add chinese input for linux

original site:http://www.pinyinjoe.com/linux/ubuntu-12-chinese-setup.htm

 

Installing Chinese fonts and input methods in Ubuntu 12, 13, and 14 is very similar to my instructions for recent versions, but you'll notice some differences in these screen shots.

If you cannot run the Unity interface, use my instructions for Ubuntu 10 Chinese setup, log into the Gnome interface, and try to install proprietary drivers for your graphics card. Ubuntu should automatically present this option to you shortly after your first login, if it finds a card that can use such drivers. Then you may be able to restart and boot into Unity.

 

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Warning: Ubuntu 13.10 Chinese input methods are a mess! For details, see my Saucy Salamander IME #fail FAQ. Skip 13.10 and move on to 14.04 LTS, or if you don't need touch-screen support I recommend staying with 13.04 or 12.04 LTS.

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At the installation Welcome screen you will be asked to pick a display language, as shown on the right here. --->

It is not necessary to use a Chinese language desktop if you don't want to, because Chinese input methods are available in any locale. You can select "English" or another language now, and use Chinese menus later if you wish.

 

After installation, add language support:

After the installation is complete and you have logged in, you will find more than one way to get into the Language Support control panel. One is to click the menu at the upper right of the screen, and select System Settings:

 

That will bring up the System Settings panel, where you'll find Language Support:

 

Another way to find Language Support is to click the Dash icon at the upper left (or press the Ubuntu (Windows) key on your keyboard), and type "Language" into the search box:

Double-click the Language Support icon to open that panel.

For "Keyboard input method system", select "ibus" from the menu. (For info on adding the old SCIM framework to this menu, see the input methods page.) Then click the "Install / Remove Languages..." button:

 

After clicking that button you will see the Installed Languages panel. Scroll to and click the languages you want to install:

 

After the file installation process is complete, log out and log back in:

 

In all versions through 13.04 there will now be a keyboard icon on the top panel:

From 13.10 on this is replaced wtih a language icon indicating your current input method. In most cases will be there even before you do any additional language installation:

If it's not there or isn't working don't worry...yet. IBus does that sometimes. Later you can set the floating language panel to always display, and you will be able to switch input methods using <Alt-Shift> if nothing else.

Note: if the keyboard/En icon never appears for you (even after logout/login as mentioned above) open Terminal and enter this:

im-switch -s ibus

Then logout and login again. You should see the keyboard icon now.

 

Next steps:

• Selecting & configuring Ubuntu Chinese Input Methods (ver. 14, 13, 12, 11, 10)

• Chinese Fonts in Ubuntu 14, 13, 12, 11, 10,
  and LibreOffice Asian Language Features

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions, comments and suggestions.