Ubuntu Manpage: im-config - set up input method configuration for X Window System

Provided by: im-config_0.34-1ubuntu1.3_all

NAME

       im-config - set up input method configuration for X Window System

SYNOPSIS

       im-config [OPTION]

OPTIONS

-a List all; force to list all possible input methods in menu or STDOUT even if any
associated packages are not installed on the system.

-c Use console dialogue.

-x Use X dialogue with zenity.

-s No action; perform a simulation of events that would occur but do not actually
change configuration files.

-l List all available input method configuration settings to STDOUT. Unless -a is
used, list only ones with associated packages installed.

-m List configuration values to STDOUT:
• active configuration (system)
• active configuration (user)
• automatic configuration for the current locale
• override configuration for the current locale
• automatic configuration for most locales
If the active configuration is custom, the user made a custom configuration and
im-config should not change it.

-n <input method name>

Set input method to <input method name>. This option is for other configuration
tool to set the input method. Since the default value of <input method name> is
"auto", you usually do not need to use this from other configuration script.

Specifying invalid <input method name> causes the error exit. Updating the
configuration file which was not updated by im-config also causes the error exit.

When this <input method name> is "REMOVE" then it always removes the configuration
file even if it was not updated by im-config.

-o <input method name>

Print the localized description of the input method <input method name> to STDOUT.

The -l, -m, -n, and -o options are meant to be API for other programs to control the im-
config.

DESCRIPTION

       This manual page very briefly documents im-config  and  the  configuration  of  the  input
       method.

       im-config provides the framework to configure the input method on X Window System with GTK
       GUI or console terminal dialogue. If this is invoked without option, this lists  available
       input  methods  as  its  choice  while  marking automatic choice with trailing @-mark. The
       listing is ordered by the priority of the input method.  The input method with the highest
       priority  comes first.  The availability of the input method is judged by the installation
       of any associated packages. After you make a choice for the input method, this displays  a
       guidance for associated packages to be installed.

       If  only  a  set  of  required  input  method packages along with the im-config package is
       installed, you do not need to use this command.  Such a installation  works  well  in  its
       default  and  there  is no need to use this command.  When you wish to have multiple input
       method environments installed and wish to switch among them, you need to use this command.

       If you have no idea for what package to install, im-config invoked with both -a and -s  is
       a good start.

       This  input  method  is  the  essential  mechanism  for Japanese, Chinese and Korean (CJK)
       languages to enter their non-ASCII native characters.  This  is  also  useful  to  support
       specialized  keyboard  bindings  for  other non-European languages such as Indic and other
       Asian languages.

       Some input methods such as IBus, fcitx,  and  uim  support  not  only  one  of  these  CJK
       languages  but  support  almost  all  languages  simultaneously  by  dynamically switching
       keyboard modes with GUI on the fly.

       The im-config package installs a hook script /etc/X11/Xsession.d/70im-config_launch.  When
       X  starts,  it  sources  this  file as a POSIX shell code.  Then this hook script tries to
       source the user configuration file ~/.xinputrc, if it exists.  Otherwise, this hook script
       sources the system configuration file /etc/X11/xinit/xinputrc.

       im-config  invoked  from  a  user account updates the user configuration file ~/.xinputrc.
       im-config  invoked  from  the  root  account  updates  the   system   configuration   file
       ~/etc/X11/xinit/xinputrc.  The essential contents of generated files are:

       run_im <input method name>

       When  these  files  are  sourced,  the  run_im  shell  function  instructs  to  source the
       initialization code for the  corresponding  input  method.  This  initialization  code  is
       defined in the <2 digits number>_<input method name>.rc file in /usr/share/im-config/data.

       The  im-config  hook  script,  /etc/X11/Xsession.d/70im-config_launch,  exports  following
       variables to X programs: $XMODIFIERS, $GTK_IM_MODULE, $QT_IM_MODULE,  $QT4_IM_MODULE,  and
       $CLUTTER_IM_MODULE.

       The  im-config  hook  script, /etc/X11/Xsession.d/70im-config_launch, also set $STARTUP to
       use /usr/bin/im-launch for starting required daemons.

       If you wish to create a custom configuration beyond what im-config can do for you,  please
       copy  one  of  these initialization code files into ~/.xinputrc or /etc/X11/xinit/xinputrc
       and edit it to suite your need.  For example, 02_cjkv.rc tells how  input  method  can  be
       customized for each locale.  This script should be written to set environment variables if
       "$IM_CONFIG_PHASE" = 1 and to start daemon programs if "$IM_CONFIG_PHASE" = 2 .

       Please note that this <2 digits number> part of these configuration files may  change  for
       every new releases of the im-config package.

       When  a  user makes manual changes to ~/.xinputrc or /etc/X11/xinit/xinputrc without using
       im-config, im-config will detect it using a  md5sum  hush  value  embedded  in  the  shell
       comment  and  will  not overwrite such files.  You must erase them manually if you wish to
       replace them with ones created by im-config.

       The <2 digits number>_<input method name>.conf files in /usr/share/im-config/data  provide
       the  UI  data  for  im-config  and the heuristic logic of selecting desirable input method
       under the auto mode.  The smaller number of the <2 digits  number>  indicates  the  higher
       priority of <input method name>.

       These <2 digits number>_<input method name>.conf files define few variables and functions.
       The value of IM_CONFIG_SHORT is the short description of the input method  for  the  menu.
       The  value  of  IM_CONFIG_LONG  is the long description of the input method explaining its
       package dependency.  The package_menu shell function defines as a function to return  true
       if  any  associated  input  method packages are installed to activate its menu entry.  The
       package_auto shell function defines as a function to return true if the  sufficient  input
       method packages are installed for the auto mode.  These definitions use the package_status
       shell function which takes package name  as  its  argument  and  returns  true  if  it  is
       installed properly.

       The  menu lists input methods with the <2 digits number> between 00 and 89.  The auto mode
       considers its input method candidate from <2 digits number> between  10  and  79  in  this
       order.  The usage convention of <2 digits number> is:

       00-09:  Input Method choice mode       (default/auto/cjkv/REMOVE)

       10-49:  Input Method supporting multiple languages.(auto ready)

       50-79:  Input Method supporting limited languages. (auto ready)

       80-89:  Input Method (deprecated one) (not for auto)

       90-99:  Used internally by im-config (not for auto)

       This  structure  ensures to have different input methods to be installed side-by-side with
       minimal user configurations.

TROUBLESHOOT

       If you have any problem, see the first part of ~/.xsession-errors and look for the  cause.
       If  you  are  running  im-config  while  Debian (sid) system is undergoing a major library
       transition, you may need to manually set up  ~/.xinputrc  with  adjusted  library  version
       number  etc.   Please  file  a  bug  report  to  the  im-config package using reportbug(1)
       describing your resolution experience.

AUTHOR