Ubuntu

Switching languages

Asked by Martijn Bodewes on 2007-05-23

How do i switch my overall language settings.

That is: the complete interface (gnome, firefox, terminal, etc etc) not just only the keyboard input settings.

In System->administration->language support I enabled the extra language, and you can set the default language for new user accounts. But how do i switch my current account to a new language?

[using feisty]

Question information

Language:: English Edit question

Status:: Solved

For:: Ubuntu Edit question

Assignee:: No assignee Edit question

Solved by:: Jesus Gamio

Solved:: 2007-05-23

Last query:: 2007-05-23

Last reply:: 2007-05-23

Link existing bug

Revision history for this message

Jesus Gamio (jgamio) said on 2007-05-23:

Thank you for your question.

I do this.

1) Install yours languages in language support.
2) logout
3) In your login screen you can change the language
4) When you login the program ask if you want to be your default language and then click yes.

P.D. No all the applications are translate 100% but for example in Spanish do you get almost everiting traslate if the application dont have been translate you are going to see in english.

Revision history for this message

Martijn Bodewes (bodewes) said on 2007-05-23:

Thank you.

That is quite a hassle. I want to help translating in to dutch, but i prefer using english my self. So in order to view untranslated strings (in their context) i have relogin and start translating. And when finished relogin again. It would be nice to be able to change the language on the fly (and it would realy envy al windows users which have to buy seperate languages)

Revision history for this message

Thomas Templin (coastgnu) said on 2007-05-23:

Daag Martijn
On Wed, 23. May 2007 15:07:27 Martijn Bodewes wrote:
> Question #7063 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/7063
>
> Status: Answered => Solved
>
> Martijn Bodewes confirmed that the question is solved:
> Thank you.
>
> That is quite a hassle. I want to help translating in to dutch, but i
> prefer using english my self. So in order to view untranslated strings
> (in their context) i have relogin and start translating. And when
> finished relogin again. It would be nice to be able to change the
> language on the fly (and it would realy envy al windows users which have
> to buy seperate languages)

There are two ways to solve your problem.

Why not open another x-session window for a test-user?

Given you are using gdm as login manager.

Open a terminal and start:
gdmflexiserver --xnest

You will see a new window which will show the login screen.
If you log in as a test-user for testing your translations you will see the
changes on the fly.

So thats how I check my translation work on the fly for de_nds (de_nds is to
be seen as what is frysk in nederland :)

If you start:
gdmflexiserver
whithout the option --xnest a new X-Session will be opened in a new console
(VT8 to VT12). You may switch back to VT7 by pressing <Ctrl<+<Alt>+<F7>
And back again to the new Session with <Ctrl<+<Alt>+<FX> (where X is to be
replaced with either 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 depends on which VT was opened)

Another way is to open a terminal, change the LANG environment variable and
then start the application you are translating.

Given your LANG setting is en_EN.utf8 and the name of the application you are
translating is ApplicationYouAreTranslating.

Open a terminal ant set the LANG Variable and start the application:
export LANG=nl_NL.utf8 ; ApplicationYouAreTranslating

Note: The ';' is just a seperator for writing two commands in one line.
      And the second way, setting the LANG variable doesn't work in all cases.
      There are applications which use some of the other LANG variables (e.G.
      LANGUAGE, LC_CTYPE, LC_MESSAGES,...) And thats why I prefer open a new
      x-session window

Cool, isn't ist?

regards from friesland,
thomas

Daag Martijn 
On Wed, 23. May 2007 15:07:27 Martijn Bodewes wrote:
> Question #7063 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/7063
>
>     Status: Answered => Solved
>
> Martijn Bodewes confirmed that the question is solved:
> Thank you.
>
> That is quite a hassle. I want to help translating in to dutch, but i
> prefer using english my self. So in order to view untranslated strings
> (in their context) i have relogin and start translating. And when
> finished relogin again. It would be nice to be able to change the
> language on the fly (and it would realy envy al windows users which have
> to buy seperate languages)

There are two ways to solve your problem.

Why not open another x-session window for a test-user?

Given you are using gdm as login manager.

Open a terminal and start:
 gdmflexiserver --xnest

You will see a new window which will show the login screen.
If you log in as a test-user for testing your translations you will see the 
changes on the fly.

So thats how I check my translation work on the fly for de_nds (de_nds is to 
be seen as what is frysk in nederland :)

If you start:
 gdmflexiserver
whithout the option --xnest a new X-Session will be opened in a new console 
(VT8 to VT12). You may switch back to VT7 by pressing <Ctrl<+<Alt>+<F7>
And back again to the new Session with <Ctrl<+<Alt>+<FX> (where X is to be 
replaced with either 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 depends on which VT was opened)

Another way is to open a terminal, change the LANG environment variable and 
then start the application you are translating.

Given your LANG setting is en_EN.utf8 and the name of the application you are 
translating is ApplicationYouAreTranslating.

Open a terminal ant set the LANG Variable and start the application:
export LANG=nl_NL.utf8 ; ApplicationYouAreTranslating

Note: The ';' is just a seperator for writing two commands in one line.
      And the second way, setting the LANG variable doesn't work in all cases. 
      There are applications which use some of the other LANG variables (e.G.
      LANGUAGE, LC_CTYPE, LC_MESSAGES,...) And thats why I prefer open a new
      x-session window

Cool, isn't ist?

regards from friesland,
thomas

Revision history for this message

Eero Tamminen (oak-helsinkinet) said on 2007-05-23:

> export LANG=nl_NL.utf8 ; ApplicationYouAreTranslating

Or just do (without the ';'):
LANG=nl_NL.utf8 ApplicationYouAreTranslating

That's what I use for viewing translations.

Revision history for this message

tesfaye (mtesfaye) said on 2007-05-24:

i want to creat a cybercafe using ubuntu exculusifly and mak a promotion for this os
i need some advise how to convince more peopl woud lik to use it
can sombody guive more information ? thank you

Revision history for this message

Molly (mollious) said on 2007-09-27:

It's even easier: after indtalling the languages you like, right click on the upper panel - "add to panel" - "utilities" and you choose keyboard indicator! You can see the indicator on top of your screen. Just click and switch.

Revision history for this message

Martijn Bodewes (bodewes) said on 2007-09-28:

Dear Molly,

That method only switches the keyboard-layout. Not the language of the gnome-desktop (and its applications).

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