Change the System or Browser Language

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This wiki page provides information on how to change the system language in Kicksecure, as well as how to install additional languages and input methods.

Introduction[edit]

The system language used in Kicksecure is easily changed. The technical steps are identical to the Debian method because Kicksecure is based on Debian GNU/Linux and Xfce. Users can also refer to Debian or Xfce upstream documentation. It is also easy to change the language in Firefox Browser (see further below). Native English speakers do not need to make any changes.

System[edit]

These instructions are sourced from the Debian wiki ChangeLanguagearchive.org iconarchive.today icon and InputMethodBusterarchive.org iconarchive.today icon entries. In Xfce, it is unnecessary to install additional language packs.

All Languages[edit]

1. Open a terminal in Kicksecure (Kicksecure for Qubes: in Template).

Start menuApplicationsSystemTerminal

2. Check the language environment variable.

Run. [1]

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! env | grep LANG

The output should show.

LANG=en_US.UTF-8

3. Determine the code for your language and country.

Before re-configuring the locale to your local language it is necessary to identify the two letter code for your language and country:

  • Language: the two-letter ISO 639-1 language code is found in the fourth column (639-1) herearchive.org iconarchive.today icon. For example, Japanese is ja, Korean is ko, German is de and so on.
  • Country: this websitearchive.org iconarchive.today icon ("Country Codes") identifies country codes. For example, Japan is JP, Korea is KR, Germany is DE and so on.

It is now possible to combine these codes to determine the language to export. For example, Japanese is ja_JP.UTF-8, Korean is ko_KR.UTF-8, German is de_DE.UTF-8 and so on.

4. Reconfigure locales.

Reconfigure locales with the following command.

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! sudo dpkg-reconfigure locales

A window will prompt for the preferred the locale(s) to be made available. Select the preferred option(s) with the space bar -- multiple locales can be chosen.

5. Reboot Kicksecure.

This is required for the changes to take effect.

Figure: Japanese Locale in Kicksecure

Fonts[edit]

Depending on the locale, it may be necessary to install additional fontsarchive.org iconarchive.today icon in Kicksecure so characters present correctly system-wide (Kicksecure-Qubes: in Template):

  • Debian stable fonts packagesarchive.org iconarchive.today icon.
  • TrueType (TTF) and OpenType (OTF) fonts are generally recommended. These packages start with fonts-.
  • For Korean fonts, forumsarchive.org iconarchive.today icon contributor previously recommended the following additional packages: fonts-unfonts-core (Korean TrueType fonts) and nabi (Korean X input method). After restarting Kicksecure and starting nabi, the Korean script should be available system-wide for writing and reading. [2]

For example to install Japanese TrueType fonts:

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! sudo apt update

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! sudo apt install fonts-ipaexfont

Figure: Japanese Font Installation in Kicksecure

Input Method[edit]

The ibus package is recommended for languages other than English. As of 2021, this should work by default for the following languages:

  • English
  • Arabic
  • Bulgarian
  • Catalan; Valencian
  • Croatian
  • Czech
  • Danish
  • Dutch; Flemish
  • Estonian
  • Finnish
  • French
  • German
  • Greek, Modern
  • Hebrew
  • Hungarian
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Latvian
  • Lithuanian
  • Malay
  • Mongolian
  • Norwegian
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
  • Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan
  • Russian
  • Serbian
  • Slovak
  • Slovenian
  • Spanish; Castilian
  • Swedish
  • Turkish
  • Ukrainian

1. Open a terminal in Kicksecure (Kicksecure-Qubes: in Template).

2. Install ibus.

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! sudo apt install ibus

3. Launch ibus-setup (Kicksecure-Qubes: in Template so changes are permanent).

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! ibus-setup

4. Add the preferred input method(s).

Multiple language input methods can be selected at this step.

Figure: Input Method Option

5. Select the preferred keyboard shortcut to change the input method.

Figure: Preferred Input Method Shortcut

6. Reboot Kicksecure.

In Kicksecure-Qubes: shut down the Template and create a new AppVM based on the modified template.

7. Test the preferred input method(s) functionality.

  • Open a terminal in Kicksecure.
  • Use either the language icon on the system tray or the keyboard shortcut to change the input method.
  • If the procedure was successful, languages other than English will present correctly.

8. Optional: Asian input method(s).

Preliminary tests reveal additional Input Method Engine (IME) packages must be installed for Chinese and Korean functionality; refer to the Debian InputMethodBusterarchive.org iconarchive.today icon entry for further information. After installation of IME packages, follow steps 3-7.

Be aware that this method seems it does not appear to work for Japanese and Thai. Additional libraries, IME packages or fonts are likely necessary; for instance one Kicksecure userarchive.org iconarchive.today icon has reported that installing fcitx-mozcarchive.org iconarchive.today icon allows Japanese input. Readers who successfully configure functional Japanese and Thai input methods are encouraged to edit this wiki entry.

Firefox[edit]

Using one of the methods below is sufficient to change the language in Firefoxarchive.org iconarchive.today icon.

about:preferences Method[edit]

  1. Type about:preferences in the URL bar.
  2. Scroll down to the languages section and search for the preferred language: LanguageSearch for more languages
  3. Add the preferred language.
  4. Restart Firefox.

Figure: Firefox Language Selection

Mozilla Firefox Language Pack Method[edit]

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/language-tools/archive.org iconarchive.today icon

Debian Firefox Language Pack Method[edit]

Info Untested. Please test and leave feedback.

Complete these steps in Kicksecure.

1. Update the package lists.

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! sudo apt update

2. Search for available language packs.

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! apt-cache search firefox-esr-l10n-

3. Install a language pack.

In the example below, replace -de with the preferred language.

Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! sudo apt install firefox-esr-l10n-de

See Also[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. The Debian wiki notes:

    First, you have to set EnvironmentVariables such as LANG, LANGUAGE, LC_CTYPE, LC_MESSAGES to your local language. Usually LANG (or LC_ALL) is sufficient.

  2. Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! sudo apt install fonts-unfonts-core Click = Copy Copied to clipboard! sudo apt install nabi

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