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Tim
Asked: 2018-04-28 12:47:58 +0800 CST

How to set a Compose Key in Ubuntu 18.04

  • 772

Now that Unity is gone, the usual way of setting a Compose Key (via Keyboard Preferences > Layout) no longer works (because in Ubuntu 18.04, Devices > Keyboard has no Layout tab).

How do we set a Compose Key in Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver?

keyboard 18.04 compose-key

4 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    You may use (GNOME) Tweaks to set the option.

    First install Tweaks by running 

    sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

    (or sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool).

    Alternatively, for those who prefer the GUI:

    1. launch the Ubuntu Software application.

    2. search for "gnome tweaks".

    3. install.

    Then launch Tweaks and go to "Keyboard & Mouse" section. The "Compose Key" options is disabled by default. Click on the "Disabled" button.

    enter image description here

    Then a window will pop up. Toggle the switch at the top on and then you'll be select the compose key

    enter image description here

    • 43

  2. To expand upon what @pomsky detailed in their answer, the official documentation covers the two solutions available.

    One is through installing Gnome Tweak Tool via the terminal like so: sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool

    And the other is typing the Unicode character's code point. To do this, press Ctrl+Shift+U, release all keys (you'll see an underlined u), type the code point desired, and then press Space or Enter to complete.

    For example, a common one I use is referred to as “Smart Quotes” which are U+201C & U+201D respectively. So you would type 201C or 201D after releasing the initial keys, and complete the process with Space or Enter.

    • 13

  3. Issue man xkeyboard-config and look for the compose options (shortcut: enter /compose:). You will find

    compose:ralt          Right Alt                  
compose:lwin          Left Win                   
compose:lwin-altgr    3rd level of Left Win      
compose:rwin          Right Win                  
compose:rwin-altgr    3rd level of Right Win     
compose:menu          Menu                       
compose:menu-altgr    3rd level of Menu          
compose:lctrl         Left Ctrl                  
compose:lctrl-altgr   3rd level of Left Ctrl     
compose:rctrl         Right Ctrl                 
compose:rctrl-altgr   3rd level of Right Ctrl    
compose:caps          Caps Lock                  
compose:caps-altgr    3rd level of Caps Lock     
compose:102           <Less/Greater>             
compose:102-altgr     3rd level of <Less/Greater>
compose:paus          Pause                      
compose:prsc          PrtSc                      
compose:sclk          Scroll Lock

    Let us say you want to pick Pause as the compose key. Just issue

    setxkbmap -option compose:paus

    To make it reboot-persistent, open /etc/default/keyboard with your favorite editor.

    sudo nano /etc/default/keyboard

    and to the line XKBOPTIONS add compose:paus. If you had other options already, separate them with commas. For example:

    XKBOPTIONS="terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp,compose:paus"

    Multiple compose keys can be used simultaneously.

    • 5

  4. The dconf setting that worked for my GNOME 3.28.2 is 

    /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/xkb-options

    To set the Scroll Lock as the compose key, the value should be

    ['compose:sclk']

    See the gnome-tweaks source code for other potential values.

    That means you can run a command like this:

    dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/xkb-options "['compose:sclk']"
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