Frequent "Error activating XKB configuration"

[Matthew Paul Thomas]

Ubuntu Lucid, all updates installed

Method A:
1. Log in to Ubuntu.

Method B:
1. Close "Keyboard Preferences" if it was open.
2. Open "Keyboard Preferences" (System > Preferences > Keyboard).
3. In the "Layouts" tab, add or remove any of the layouts.

What happens: An error alert appears saying:
------------
Error activating XKB configuration.
It can happen under various circumstances:
- a bug in libxklavier library
- a bug in X server (xkbcomp, xmodmap utilities)
- X server with incompatible libxkbfile implementation

X server version data:
The X.Org Foundation
10703902

If you report this situation as a bug, please include:
- The result of xprop -root | grep XKB
- The result of gconftool-2 -R /desktop/gnome/peripherals/keyboard/kbd
------------

And this is the information requested:
------------
12:51:34@X11> xprop -root | grep XKB
_XKB_RULES_NAMES_BACKUP(STRING) = "evdev", "pc105", "us", "mac", ""
_XKB_RULES_NAMES(STRING) = "evdev", "pc105", "us", "mac", ""

12:55:19@X11> gconftool-2 -R /desktop/gnome/peripherals/keyboard/kbd
 layouts = [us mac]
 options = [grp grp:alts_toggle,Compose key compose:ralt,caps caps:escape]
 model = macbook78
------------

The same alert often also appears in other situations, for example, when exiting a game. Sometimes it appears just once, but usually 20 or more copies of the alert appear at once.

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

Could you please provide the information requested in the dialog.

Thanks

[Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt)]

Sorry, I did provide it but Launchpad swallowed it. Fixed.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

I can't reproduce this in Precise using the steps given. You should re-test and see if you are able to reproduce it on Precise and if so, clarify the directions.

I've been messing around with adding/removing layouts for some other bugs for some time now and have never seen this dialog. My guess is whatever the issue was originally, it's been solved now.