TITLE:		Locale Aware
LFS VERSION:	any
AUTHOR:		Yann Kerhervé <yk@cyberion.net>

SYNOPSIS:
	How to customize your LFS system so that it is locale-aware (for non-US residents).

HINT:
*  A                   L O C A L E - A W A R E                   L F S  *
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Yann Kerhervé <yk@cyberion.net> - http://cyberion.net

$Id: lfs_frlocale_guide.txt,v 1.1 2003/09/15 04:49:15 tushar Exp $




I. Introduction
---------------

I would like to express my thanks to several people :
- David Madore ( http://eleves.ens.fr/home/linux/)
- Guilhem Aznar (French-HOWTO)
- People on the LFS Mailing-List

Indeed, the information of this mini-guide comes from them.  This guide
is just a summarized, concise (but incomplete too) rewording. I hope this
doc will help  you to install a locale-aware LFS box.

In order to be the most complete, please, feel free to add your experiences,
corrections to this document. I juste retrace here the way I localized LFS
on my box (French), but if you have different hardware, different config.
different language too, contribute !


II. TODO
--------

Contributions are welcomed

- csh and other shells (I don't use those)
- other locales (I use fr_FR)
- rxvt and other terminals (Xterm for me) 
- emacs and other editors if necessary (vim for me)
- XFree 4 complete working solution
- Compiling installing and testing XFree3.3.6
- Add some explanations where it is necessary
- tidy my room (contributions welcomed too :)


III. The Kernel compilation
--------------------------

I always compile the kernel with the ISO-8859-1  support, and I add two
NLS : 437 (US : recommanded) and 850 (Europe : Adapt). I think this 
settings are only for the compatibility with Microsoft's product
(Filesystem).


IV. Glibc (2.1.3)
------------------

What's described here can be done at any moment, as for me I do it as
soon as my LFS has been autonomous.

In the ./INSTALL, it's said :

        # localedef -i de_DE -f ISO-8859-1 de_DE

for setting a classic german locale. So for a french one :

        # localedef -i fr_FR -f ISO-8859-1 fr_FR

There is also another possibility, cd to the glibc-build directory and
issue :

        # make localedata/install-locales

this should install all locales (supported by glibc) in your linux system.

Do you need this ? What are the symptoms if you need this ?  One of the
most important is perl complaints (quite annoying) that's to say :

        perl: warning: Setting locale failed.  perl: warning: Please check
        that your locale settings:
            LC_ALL = "fr_FR",
        LANG = (unset)
            are supported and installed on your system.
            perl: warning: Falling back to the standard locale ("C").

each time ou launch the perl interpreter.

The localdef command discribed above fix the problem for me.  (In the
bash I have exported the environnement variable : LANG, LANGUAGE, LC_ALL
to 'fr_FR').  Anothers fixes, if perl is too annoying, are described in
the perllocale page :

        $ perldoc perllocale

for exemple export PERL_BADLANG if you want perl to be quiet
(dirty). Another solution is to change the locale to something installed
on your linux. For instance 'C'.


V. Gettext
----------

I don't remember exactely when, but I have installed gettext in my
LFS system. I remember that I have installed it after all mandatory
software you should configure with the '--disable-nls' option.
I don't have the time to reinstall my LFS system since it takes a lot
of time. But, It could be interesting if someone tests something :
compiling and installing gettext as soon as possible. Indeed, when
I installed it, I were forced to reconfigure and reinstall every
software without the '--disable-nls' option.

Please, send me feedbacks.


VI. The console and the shell
-----------------------------

The set up of the console is quite easy, but results may vary according
to the way you do it.

* GOALS

My goals were : 
- a <backspace> erasing left 
- a <del/suppr> key erasing right 
- <home> and <end> moving the cursor to the beginning or the end
  of the prompt line 
- accented keys working : éàè and ç 
- a working meta <Alt Gr> for generating <2>->'~', <3>->'#' and so on
- deadkeys enabled : ^e ¨o ...

The French-Howto was quite handy for reaching these goals.  Everything is
done with : 
- loadkeys : for loading a map in the kernel 
- setfont : changing the console font - be precautionous 
- readline configuration : INPUTRC

* LOADKEYS

loadkeys loads a map in the kernel. Be sure to install the last version of
kbd (0.95, at the moment I'm writing these lines) working with your kernel
(2.2.15).  This package provides a large set of maps and fonts. Please
refer to the loadkeys manpage for more information

As french user, I use the 'fr-latin1' map

You can find my trivial /etc/init.d/keymaps, sligthy modified from the
debian's one, with this document (in the tarball).

install a link in ./rcS.d/S06keymaps for example (keymaps should be
loaded as soon as possible)

* CONSOLEFONTS

As for the font, you can change them according to your needs
(slackware-like:) But be carreful, some fonts may be incompatible
with your locale.  If you cannot see any change while you're changing
those fonts, It's perhaps because you use the linux FB (Frame Buffer -
/usr/src/linux/Documentation/fb).  BUT, changing those fonts may alter
your localisation (I'm not sure, nevertheless).

As for me, I don't change the kernel default.


* READLINE (bash)

You should find in the tarball my rc scripts for bash. In these scripts a
Environnement variable is set : $INPUTRC. Inputrc is used by readline
for the customization at the init. If the INPUTRC is not set, then by
default readline will have a look to $HOME/.inputrc

here is my system wide /etc/inputrc (FRENCH-Howto):

        # ---- Begin  /etc/inputrc 
        
        set convert-meta off
        set meta-flag on
        # Be 8 bit clean.
        set input-meta on
        set output-meta on

        # home key
        "\e[1~":beginning-of-line
        # insert key
        "\e[2~":kill-whole-line
        # del key
        "\e[3~":delete-char
        # end key
        "\e[4~":end-of-line
        # pgup key
        "\e[5~":history-search-forward
        # pgdn key
        "\e[6~":history-search-backward

        # ---- End  /etc/inputrc 

with these settings everything should be ok for a french LFS user... ok,
in the console, problems come now :(


VII. X11 
--------

I experienced difficulties with XF4 with deadkeys, so you will
find below, the settings of two different version of XF.

* XFree86 4

With XFree86, I have almost perfect settings. But, there is just dead-keys
which don't work.

The configuration file syntax has changed with this new version.  For the
key board, here is settings ok for french people :

        Option "XkbRules"   "xfree86"
        Option "XkbModel"   "pc101"
        Option "XkbLayout"  "fr"


* XTerm

BUT, if you're using xterm, you've to change several things. Here are the
real difficulties. I don't know the inner working of that, but the David
Madore's solution (http://eleves.ens.fr:8080/home/madore) is quite ok!

You have to change the /etc/termcap of your system (installed by termcap)
so with my LFS 2.3.1, I use termcap-1.3 You should find with this document
the fixed termcap (in the tarball)

here are the diffs : in the section xterm and xterm color:

        xterm|vs100|xterm terminal emulator (X11R6 Window System):\
                :am:km:mi:ms:xn:xo:\
                :co#80:it#8:li#24:\
                :AL=\E[%dL:DC=\E[%dP:DL=\E[%dM:DO=\E[%dB:IC=\E[%d@:\
                :LE=\E[%dD:RI=\E[%dC:UP=\E[%dA:ae=^O:al=\E[L:as=^N:\
                :bl=^G:cd=\E[J:ce=\E[K:cl=\E[H\E[2J:cm=\E[%i%d;%dH:\
                :cr=^M:cs=\E[%i%d;%dr:ct=\E[3g:dc=\E[P:dl=\E[M:do=^J:\
                :ei=\E[4l:ho=\E[H:ic=\E[@:im=\E[4h:\
                :is=\E[r\E[m\E[2J\E[H\E[?7h\E[?1;3;4;6l\E[4l:\
                :k1=\E[11~:k2=\E[12~:k3=\E[13~:k4=\E[14~:k5=\E[15~:\
                :k6=\E[17~:k7=\E[18~:k8=\E[19~:k9=\E[20~:kI=\E[2~:\
                :kN=\E[6~:kP=\E[5~:kb=^?:kD=\E[3~:kd=\EOB:ke=\E[?1l\E>:\
                :kh=\E[1~:kl=\EOD:kr=\EOC:ks=\E[?1h\E=:ku=\EOA:le=^H:\
                :md=\E[1m:me=\E[m:mr=\E[7m:nd=\E[C:rc=\E8:sc=\E7:\
                :se=\E[m:sf=^J:so=\E[7m:sr=\EM:ta=^I:\
                :te=\E[2J\E[?47l\E8:ti=\E7\E[?47h:ue=\E[m:up=\E[A:\
                :us=\E[4m:@7=\E[4~:
        
        # From: Eric S. Raymond <esr@snark.thyrsus.com> May 4 1995
        # Should work with the color xterm on the X11R6 contrib tape.
        xterm-color|xterm with color support:\
                :tc=xterm:ut:Co#8:pa#64:vi=\E[?25l:ve=\E[?25h:op=\E[39;49m:\
                :AB=\E[4%dm:AF=\E[3%dm:

I experiences difficulties with xterm. so I had to modify the app-defaults.
Enclosed, you should fine my entire .Xresources, here is the real point :

        *VT100.Translations: #override\n\
        <Key>BackSpace: string(0x7f)\n\
        Ctrl<Key>Prior: string(0x1b) string("[40~")\n\
        Ctrl<Key>Next: string(0x1b) string("[41~")\n\
        Ctrl<Key>KP_Prior: string(0x1b) string("[40~")\n\
        Ctrl<Key>KP_Next: string(0x1b) string("[41~")\n\
        Ctrl<Key>Home: string(0x1b) string("[42~")\n\
        Ctrl<Key>End: string(0x1b) string("[43~")\n\
        Ctrl<Key>KP_Home: string(0x1b) string("[42~")\n\
        Ctrl<Key>KP_End: string(0x1b) string("[43~")\n\
        <Key>Delete: string(0x1b) string("[3~")\n\
        <Key>Insert: string(0x1b) string("[2~")\n\
        <Key>Home: string(0x1b) string("[1~")\n\
        <Key>End: string(0x1b) string("[4~")\n\
        :<Key>KP_Delete: string(0x1b) string("[3~")\n\
        :<Key>KP_Insert: string(0x1b) string("[2~")\n\
        :<Key>KP_Home: string(0x1b) string("[1~")\n\
        :<Key>KP_End: string(0x1b) string("[4~")\n\
        <Key>KP_Enter: string(0x0d)


As for me, this lines are in my $HOME/.Xressources, because, my
xinitrc (/etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc) specify :

        (...)
        sysresources=/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/.Xresources
        (...)
        if [ -f $sysresources ]; then
                  xrdb -merge $sysresources
        fi
        (...)

According to David Madore's homepage, you shouldn't use .Xdefaults.

Another way is to modify - or create - the
-  /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/app-defaults/XTerm
-  /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/app-defaults/XTerm-color

(Every files in the app-default directory determines the way the apps
are looking by default)

Ok, now, with these settings, you should be quite happy - at least with
xterm, since almost all goals were reached.

* VIM Under Xterm

I had to fix vim in order to avoid the headache when editing a file under
xterm. Here is the trick :

        " XTERM fix for deleting (yk)
        if &term =~ "xterm"
          set t_kb=DT
          fixdel
        endif

        if &term =~ "xterm"
          set t_kD=[3~
        endif

You should have a copy of my complete vimrc. Ok, you should now
have a vim working under the console as well as under xterm.

TODO : I'm searching help with DEADKEYS 

*  XFree86 3.3.6 

I didn't change my termcap  and Xresources back, so I don't know If the
changes were necessary

TODO: to complete


VIII. Resources
---------------

o Keyboard-and-Console-HOWTO : 
  http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Keyboard-and-Console-HOWTO.html
  gives some explanations about kernel inner-working,
  quite generic

o The David Madores's Excellent Home Page :
  http://eleves.ens.fr:8080/home/madore/linux.html
  This homepage receals treasures and some advices given
  here, dealing with the french keyboard
  
o The French-HOWTO : 
  http://www.freenix.org/unix/linux/HOWTO/
  A lot of application described, but a bit old

o VIM Homepage :
  http://www.vim.org

o LFS :
  http://www.linuxfromscratch.com

