• Dan
  • Member
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  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2009-01-18
  • Posts: 39

Topic: Localization

I don't live in the UK, so I had to do some mods to get my system working right location-wise. 

I thought I'd post it here, for others to benefit.  (This includes configuring a keyboard and setting the system to update to local time) 

To get a localized keyboard, remove /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/gb and make it a symbolic link to the keymap you want (in my case, /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/us), then re-boot.  Most keymaps are in the directory /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/

To get localized time, edit /etc/rc.local to make an appropriate symlink on bootup.  Below are the lines I personally added, the line starting with 'ln' will probably be different for you, but the rest should be the same.  Most likely, any file you need will be in /usr/share/zoneinfo/, or a subdirectory thereof.  (these files describe things like GMT+-* and whether you observe daylight savings time)

# Set the time
cd /etc
rm localtime
ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/Chicago localtime

I'm really thinking that most localization issues can be solved by appropriate symbolic links.  I did trial-and-error to get this right, but I feel like an idiot after I see how simple it is.

The box said 'Requires Windows 2000 or better, so I installed Linux'
(No, I didn't make that, but it holds true, so I use it in my sig)
  • Registered: 2008-12-13
  • Posts: 361

Re: Localization

Probably not the best route to do this as you may introduce problems, or the config may be reverted at a later time hmm

Best one so far is to edit /etc/defaults/locale, update your locale information then run:

dpkg-reconfigure locales

And select what you need. It should regenerate the bulk of it. For the X keyboard map, it's probably selected from the location or the xorg.conf.

The stuff to change the timezone is dot on though smile

Nik_Doof's Website

  • Registered: 2009-04-26
  • Posts: 16

Re: Localization

Nik_Doof wrote:

Probably not the best route to do this as you may introduce problems, or the config may be reverted at a later time hmm

Best one so far is to edit /etc/defaults/locale, update your locale information then run:

I think you mean /etc/default/locale.

dpkg-reconfigure locales

And select what you need. It should regenerate the bulk of it. For the X keyboard map, it's probably selected from the location or the xorg.conf.

The stuff to change the timezone is dot on though smile

http://alpha.libre.fm/user/chytraeus
  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2009-06-29
  • Posts: 1,409

Re: Localization

um... you just raised the dead.

just call me...
~FSM~
  • Registered: 2009-04-26
  • Posts: 16

Re: Localization

blackbinary wrote:

um... you just raised the dead.

Perhaps, but maybe it will help someone, who, like me, was searching the forums to fix localization on their Crunchbang box.

From the shell, I did:
sudo vi /etc/defaults/locale

and it turned up nothing.

So then I did:

locate locale

and near the top of the standard output I found /etc/default/locale.

Is it a bad idea to "raise the dead" if it helps someone else searching the forums while attempting to solve a problem?

Last edited by chytraeus (2009-07-04 01:31:30)

http://alpha.libre.fm/user/chytraeus
  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2009-06-29
  • Posts: 1,409

Re: Localization

sorry, but it seemed like you posted in the topic just to change /etc/defaults/locale to /etc/default/locale, for someone who no longer had an issue (otherwise we would have seen other posts).
But helping people is good, and I don't think theres any kind of policy against becoming a necromancer tongue!

just call me...
~FSM~
  • From: Ács, Hungary
  • Registered: 2009-07-21
  • Posts: 170

Re: Localization

And what about the language? I mean I'd like to use my lappy in english, (it doesn't matter that I'm a Hungarian)
but, while installing the system, when I chose the country, I can't use other system language to install, just the
local. I searched the synaptic for language packages, but there's only for office, and php...
So how can I turn my half hungarian, half English system to a full English, but keeping the keyboard layout, and
the time localization?

Dell Studio 1537+#! Statler Alpha2 || http://taklertamas.deviantart.com/gallery/