WSL Koreader - External keyboard language selector

[edojan]

Koreader works well under WSL (ubuntu) allowing me to type notes using my computer's keyboard. This massively speeds up book annotation in comparison to onscreen keyboarding. I wonder if anyone tried using foreign language keyboard layouts (I mean with the external keyboard)? Should I install the new keyboard layout under ubuntu or is there anything else that needs to be done in order for this to work?

[pazos]

Different layouts should work fine on the desktop version.

When using a version that runs in a VM (such as KOReader on Windows, via WSL, or KOReader on ChromeOS, via Crostini) you shouldn't need to change layouts for particular deployments.

It should be enough to change the layout of the underlying Windows or ChromeOS system.

[edojan]

Originally Posted by pazos

Different layouts should work fine on the desktop version.

When using a version that runs in a VM (such as KOReader on Windows, via WSL, or KOReader on ChromeOS, via Crostini) you shouldn't need to change layouts for particular deployments.

It should be enough to change the layout of the underlying Windows or ChromeOS system.

Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case when running under WSL (see the screenshot). No matter what keyboard language / layout settings is selected under the host OS (in my case windows 11), Koreader remains oblivious to the changes.

[pazos]

Make sure your settings look similar to https://github.com/microsoft/wslg/is...ent-2201566425

It might be possible that the settings are applied only after a WSL restart. If you're not sure how to do that just reboot windows.

Once the settings are correctly applied they should behave the same in all environments installed under the WSL virtual machine.

If that's not the case please double check that you can reproduce the same issue in any other linux GUI app. Never discard a regression in WSL

[edojan]

Originally Posted by pazos

Make sure your settings look similar to https://github.com/microsoft/wslg/is...ent-2201566425

It might be possible that the settings are applied only after a WSL restart. If you're not sure how to do that just reboot windows.

Once the settings are correctly applied they should behave the same in all environments installed under the WSL virtual machine.

If that's not the case please double check that you can reproduce the same issue in any other linux GUI app. Never discard a regression in WSL

I have reviewed the github thread above and reset all the language / region settings to default. Unfortunately, this did not help.
All terminal apps display the languages correctly and respond to the windows keyboard layout changes. Not any of the gui-ed apps I tried (e.g. gedit). All gui-ed apps ignore the language settings.

Btw, everything works as supposed to if koreader is installed on ubuntu running under vmware workstation. But then it is not using the windows keyboard layout but one installed under ubuntu...

[pazos]

That's a bummer!

I think you can workaround it !?

If you start the terminal on your ubuntu session on WSL:

1. See your current settings typing:

localectl

2. See the supported layouts you have available:

localectl list-x11-keymap-layouts

3. Set the layout to one of the supported languages:

localectl set-x11-keymap $LAYOUT

Hopefully you'll never need to tweak it again if you're fine with a single key layout on your WSL apps.

Since you also have a proper ubuntu installation on a proper VM you could try compare the output of those commands between WSL and the real thing.

[edojan]

Originally Posted by pazos

That's a bummer!

3. Set the layout to one of the supported languages:

localectl set-x11-keymap $LAYOUT

Hopefully you'll never need to tweak it again if you're fine with a single key layout on your WSL apps.

Since you also have a proper ubuntu installation on a proper VM you could try compare the output of those commands between WSL and the real thing.

Pazos, thanks for your help. Unfortunately, when I try entering

localectl set-x11-keymap $LAYOUT

command - e.g.

sudo localectl set-x11-keymap ru

produces the following error:

Setting X11 and console keymaps is not supported in Debian.

[pazos]

Originally Posted by edojan

Pazos, thanks for your help. Unfortunately, when I try entering

localectl set-x11-keymap $LAYOUT

command - e.g.

sudo localectl set-x11-keymap ru

produces the following error:

Setting X11 and console keymaps is not supported in Debian.

Both debian and ubuntu come with systemd. It is the wsl thingy that lacks it, it seems.

Good to know microsoft sucks doing linux containers :/

Please try https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/744897 instead.

[edojan]

Thanks pazos. The setxkbmap command has worked. So now to switch my keyboard to russian phonetic I enter in the CLI the following:

setxkbmap ru phonetic_winkeys

and to revert back to the US english layout:

setxkbmap us

[edojan]

Do you know if there is any way to hide the onscreen keyboard under the linux version when using the external keyboard? I know there was some discussion about this but not sure if this has been implemented.

[mergen3107]

For now try to manually close it by swiping down on the keyboard with mouse

[edojan]

Originally Posted by mergen3107

For now try to manually close it by swiping down on the keyboard with mouse

Swiping down doesn't do anything. Clicking outside the onscreen keyboard makes it disappear, while the "edit note" dialog remains visible. The problem is that then then the external keyboard stops working since it loses the focus. Clicking inside the "edit note" dialog returns the focus to the external keyboard but it also brings back the onscreen keyboard.

[Ebookus]

Try: Shift + Home

[pazos]

Originally Posted by edojan

Do you know if there is any way to hide the onscreen keyboard under the linux version when using the external keyboard? I know there was some discussion about this but not sure if this has been implemented.

Not yet, maybe soon: https://github.com/koreader/koreader/issues/11374

[edojan]

Originally Posted by Ebookus

Try: Shift + Home

I have tried this too. It has the same effect as clicking outside the virtual keyboard - i.e. the external keyboard loses focus and can no longer be used.