Short-cuts in Unity do not use the appropriate keyboard layout

[Géry Debongnie]

Binary package hint: unity

What I did :

1. install my computer, using azerty (french) keyboard layout
2. switch my computer to bépoè layout (it is like dvorak, but for french)
3. remove the azerty layout (in the keyboard preferences windows
4. press Ctrl-alt-t
5. press Ctrl-alt-è (è is the key which was the t in the azerty layout)
6. press Super-f
7. press Super-t

What I expected :
at step 4 : unity open the terminal
at step 5 : nothing
at step 6 : unity open the files lens
at step 7 : unity open the trash window

What happened :
at step 4 : nothing
at step 5 : unity open the terminal
at step 6 : unity open the files lens
at step 7 : unity open the trash window

Comments :
So, it seems that with ctrl-alt, unity uses the old layout (which I removed), and with Super, it uses the correct layout. Remark that if I uses ctrl-alt-f3, the computer uses the azerty layout. So, it looks like switching keyboard layout and removing the previous one only applied to the graphical side (X server?), and that Unity, for some reason, uses different layout when I press ctrl-alt and super...

Ubuntu version : Natty Narwhal, fully updated

[Syncopated (joshchia)]

I have a similar problem. I have always been using Dvorak. After I upgraded from Ubuntu 10 without Unity, to Ubuntu 11 with Unity, ctrl-shift-T works only if I press it according to the QWERTY layout. On a fresh install with Dvorak, ctrl-shift-t works with the Dvorak layout.

[Bilal Akhtar (bilalakhtar)]

This isn't an issue with Unity. Some internal GNOME library manages the Control+Alt shortcuts. Unity only manages the Super+n ones. I can't remember the package of the application which manages that. Anyone else who knows?

[DavidBriscoe (idbrii)]

If you run gnome-keybinding-properties (Keyboard Shortcuts in the Dash) and change the "Open a terminal window" shortcut to Ctrl-alt-t, does that fix your issue?

[Mathieu De Zutter (mathieu-dezutter)]

Replying to #3: it is already set to Ctrl-alt-T

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[bAjDa (angrybee)]

have same problem in gnome-shell (using russian/english layouts)

[bAjDa (angrybee)]

looks like this https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity/+bug/992789 is the same bug

[bAjDa (angrybee)]

in my case systems sets cyrilic symbols, when i tried to reset shortcut

[Mark Janes (portlandlinuxengineer)]

Is there any way to elevate this issue? It has several duplicates and affects many people.

Multiple keyboard layouts + precise pangoline -> emacs unusable.

It seems like anyone wanting to use the alt key in a dvorak household would get quickly frustrated by this issue.

[Nicholas Shatokhin (robotex)]

I can propose ugly fix.

Create map of keyboard in memory with english layout and remap it to current layout when it switched. And when pressed shortcut, just change pressed keys by map.

[Nicholas Shatokhin (robotex)]

But it's very ugly fixing.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please execute the following command, as it will automatically gather debugging information, in a terminal:
apport-collect 771263
When reporting bugs in the future please use apport by using 'ubuntu-bug' and the name of the package affected. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[jadi (jadijadi)]

I beleive I have the same problem.

In my case, I'm using Colemak layout for english and Persian layout for typing in Farsi.

When in Colemak (en) I can use normal shortcuts (say I can use Ctrl+O to open files and since I'm using colemak, I use the key with the ";" sign on it with ctrl key because that is the colemak key for "o"). Up to here everything is fine.

But when I'm in Farsi layout, I have to use the control and "*querty* O key" to open the open dialoug and this makes life very difficult for people who are not using the normal querty keyboard as their main keyboard.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Yes Jadi, you should be experiencing the same bug.

Can you run "apport-collect 771263" into your Terminal?

[jadi (jadijadi)]

ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-13 (10 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release i386 (20130424)
MarkForUpload: True
Package: unity 7.1.2+13.10.20131014.1-0ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: i386
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-12.19-generic 3.11.3
Tags: saucy third-party-packages
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-12-generic i686
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to saucy on 2013-10-19 (4 days ago)
UserGroups: adm cdrom debian-tor dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo

[jadi (jadijadi)]

apport information

[jadi (jadijadi)]

apport information

[jadi (jadijadi)]

apport information

[jadi (jadijadi)]

Thanks for the support Alberto. Ran the apport as you can see but forgot that I'm in XFCE. Tell me if I need to re run while I'm inside unity.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

I'm unsure but it's very probable that GconfCompiz.txt is affected by being running XFCE, since this desktop environment can use Compiz.

So better you try again ♲

[jadi (jadijadi)]

ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-13 (10 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release i386 (20130424)
MarkForUpload: True
Package: unity 7.1.2+13.10.20131014.1-0ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: i386
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-12.19-generic 3.11.3
Tags: saucy third-party-packages
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-12-generic i686
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to saucy on 2013-10-19 (4 days ago)
UserGroups: adm cdrom debian-tor dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo

[jadi (jadijadi)]

apport information

[jadi (jadijadi)]

apport information

[jadi (jadijadi)]

apport information

[jadi (jadijadi)]

Alfredo. did once again from inside the unity. find the results above

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Jadi, my name is Alberto!

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Do you experience this using the GNOME 3 desktop environment?

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

You can test this by installing the "gnome" package.

[jadi (jadijadi)]

Dear Alberto!
Sorry for the "Alfredo" :D

Problem also exists in Gnome.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Jadi, you are excused 😜

Since this bug exists in the default GNOME desktop environment, the "gnome-settings-daemon" is the real affected package.

It needs now to be notified to the upstream developers of GNOME (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/HowToTriage#Forwarding_upstream).

Once this has been done, it will be ready to be worked on by a developer.

[jadi (jadijadi)]

I will try to search to gnome bugs first but if I remeber right, this bug was there in gnome 3.8 and fixed in 3.10.

[Ivan Larionov (xeron-oskom)]

Looks like tracked here: #1226962

[Ivan Larionov (xeron-oskom)]

Fix link: https://bugs.launchpad.net/unity/+bug/1226962