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