Consider a change of the im-config default
| Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| im-config (Ubuntu) |
Fix Released
|
High
|
Gunnar Hjalmarsson | ||
Bug Description
Currently im-config is set to "cjkv mode" by default, i.e. if one of the cjkv languages is the selected display language, the "best" of installed input method frameworks is started automatically at login. Since only ibus is installed by default, it means that ibus is started in most cases. If a non-cjkv language is the selected display language, no input method framework is started via im-config.
The rationale behind this default setting was to minimize the occurrences of surprise changes when im-switch was repaced by im-config. It also prevents that ibus is started (and the ibus icon shown) for users who don't even know what an input method is.
The user can change the im-config mode via an UI in language-selector.
In Ubuntu 13.10, with the integration in g-c-c between ibus and keyboard layout, ibus is always started anyway - by g-s-d. My tests indicate that an ibus input engine does not work reliably with the current im-config default if a non-cjkv language is the selected display language. You can fix it by selecting ibus explicitly via language-selector. However, given that most input settings now are in the new "Text Entry" tab in g-c-c, it makes little sense that you need to use language-selector first to make it work.
I had an IRC conversation with bschaefer yesterday, and we concluded that changing the im-config default to ibus may be one way to make the "Text Entry" tab work out of the box. It would mean that the ibus-daemon is still always started, but western users wouldn't at least not be bothered by the ibus icon...
Possibly it would be even better to change the default to "auto". It always starts the "best" of installed input method frameworks, irrespective of the selected display language. That would start ibus in most cases, but in e.g. UbuntuKylin, where Chinese is the language and fcitx installed by default, it would start fcitx.
However, this suggestion is only applicable to Ubuntu and derivatives that use g-c-c. For e.g. Kubuntu, Xubuntu and Lubuntu the current "cjkv mode" default probably makes most sense.
Since this input method stuff has become quite complex, further input to the discussion would be most welcome before we start writing patches.
Related branches
| Brandon Schaefer (brandontschaefer) wrote | #1 |
| Changed in im-config (Ubuntu): | |
| status: | New → In Progress |
| assignee: | nobody → Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj) |
| Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote | #2 |
| Changed in im-config (Ubuntu): | |
| status: | In Progress → Fix Released |
| no longer affects: | language-selector (Ubuntu) |
I agree, auto would work well in our case and in Kylin (which would have the default install of fcitx). As the ibus-daemon is going to be running anyway, though if cjkv mode is not true, it'll have --panel disable but for some reason this causes the ibus-daemon to now allow the engines to work, at lease with my testing. So this could be a bug in ibus, as you would think --panel disable just disables the ibus indicator...
Anyway +1 from me.