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

Provided by: im-config_0.24-1ubuntu4.2_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 active configuration (system), active configuration (user) and automatic configuration
values to STDOUT. If custom means 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 defines 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