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I would like to use a US keyboard layout. However, from time to time I need to type German umlauts and sharp S.

All the US international keyboard layouts have left me unsatisfied. I am always either missing sharp S or a way to type the umlauts.

Does anyone have a configuration where they are able to use both sharp S and all umlauts with a US international keyboard layout? If so, would you share how you achieved this?

Chris
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  • You could either reassign keys or switch between keyboard inputs. You can switch between any secondary layout with the shortcut Ctrl+Space. – Tim Aug 28 '14 at 21:57
  • @Tim Thanks, I have thought about this approach but my understanding was that international layouts were created exactly to avoid both switching and having to extend some layout manually. Ideally, I would like an out-of-the-box layout which I can then also use on other machines. – Chris Aug 28 '14 at 21:59

4 Answers4

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I found two good ways to do it in Ubuntu.

[1] altgr-intl Layout

First one is to put this into the terminal or if you want it permanent into the .bashrc file: setxkbmap -rules evdev -model evdev -layout us -variant altgr-intl

Afterwards when clicking the right-alt-key/altgr-key the whole keyboard changes into phoentics. Here are the important ones:

  • altgr+q = ä, altg+Q = Ä
  • altgr+p = ö, altgr+P = Ö
  • altgr+y = ü, altgr+Y = Ü
  • altgr+s = ß

Press buttons at the same time.

Problems:

  • there seems to be only one ß (no ẞ)
  • might not work, when altgr button is set to be the compose button
  • need to learn shortcuts

[2] Set a compose button

A second way is to set a compose button. Install Ubuntu Tweaks sudo apt-get install gnome-tweaks and start it. Click on Keyboard and Mouse and on Compose Key. Activate it and select a button you like, for example right-alt. Now you can do:

  • compose key + " + a = ä
  • compose key + " + A = Ä
  • compose key + " + u = ü
  • compose key + " + U = Ü
  • compose key + " + o = ö
  • compose key + " + O = Ö
  • compose key + ss = ß
  • compose key + SS = ẞ

Press buttons after each other.

Problems:

  • more clicks, slower
lumpigerAffe
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2

I use a regular US keyboard layout, but for all extended characters I mapped the print screen key or the right Windows/Super key to be the compose key. So now when I need a ç I type PrtSc followed by the c and , keys. Similarly for characters like ß (PrtScss) or © (PrtScOc).

See the Wikipedia entry on the compose key for more information. To set the Compose key (in Gnome), you can try Settings → keyboard → Shortcuts tab → compose key option, but that doesn't list the PrtSc key I want, so I did the following:

  1. Install dconf-editor: sudo apt-get install dconf-tools
  2. Open dconf-editor and go to org → gnome → desktop → input-sources and change xkb-options to ['compose:prsc']
ph0t0nix
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1

Use the English (US, international AltGr Unicode combining) option. This enables the AltGr (right alt key) to act as an option to access more characters.

jeffmcneill
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I have a thinkpad US keyboard that I want to use german Umlauts on (äöü߀).

Here is how to do that in Ubuntu and Debian:

  1. run xev to determine which "keycode" is the right side alt key
  2. Paste this into ~/.Xmodmap file:
! Map umlauts to PRINT SCREEN + 
keycode 135 = Mode_switch
keysym e = e E EuroSign
keysym a = a A adiaeresis Adiaeresis
keysym o = o O odiaeresis Odiaeresis
keysym u = u U udiaeresis Udiaeresis
keysym s = s S ssharp

  1. add this to your ~/.bashrc: xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap

  2. run xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap (or just open a new shell to load your bashrc)

works like a charm :)))

A detailed description can be found in this blogpost. There is also a table with all the keycodes for more special characters.

fmueller
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