DietPi-Config | clarify/improve keyboard-settings and other issues with locale settings

[DJCrashdummy]

when using DietPi-Config -> Language/Regional Options -> Keyboard it only shows the line update-rc.d: warning: start and stop actions are no longer supported; falling back to defaults twice and immediately goes back to the previous screen where you can choose between _Local_, _Timezone_ and _Keyboard_...

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additional i'm not sure if it is a bug, but at least it is wired:
i've set a different locale and when checking with the command locale, LANGUAGE= and LC_ALL= are empty, all other points are set correct.

_btw: if anyone is familiar with the locale-settings and can enlighten me...
why is every value set between double quotes (e.g. LC_TIME="en_US.UTF-8") except LANG=en_US.UTF-8?_

[Fourdee]

@DJCrashdummy

when using DietPi-Config -> Language/Regional Options -> Keyboard it only shows the line update-rc.d: warning: start and stop actions are no longer supported; falling back to defaults twice and immediately goes back to the previous screen where you can choose between Local, Timezone and Keyboard...

A physical keyboard must be plugged into the device, for this to work, as the command dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration appears to simply exit without one attached.

btw: if anyone is familiar with the locale-settings and can enlighten me...
why is every value set between double quotes (e.g. LC_TIME="en_US.UTF-8") except LANG=en_US.UTF-8?

Quotations do not appear to be required.
The reason for non-quoted entries is due to the way we also pump selected locale into /etc/environment (In an attempt to resolve: https://github.com/Fourdee/DietPi/issues/825):

cat << _EOF_ > /etc/environment
LC_ALL=en_GB.UTF-8
LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
_EOF_

[Fourdee]

Marking as resolved. Please reopen if required.

[DJCrashdummy]

_sorry for my late reply, i was really busy in the last weeks._

A physical keyboard must be plugged into the device, for this to work, as the command dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration appears to simply exit without one attached.

oh sorry for bothering with this, you are right! but...

• a short message like "no keyboard attached" instead of just going back will prevent misunderstandings in the future; maybe some additional explanation like "a specific layout can only be selected when a physical keyboard is attached." will clarify everything.

• or at least a better description for the menu item(s) would be fine:
  the language also for the keyboard is set with Locale: Change Language and Regional Settings but since only a specific layout is chosen with Keyboard, i would rather describe it Change Keyboard Layout (Setting) than Change Keyboard Language Setting!

Quotations do not appear to be required.

@Fourdee: well... thanks for the info and the further enlightenment.

by the way: since you are obviously a pro, can you also tell me why LANGUAGE= and LC_ALL= are empty, when i check them with the command locale? - i noticed this also at other distributions...

[Fourdee]

@DJCrashdummy

by the way: since you are obviously a pro, can you also tell me why LANGUAGE= and LC_ALL= are empty, when i check them with the command locale? - i noticed this also at other distributions...

Nobody is a pro in Linux 😉. Its impossible to know everything, yet alone keep up with its constant evolution.

As far as I know, LANGUAGE = isn't used. LC_ALL= should not be empty, its the core locale variable.

This is a fresh install on Odroid C2, seems fine:

root@DietPi:~# locale
LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
LANGUAGE=
LC_CTYPE="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_NUMERIC="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_TIME="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_COLLATE="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_MONETARY="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_MESSAGES="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_PAPER="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_NAME="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_ADDRESS="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_TELEPHONE="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_MEASUREMENT="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_IDENTIFICATION="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_ALL=en_GB.UTF-8

Can you double check the result (paste if you can)?
And also what was generated last time round:

cat /etc/locale.gen | grep -v '^#'

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a short message like "no keyboard attached" instead of just going back will prevent misunderstandings in the future; maybe some additional explanation like "a specific layout can only be selected when a physical keyboard is attached." will clarify everything.

Yep, good suggestion 👍 , i'll add a message box to inform users.

[DJCrashdummy]

Yep, good suggestion :+1: , i'll add a message box to inform users.

in my point of view instead/additional a more accurate description for Keyboard like Change Keyboard LAYOUT Setting would be fine, since Change Keyboard LANGUAGE Setting could be mistakable or is even false, or am i wrong?

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root@DietPi:~# cat /etc/locale.gen | grep -v '^#'

de_DE.UTF-8 UTF-8
en_GB.UTF-8 UTF-8

Can you double check the result (paste if you can)?

root@DietPi:~# locale
LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
LANGUAGE=
LC_CTYPE="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_NUMERIC="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_TIME="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_COLLATE="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_MONETARY="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_MESSAGES="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_PAPER="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_NAME="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_ADDRESS="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_TELEPHONE="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_MEASUREMENT="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_IDENTIFICATION="de_DE.UTF-8"
LC_ALL=

and also after changing back to en_GB:

root@DietPi:~# locale
LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
LANGUAGE=
LC_CTYPE="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_NUMERIC="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_TIME="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_COLLATE="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_MONETARY="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_MESSAGES="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_PAPER="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_NAME="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_ADDRESS="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_TELEPHONE="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_MEASUREMENT="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_IDENTIFICATION="en_GB.UTF-8"
LC_ALL=

although this is interesting, i doubt it is a bug (caused by DietPi) because i also noticed this on some other Debian-based distributions.

[Fourdee]

@DJCrashdummy

Change Keyboard LAYOUT Setting

👍 Makes more sense. I'll get that updated for next commit.

[Fourdee]

although this is interesting, i doubt it is a bug (caused by DietPi) because i also noticed this on some other Debian-based distributions.

Strange. We also pump this into /etc/environment to ensure we cover all bases, can you verify LC_ALL= LANG=?

cat /etc/environment

[DJCrashdummy]

Strange. We also pump this into /etc/environment to ensure we cover all bases, can you verify LC_ALL= LANG=?

root@DietPi:~# cat /etc/environment
LC_ALL=de_DE.UTF-8
LANG=de_DE.UTF-8

ok, here it is...
but just for completeness: on some other debian-based systems with empty LC_ALL= and LANG= i get with cat /etc/environment just the PATH="..."-variable.