New to linux. Need help with Ibus / bashrc

English Applications
#1

Hello. Tried installing ibus to have foreign language characters available to type:

  • ibus icon shows up in toolbar

  • when shortcut pressed, ibus english icon switched to correct foreign language icon in toolbar

  • when typing, english letters still appearing, not foreign language

  • tables, language files, m17n, etc installed from YaST

When I try to start ibus, it says:

"IBus has been started! If you cannot use IBus, add the following lines to your $HOME/.bashrc; then relog into your desktop.

export GTK_IM_MODULE=ibus
export XMODIFIERS=@im=ibus
export QT_IM_MODULE=ibus"

I’m assuming this may be the problem? However, when I go to home/user/ I can not see any .bash (or any other type of files starting with .) files. Do I have to log in with root to do this? How do I edit this file? If this is not the issue, and someone else is familiar with ibus, any advice? thnx

ps- Is there also any way I can get ibus to automatically start when I start this pc?

#2

Although you might insert into your bashrc,

I’d instead recommend you install your environmental variables into a “profile.local” file so that your changes are kept separate from the system. Then, your changes should not be lost if/when you upgrade or need to re-install. This file is specific to your User profile when you login, but I doubt for what you’re asking and assuming you’re the only one logging into your system who wants this customization it should make any difference.

In a nutshell,
On some systems you edit /etc/profile directly, but on openSUSE you are advised either to create a profile.local file or create a file in /etc/profiles.d/

  1. create a new file “/etc/profile.local”
  2. Open the file in your favorite text editor (root permissions required) and enter your commands (usually environment variables like what you describe)
  3. To activate immediately without rebooting (of course this is optional… You can reboot)
# source /etc/profile.local

HTH,
TSU

#3

On 2014-02-06 23:46, newherellp wrote:

> I’m assuming this may be the problem? However, when I go to home/user/
> I can not see any .bash (or any other type of files starting with .)
> files. Do I have to log in with root to do this? How do I edit this
> file? If this is not the issue, and someone else is familiar with ibus,
> any advice? thnx

Never as root, it is your own file.
A dot at the start of a filename hides it, which is why you do not see
it: it is hidden.

You have to tell your file browser to display hidden names, or just type
the full name with the dot.

> ps- Is there also any way I can get ibus to automatically start when I
> start this pc?

I don’t use it, I’m unsure.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.

(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” (Minas Tirith))

#4

Thanks! Adding:

export GTK_IM_MODULE=ibus
export XMODIFIERS=@im=ibus
export QT_IM_MODULE=ibus

as described above worked. The foreign characters now show up! As for the auto-start, can someone let me know if this is the same procedure for openSuse (the first part of the code that I appended looks the same):

“If, however, IBus is not autostarted upon login, then move the “export …” lines above to $HOME/.xprofile instead, and append this line to the same file: ibus-daemon -drx, and relogin your desktop. You can also try adding ibus-daemon -drx after the export … lines in $HOME/.bashrc”

Just some key words in case someone in the future has the same problem and searches:

ibus linux not working
ibus not switching characters
opensuse ibus only showing english letters
ibus problem

#5

ok, just a final update in case anyone has this issue in the future. Adding “ibus-daemon -drx” after the previous edit worked perfectly. It now auto-starts. Looks like I’m all set.