---
name: "im-switch"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "im-switch"
version: "1.23"
release: "Debian 7 (Wheezy)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/im-switch"
---

# im-switch(8)

set up input method for X Window

## NAME

im-switch - set up input method for X Window

## SYNOPSIS

**im-switch \[-v\]\[-z ll\_CC\] -s inputmethodname**

- **im-switch \[-v\]\[-z ll\_CC\] -c**

  - **im-switch \[-v\]\[-z ll\_CC\] -a**

  - **im-switch \[-v\]\[-z ll\_CC\] -l**

  - **im-switch -h**

  - **im-switch**

  ## DESCRIPTION

This manual page very briefly documents the **im-switch** command.

The **im-switch** command provides the framework to configure and to switch the input  method on X Window System depending on the locale. This input method  is the essential mechanism for Japanese, Chinese and Korean (CJK)  languages to enter their non-ASCII native characters.

Some input methods such as IBus, SCIM, and uim support not only one of these CJK languages  but support almost all languages simultaneously by dynamically switching  keyboard modes with GUI.

The most desirable input method is provided as the configurable system  wide default using Debian alternatives mechanism with **/etc/alternatives/xinput-ll\_CC** link.

The X start up code sources **/etc/X11/Xsession.d/90im-switch** which read the configuration file and activates the input method. The user configuration files and links are located in  **~/.xinput.d/ .** The system configuration files and links are located in  **/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/ .**

This structure ensures to have different input methods to be installed side-by-side.

**im-switch** understands the following options:

- **-v**

  Display verbose message during execution.

- **-z** ll\_CC

  Set up the input method for X run under **ll\_CC** locale (ISO 639 / ISO 3188).  When changing the fallback default for all locales, use **all\_ALL** as the quasi-locale value here.  The setup by this **all\_ALL** does not override specific setups.

- **-s** inputmethodname

  Set up the input method to use inputmethodname.

- **-c**

  Configure the input method with menu. (Under X, this uses GUI.)

- **-a**

  Reset the input method to the system default.

- **-l**

  List the input method configuration.

- **-h**

  Print a help message to the standard output and exit.

When the **im-switch** command is invoked without any command arguments, it functions as **-c** option case.  This is meant to be used by the GUI menu.

## SEE ALSO

[**update-alternatives**(8)](/update-alternatives/8.md) **/usr/share/doc/im-switch/README.Debian** **/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/default**

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Osamu Aoki \<osamu@debian.org\>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).