Laguage indicator not changing when switching language using keyboard in Firefox

[Lex Ross]

Binary package hint: language-selector

When switching the language using keyboard short cut the indicator in the notification area does not reflect it sometimes. I use Scroll Lock LED as my backup indicator, and it always works fine.

Tested with Gnome-no-effects, Unity, Gnome-with-effects, and it is definitely compiz's fault.

What I have configured is,

- separate keyboard layout for each window
- toggle between two layouts using Right Alt
- use Scroll Lock LED to indicate alternative layout

Steps to reproduce with Firefox 4.

1. Open web page in Firefox
2. Click on a link that pops up a new window. Alternately, right-click on a link and choose to open it in a new window
3. When new window pops up and is fully loaded, use keyboard short cut to switch the layout
4. You should observe the LED indicating the layout has indeed been switched while indicator in the notification area remains unchanged, now indicating the wrong layout
5. You can type in some text into the window you have opened in step 2 to confirm
6. Close the window you have opened in step 2, which should make the window opened in step 1 active
7. We now expect the layout to return back to original one, used for that window from step 1; however, the layout does not change automatically. We still have keyboard layout and panel indicator mismatch.

A video of the bug on 12.04 can be seen here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compiz/+bug/795052/+attachment/3447449/+files/bug.ogv

I came across this problem specifically with Firefox. If anyone can confirm this bug with other apps please speak up.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: language-selector-gnome 0.34.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Jun 9 17:32:51 2011
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100429)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=ru:en
 LANG=ru_RU.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: language-selector
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-04-15 (54 days ago)

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

This does not seem to be a language-selector problem. Changing package to 'unity', which I think is more correct, at least.

[Lex Ross (lross)]

Dear Gunnar,

Thank you very much for pointing that out. I double checked with Unity, Classic Desktop and Classic with no effects, and it sounds that Compiz is the source of the problem. Unity and Classic desktops had exactly the same problem described in the original report. The Classic session with no effects (no compositing) worked correctly. You can award me a diploma in stupidity for not figuring that out in the first place, but then again two heads are better than one.

Do you have any idea on how compositing could possibly confuse the language-selector and what can be done about it given the scope of Compiz project? Thank you very much for your time and co-operation. The bug is very annoying as I start typing in the wrong language all the time despite having ScrollLock LED indicating the correct layout.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

11.04 is no longer supported. Is this reproducible under newer versions of ubuntu?

[Lex Ross (lross)]

Yes, this bug has propagated into all newer versions, including 12.10

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

Thanks for the prompt reply!

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

yep, I can definitely confirm. Quite in-depth, this bug is, it took me a while to get the steps down properly.

[Eleni Maria Stea (hikiko)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug. Since it's quite old and we can't reproduce it, I changed it's status to invalid. If you still experience this issue in one of the supported Ubuntu releases, please feel free to re-open it and update the description.