[SOLVED] Deleted the Compose file at /usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8

[gabriel.ipc]

Hey,

So, I am very new to Linux - in short, I installed Parrot OS.
Language is English and the keyboard layout is US international with dead keys (I need to type all sorts of accents and Latin characters).

Only problem - when I was typing '+c I kept getting "ć" instead of "ç". All other accents and characters and layout worked perfectly.
I started to dig the issue on the internet and then I decided to make changes in the file:

/usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose\

Well, I kind of screwed it, hardly even knowing what I was doing to be honest.
I though, all right, I might just delete the file altogether and reboot, the system is probably going to see it is missing and recreate it all new.

$ rm -rf
$ reboot

Now I'm really screwed, the system didn´t add it back, and all dead keys, accents, Latin characters, I just cannot use any at all.
Well, digging the internet I tried:

$ sudo apt --reinstall install libx11-dev

no luck.

I even found this: https://www.x.org/releases/X11R7.7/doc/libX11/i18n/compose/en_US.UTF-8.html
I though, ah, fine, let's just copy it and create the file again:

$ nano Compose (in the correct directory)

Then ctrl+shit+v

saved, exited, reboot.

no luck again

I just thought, well, I might just reinstall the entire distro and give another try at solving the "ç" problem, it is just it felt kind of extreme and... kind of giving up hahaha

I am sorry for all the insane newbie thinking and messing around I did.

Any kind soul out there to help me get the compose file back?

Thank you all very very much!

 

[KGIII]

If nobody else can help you, and reinstalling isn't in your cards for today...

Can you still switch to a new keyboard layout?

If so, US Intl w/ AltGr dead keys does what you're looking for. Your 'AltGr' key is your right alt and there's also a shift modifier. It'll take you a minute or two to get used to it, but I find it an easier layout in the long run.

For example: ç

 

[gabriel.ipc]

KGII, thank you very much for your reply!

I found from another forum that the package libx11-data will bring the Compose file back for the distro I use.

$ sudo apt --reinstall install libx11-data
$reboot
That did the trick.

About changing layout, yeah, I might end up doing it. I will dig a bit further to seek out a solution yet, If I find anything that works I will post back here!

 

[KGIII]

Like mentioned, I like my keyboard layout. I've used it for a long time, so I'm used to it.

Here's some output, moving left to right and down.

¹²³¤€’¥×¬áßðfghïœø¶ǽœ©®bñµç

With the SHIFT key modifier:

¡½¾¦÷ÄÅÉËÞÜÚÍÓÖ“”Á§ÐFGHόذŒ¢®BѵÇ

Those cover my needs. Your needs may vary.

 

[gabriel.ipc]

Managed to solve my cedilla problem:
$ sudo gedit ~/.XCompose

This will create an empty file in the home directory called XCompose and open it for you to edit.

In the file copy and paste:

include "%S/en_US.UTF-8/Compose"
<dead_acute> <C> : "Ç"
<dead_acute> <c> : "ç"

Save it, then:
$ reboot

After that whenever one types '+c he'll get "ç"!

I might be wrong, but I think this XCompose file makes preferential key sequences for the keyboard. I'm guessing that first line is basically telling the file to use all the sequences in the file /usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose except when conflicted by the following key sequences bellow it.

Well well, took some time, but it is now working like magic!

 

[KGIII]

Congrats!