1

I'm using English, Russian and Armenian keyboard layouts. When I'm trying to change layout it's changing "en" -> "am" -> "ru" -> "en"... I want to use Left Alt + Shift to toggle "en" and "am", and Right Alt + Shift to toggle "en" and"ru". Can you help me?

David ZIP
  • 115
  • 4
  • Actually there are limited options keys to change the layout. But it may help you.. 1.Search `Keyboard Layout` in dash and open. 2. Go to `Layouts` tab and click `Options...` button. 3. In `Keyboard Layout Options` Window, expand `Key(s) to change layout` list. 4. Now check the most appropriate option which best soot for you. You can check multiple keys to `Change keyboard option`. Hope it helps you. I couldn't find any other way to set custom keys to do so.. – Saurav Kumar Oct 05 '13 at 10:45
  • I've changed keys to Alt+Shift, but both sides changing layout with same order․ – David ZIP Oct 05 '13 at 10:53

1 Answers1

0

There are many shortcuts to choose to switch between keyboard layouts, but none fits with what you want.

Anyway, it can be done using a bash scripts and two custom shortcuts.

First, create the script, let's call it change_layouts:

#!/bin/bash
#script to switch between two keyboard layouts

if [ $# -ne 2 ];then
    echo "Usage: `basename $0` first_layout second_layout"
    echo "   ex: change_layouts us ru"
    exit
fi

first_layout=$1
second_layout=$2

if [ -z "$(ls -l /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols | grep ^- | awk '{print $9}' | grep $first_layout)" ]; then
    echo "Error: Doesn't exists ant keyboard layout called '$first_layout'."
    exit
fi

if [ -z "$(ls -l /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols | grep ^- | awk '{print $9}' | grep $second_layout)" ]; then
    echo "Error: Doesn't exists ant keyboard layout called '$second_layout'."
    exit
fi

if [ "$first_layout" = "$second_layout" ]; then
    echo "Error: The arguments (keyboard layouts) must to be different."
    exit
fi

current_layout=$(gsettings get org.gnome.libgnomekbd.keyboard layouts)

if [ "$current_layout" = "['$first_layout', '$second_layout']" ]; then
    gsettings set org.gnome.libgnomekbd.keyboard layouts "['$second_layout', '$first_layout']"
else 
    gsettings set org.gnome.libgnomekbd.keyboard layouts "['$first_layout', '$second_layout']"
fi

Save the script in your ~/bin directory and don't forget to make it executable:

chmod +x ~/bin/change_layouts

Now you can test the script in terminal. Run it more times to see how it works.

Second, add your custom shortcuts. Go to System Setting → Keyboard → Shortcuts → Custom Shortcuts and follow the instructions from the below image:

add custom shortcut

Community
  • 1
Radu Rădeanu
  • 166,822
  • 48
  • 327
  • 400
  • And what to do with default shortcuts? (Layout>Options>Keys to change layouts). I'm tried to disable it, but layout doesn't changed anymore, also tried to set Alt+Shift but it changes layout by same order. – David ZIP Oct 06 '13 at 06:04
  • @DavidZIP I disabled everything in Layout>Options>Keys to change layouts. And be careful what shortcuts do you use for the script. The system doesn't make differences in this case between `Left Alt` and `Right Alt` as you probably wish. I used `Shift+Alt+Left Arrow` and `Shift+Alt+Right Arrow`. See the image above. – Radu Rădeanu Oct 06 '13 at 06:14
  • I'm using Alt+Shift L and Alt+Shift R, also now I'm disabled keys to change layouts, but it still not working. – David ZIP Oct 06 '13 at 07:40
  • @DavidZIP As I said, the system doesn't make differences in this case (for **custom shortcuts**) between `Left Alt` and `Right Shift`, `Left Shift` and `Right Alt`, or `Left Ctrl` and `Right Ctrl` as you probably wish. Use `Arrows keys` for example. – Radu Rădeanu Oct 06 '13 at 08:01
  • Ok, now it works, but when I'm changing am to en, and then trying to change to ru I must use Alt+Shift+Right TWICE to change layout. – David ZIP Oct 06 '13 at 08:42
  • @DavidZIP If this is a problem, to fix this, use in **Custom Shortcuts** windows these commands: `change_layouts am us`, respectively `change_layouts ru us` (use `us` at the end of the commands). – Radu Rădeanu Oct 06 '13 at 09:07