shortcuts to switch layouts are very popular:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/68127/how-to-switch-language-keyboard-combination
http://askubuntu.com/questions/34210/toggling-language-with-altshift-doesnt-work

And possibly many other similar question.

I believe Ubuntu Operating system should provide/enable a keyboard layout switching shortcut by default when more than one keyboard layout is configured.

I have tested and Alt-shift works correctly with Unity Hud and Unity Dash, with no conflicts or confusing behaviour (e.g. pressing alt clearly triggers hud, and one can use alt+shift to clearly change layout with or without HUD active).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: gnome-control-center 1:3.6.3-0ubuntu24
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-18.28-generic 3.8.6
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-18-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri Apr 19 16:12:13 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-01-12 (462 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Alpha amd64 (20130318)
MarkForUpload: True
SourcePackage: gnome-control-center
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
usr_lib_gnome-control-center:
 activity-log-manager-control-center 0.9.4-0ubuntu6.1
 deja-dup 26.0-0ubuntu1
 gnome-control-center-signon 0.1.6bzr13.04.05-0ubuntu1
 gnome-control-center-unity 1.2daily13.04.09-0ubuntu1
 indicator-datetime 12.10.3daily13.03.27-0ubuntu1

[Jeremy Bícha (jbicha)]

gsettings-desktop-schemas 3.8 uses Super+Space for this keyboard shortcut so I'm reassigning there.

Overrides for GNOME default keyboard shortcuts are stored in ubuntu-settings.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Looking in gnome-control-center it seems that no option is activated (bold or checked) by default. Is the key mentioned useful with GNOME 3.4's keyboard code or is it new for 3.6? (we are still on the 3.4 codebase and using libgnomekbd)

[Jeremy Bícha (jbicha)]

Seb, this is the key I was thinking about, which is new for 3.8:

https://git.gnome.org/browse/gsettings-desktop-schemas/commit/?id=6bf6140

I forgot that GNOME's input improvements won't help us unless we move on to ibus 1.5.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

it's a duplicate of bug #929476