Ubuntu – How one can create an installer for custom keyboard layout

keyboard-layoutpackagingxkbxorg

I've managed to create a custom keyboard layout for my language.

Now that the keyboard is in a state that I can share it. I don't know how to make it a redistributable package.

Best Answer

To add it to the official xkeyboard-config package, you would develop it as a patch for the xkeyboard-config package. See their code contribution guide; contributed layouts are made by patches on their bug tracker. You can clone the upstream repository with:

git clone git://anongit.freedesktop.org/git/xkeyboard-config

From a quick glance at your layout, I think you need to add the default keyword to the stanza definition (default xkb_symbols "basic"), to declare that layout the default for that file. Your file itself would be put in the symbols directory.
In addition to your new layout file, you'll need to add it to the rules templates (rules/base.xml.in or possibly rules/base.extras.xml.in -- the rules/evdev.xml file will be generated from the same template).
Doublecheck the project documentation for other specifics that I might have missed.

You could also add that patch to the Ubuntu source package apply it with the standard dpkg build tools. This would allow you to distribute your modifications to other Ubuntu users with minimal difficulty. See questions like How to create and maintain patch on Debian package? for more specifics.

Creating custom keyboard layout

For example, I'm looking to add a new modified English (international AltGr dead keys) US layout with swapped r,R & t,T. I will name it XY swapped:RT English (international AltGr dead keys).

Create new symbols file:

sudo nano /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/xy

 default  partial alphanumeric_keys
 xkb_symbols "basic" {

    name[Group1]= "XY swapped:RT English (international AltGr dead keys)";

    include "us(altgr-intl)"

 // my custom changes:

    key <AD04> { [        t, T,           ediaeresis,   Ediaeresis      ] };
    key <AD05> { [        r, R,           thorn,        THORN           ] };


    include "level3(ralt_switch)"
 };

include "us(altgr-intl)" means it inherits all key from that layout only key overridden here.

You may use Keyboard Layout Editor which is a GUI program that helps create or edit XKB keyboard layouts. Thanks to @Glutanimate

Add the new layout declaration to /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/evdev.xml (copy & modify us layout section)

Reference: Make new variant keyboard layout available in Settings?

sudo gedit /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/evdev.xml

 ...
 <layout>
   <configItem>
     <name>xy</name>

     <shortDescription>en</shortDescription>
     <description>XY swapped:RT English (international AltGr dead keys)</description>
     <languageList>
              <iso639Id>eng</iso639Id>
              <iso639Id>fra</iso639Id>
              <iso639Id>ger</iso639Id>
     </languageList>
   </configItem>
   <variantList>
   </variantList>
 </layout>
 ...

Delete xkb cache.
```
 sudo rm /var/lib/xkb/*.xkm
```
Notes:

To load changes to the layouts menu simply restart gnome-keyboard-preferences; relaunching the window manager should not be necessary.

There is a change in Ubuntu version 13.10 which causes the keyboard settings cache to not refresh after files in "/usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols" are modified. It looks like changes just don't get applied. To force the cache refreshing a one should delete *.xkm files from "/var/lib/xkb".

^{Reference: Howto: Custom keyboard layout definitions}

or
```
 sudo dpkg-reconfigure xkb-data
```
^{Reference: Why did 13.10 break my custom keyboard layout?}

Reply to fix OP modifications

(Update #1 wrong parent layout) You have modified xkb_symbols "pes_part_basic" which is in irwinxp file: that's ok.

but xkb_symbols "pes" in irwinxp file still:
```
  include "ir(pes_part_basic)"
```
which should be:
```
  include "irwinxp(pes_part_basic)"
```

(Update #2 custom icon) If <shortDescription>en</shortDescription> changed to <shortDescription>xy</shortDescription>. So the new layout will distinct from En and it will appear as Xy.

Most probably there will be no icon for it in ubuntu-mono. Then the indicator will dynamically generate new one which may not follow current theme.

Copy any layout icons for dark/light mono themes:

 sudo cp /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-dark/status/22/indicator-keyboard-En.svg /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-dark/status/22/indicator-keyboard-Xy.svg
 sudo cp /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-light/status/22/indicator-keyboard-En.svg /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-light/status/22/indicator-keyboard-Xy.svg

SVG files are just XML. Open then for editing and change text value from En to Xy:

 sudo nano /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-dark/status/22/indicator-keyboard-Xy.svg
 sudo nano /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-light/status/22/indicator-keyboard-Xy.svg

Example:

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
 <svg width="22" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1" height="22">
  <defs>
   <mask id="m">
    <rect y="0" x="0" style="fill:#fff" height="22" width="22"/>
    <text y="15.5" x="5" style="font-size:12;font-family:Ubuntu;font-weight:500;fill:black">Xy</text>
   </mask>
  </defs>
  <rect style="fill:#dfdbd2" mask="url(#m)" rx="2" height="20" width="20" y="1" x="1"/>
 </svg>

Update theme cache:

 sudo update-icon-caches /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-*/

Logout/login

Other Helpful References

How to modify a keyboard layout in Linux (thanks to @Rmano)
Building an XKB Keyboard (thanks to @Glutanimate)

Best Answer

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Ubuntu – How to add a new keyboard layout (Custom keyboard layout definition)

Creating custom keyboard layout

Reply to fix OP modifications

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