can't change the keyboard layout

[Sebastien Bacher]

Using the current vivid version, it seems like there is no way to configure/change the keyboard layout (using a real keyboard, not the osk), that feature is needed for desktop users

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Real keyboards have always worked in Mir. The OSK issue you describe is Unity8 and/or other downstream projects.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

When you say "change the keyboard layout", do you mean switching between a real and OSK, or just using a real keyboard with different layouts?

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Using the real keyboard with a different layout, I've an azerty keyboard on my laptop and /etc/default/keyboard contains

"XKBMODEL="pc105"
XKBLAYOUT="fr"
XKBVARIANT="oss"
XKBOPTIONS="""

xorg picks those value and let me type in azerty, but when using unity8/mir the layout is qwerty. Out of respecting the default system value the server also needs to provide an API for clients to get/change the active layout since that's something quite some user need (especially when dealing with input methods)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Matthias Apitz (gubu)]

from where unity or mir get to know the layout? would it help to change some file?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package unity8 - 8.12+16.04.20160323.2-0ubuntu1

---------------
unity8 (8.12+16.04.20160323.2-0ubuntu1) xenial; urgency=medium

  [ Michael Terry ]
  *
  * Fix setting OSK layout in OOBE wizard
  * Stop the left edge tutorial from being shown when the bottom edge
    tutorial wants to be shown after receiving a call.

  [ Albert Astals Cid ]
  * Filter implementation with Option Selector filter as the only filter
  * Get the engine from the parent context
  * Implement the API changes due to filters
  * Match design visuals for the new dash navigation/page header popup
  * New Dash Navigation UX
  * Range Input filter
  * Value slider filter
  * Workaround SDK ListItem bug

  [ Albert Astals Cid, Lukáš Tinkl ]
  * Fix various tests

  [ CI Train Bot ]
  * Resync trunk.
  * Update translation template

  [ Lukáš Tinkl, Michael Terry ]
  * New first-run wizard for the phone (part of the OOBE effort) (LP:
    #1536688, #1536617, #1543790, #1555222)

  [ Lukáš Tinkl, Michał Sawicz ]
  * Keymap switching support (LP: #1524400, #1412492, #1491340)

  [ Michael Terry, Michael Zanetti ]
  * Redesign the first-boot edge tutorial

  [ Michael Zanetti ]
  * disabling some tests that are flaky in adt but can't be made fail on
    our machines

  [ Michael Zanetti, Michał Sawicz ]
  * Change the behavior alond with the switch in indicator-display (LP:
    #1538591)

  [ Michael Zanetti, Michał Sawicz, Nick Dedekind ]
  * Add support for low shell chrome. (LP: #1535397)
  * Sidestage load/unload redesign (LP: #1544479)

 -- Michael Zanetti <email address hidden> Wed, 23 Mar 2016 09:53:17 +0000

[Pierre van Male (vmalep)]

Why is this bug considered as fixed? I have a BQ M10 Ubuntu tablet updated and it is still impossible to change USB keyboard layout.

[Pierre van Male (vmalep)]

Update: With BQ M10 Ubuntu OTA 13, it is now possible to select the keyboard layout in:
Settings/Language & Text/Keyboard Layouts/External keyboard (option displayed when an external keyboard is plugged)

However, the change is not saved. So, it still does not work...