F41 KDE im-chooser doesn't work at all

im-chooser has not worked or started since installing Fedora 41 Spin KDE Plasma. When trying to start im-chooser, two errors pop up in the terminal:

ksarkans@fedora:~$ im-chooser

(im-chooser:7555): libimchooseui-WARNING **: 21:13:27.200: Unable to contact IMSettings: unknown reason

(im-chooser:7555): libimchooseui-WARNING **: 21:13:27.200: Unable to contact IMSettings: unknown reason

The program then gives a link to a log

[        17.328659]: GLib-GIO[1498]: DEBUG: _g_io_module_get_default: Found default implementation dconf (DConfSettingsBackend) for ā€˜gsettings-backend’
[        17.372702]: GLib-GIO[1498]: DEBUG: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
imsettings information
==========================
XINPUTRC: /home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings/xinputrc
	  File: /home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings/xinputrc -> /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/xcompose.conf
	  Size: 37        	Blocks: 8          Block Š’/Š’: 4096   symbolic link
	Device: 0/50	Sometimes: 7325        Links: 1
	Access: (0777/lrwxrwxrwx)  Uid: ( 1000/ksarkans)   Gid: ( 1000/ksarkans)
	Context: unconfined_u:object_r:config_home_t:s0
	Access:        2025-03-07 13:09:18.840016796 +0700
	Modified: 2025-03-03 00:26:06.465924477 +0700
	Modified:       2025-03-03 00:26:06.465924477 +0700
	Created:        2025-03-03 00:26:06.465924477 +0700
Is DBus enabled: yes
Is imsettings enabled: yes
Is GTK+ supported: yes
Is Qt supported: yes
Is Action needed: yes
DESKTOP: KDE-wayland
GUESS_DESKTOP: $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
DISABLE_IMSETTINGS: 
IMSETTINGS_DISABLE_DESKTOP_CHECK: 
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS: unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
GTK_IM_MODULE: 
QT_IM_MODULE: xim
XMODIFIERS: @im=none
IMSETTINGS_MODULE: X compose table
IMSETTINGS_INTEGRATE_DESKTOP: yes
IMSETTINGS_DISABLE_SYS_XINPUTRC: no
IMSETTINGS_DISABLE_USER_XINPUTRC: no
IMSETTINGS_IGNORE_SESSION: 


[        33.095749]: IMSettings-Daemon[1498]: WARNING **: Child process exited with code 1

[        33.097511]: IMSettings-Daemon[1498]: WARNING **: Unable to open X Display. Input Method may not work.
[        33.099045]: libnotify[1498]: DEBUG: SNAP app: (null)
[        34.123663]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO: Starting imsettings-daemon...
[        34.123735]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO:   [HOME=/home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings]
[        34.123776]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO:   [XINPUTRCDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/]
[        34.123795]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO:   [XINPUTDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/]

[        34.123812]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO:   [MODULEDIR=/usr/lib64/imsettings]

[        34.123829]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO:   [MODULES=gsettings]

[        34.125162]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO: X Display is available
[        34.575838]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO: Attempting to switch IM to X compose table [lang=ru_RU.UTF-8, desktop=KDE-wayland, update=false]

[        34.684443]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: WARNING **: Child process exited with code 1
[        34.684559]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO:   no need to invoke any auxiliary process for X compose table
[        34.684715]: GLib-GIO[2108]: DEBUG: _g_io_module_get_default: Found default implementation dconf (DConfSettingsBackend) for ā€˜gsettings-backend’
[        34.684901]: IMSettings-GSettings backend[2108]: INFO: Setting up xim:xim as gtk+ immodule
[        34.685161]: GLib-GIO[2108]: DEBUG: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
[        42.706741]: IMSettings-Daemon[1498]: INFO: Unloading imesttings module: gsettings
[        42.706862]: IMSettings-Daemon[1498]: INFO: imsettings-daemon is shut down.
[        51.693314]: libnotify[2108]: DEBUG: SNAP app: (null)
[        51.694181]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO: Unloading imesttings module: gsettings
[        51.698397]: IMSettings-Daemon[2108]: INFO: imsettings-daemon is shut down.
[        51.710477]: IMSettings-Daemon[5408]: INFO: Starting imsettings-daemon...
[        51.710539]: IMSettings-Daemon[5408]: INFO:   [HOME=/home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings]
[        51.710564]: IMSettings-Daemon[5408]: INFO:   [XINPUTRCDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/]
[        51.710583]: IMSettings-Daemon[5408]: INFO:   [XINPUTDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/]

[        51.710601]: IMSettings-Daemon[5408]: INFO:   [MODULEDIR=/usr/lib64/imsettings]

[        51.710618]: IMSettings-Daemon[5408]: INFO:   [MODULES=gsettings]

[         1.400118]: libnotify[5408]: DEBUG: SNAP app: (null)
[         1.400886]: IMSettings-Daemon[5408]: INFO: Unloading imesttings module: gsettings
[         1.406354]: IMSettings-Daemon[5408]: INFO: imsettings-daemon is shut down.
[         1.426271]: IMSettings-Daemon[5640]: INFO: Starting imsettings-daemon...
[         1.426336]: IMSettings-Daemon[5640]: INFO:   [HOME=/home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings]
[         1.426373]: IMSettings-Daemon[5640]: INFO:   [XINPUTRCDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/]
[         1.426403]: IMSettings-Daemon[5640]: INFO:   [XINPUTDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/]

[         1.426428]: IMSettings-Daemon[5640]: INFO:   [MODULEDIR=/usr/lib64/imsettings]

[         1.426446]: IMSettings-Daemon[5640]: INFO:   [MODULES=gsettings]

[        12.797825]: libnotify[5640]: DEBUG: SNAP app: (null)
[        12.798701]: IMSettings-Daemon[5640]: INFO: Unloading imesttings module: gsettings
[        12.798803]: IMSettings-Daemon[5640]: INFO: imsettings-daemon is shut down.
[        12.825060]: IMSettings-Daemon[5724]: INFO: Starting imsettings-daemon...
[        12.825132]: IMSettings-Daemon[5724]: INFO:   [HOME=/home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings]
[        12.825172]: IMSettings-Daemon[5724]: INFO:   [XINPUTRCDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/]
[        12.825200]: IMSettings-Daemon[5724]: INFO:   [XINPUTDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/]

[        12.825223]: IMSettings-Daemon[5724]: INFO:   [MODULEDIR=/usr/lib64/imsettings]

[        12.825248]: IMSettings-Daemon[5724]: INFO:   [MODULES=gsettings]

[        10.442602]: libnotify[5724]: DEBUG: SNAP app: (null)
[        10.447934]: IMSettings-Daemon[5724]: INFO: Unloading imesttings module: gsettings
[        10.448146]: IMSettings-Daemon[5724]: INFO: imsettings-daemon is shut down.
[        10.469375]: IMSettings-Daemon[6489]: INFO: Starting imsettings-daemon...
[        10.469458]: IMSettings-Daemon[6489]: INFO:   [HOME=/home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings]
[        10.469492]: IMSettings-Daemon[6489]: INFO:   [XINPUTRCDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/]
[        10.469522]: IMSettings-Daemon[6489]: INFO:   [XINPUTDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/]

[        10.469552]: IMSettings-Daemon[6489]: INFO:   [MODULEDIR=/usr/lib64/imsettings]

[        10.469576]: IMSettings-Daemon[6489]: INFO:   [MODULES=gsettings]

[        25.972733]: libnotify[6489]: DEBUG: SNAP app: (null)
[        25.973528]: IMSettings-Daemon[6489]: INFO: Unloading imesttings module: gsettings
[        25.973608]: IMSettings-Daemon[6489]: INFO: imsettings-daemon is shut down.
[        25.999826]: IMSettings-Daemon[6537]: INFO: Starting imsettings-daemon...
[        25.999903]: IMSettings-Daemon[6537]: INFO:   [HOME=/home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings]
[        25.999944]: IMSettings-Daemon[6537]: INFO:   [XINPUTRCDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/]
[        25.999977]: IMSettings-Daemon[6537]: INFO:   [XINPUTDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/]

[        26.000003]: IMSettings-Daemon[6537]: INFO:   [MODULEDIR=/usr/lib64/imsettings]

[        26.000034]: IMSettings-Daemon[6537]: INFO:   [MODULES=gsettings]

[        27.172248]: libnotify[6537]: DEBUG: SNAP app: (null)
[        27.172921]: IMSettings-Daemon[6537]: INFO: Unloading imesttings module: gsettings
[        27.172994]: IMSettings-Daemon[6537]: INFO: imsettings-daemon is shut down.
[        27.199424]: IMSettings-Daemon[7565]: INFO: Starting imsettings-daemon...
[        27.199488]: IMSettings-Daemon[7565]: INFO:   [HOME=/home/ksarkans/.config/imsettings]
[        27.199514]: IMSettings-Daemon[7565]: INFO:   [XINPUTRCDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/]
[        27.199532]: IMSettings-Daemon[7565]: INFO:   [XINPUTDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/]

[        27.199549]: IMSettings-Daemon[7565]: INFO:   [MODULEDIR=/usr/lib64/imsettings]

[        27.199566]: IMSettings-Daemon[7565]: INFO:   [MODULES=gsettings]


from which nothing is clear. Trying to reinstall im-chooser didn’t solve anything. It just changed the repository from ā€˜anaconda’ to ā€˜fedora’. I’ve searched all sorts of forums and discussions, but no one has a similar problem. I hope for help from people who know.

I think you need to install and start the im-settings daemon service.
Maybe you can find details here: User:Tagoh/IMSettings - Fedora Project Wiki
I only skimmed the page.

3 Likes

FYI, if starting the daemon is not sufficient to resolve the problem, it looks like there is a imsettings-switch -nx command that might function as a temporary workaround: 2237495 – Cannot run im-chooser from the command line (Tried in Plasma Wayland and XFCE)

2 Likes

Yes, I used this method right after installation to change ibus to xcompose, but I would still like im-chooser to work as intended. I think this answer will be useful for those who don’t know any other way to change the input method editor.

I read this article and tried to install/run im-settings daemon somehow, but… I couldn’t find it anywhere :slight_smile:
It’s not in systemctl services, it’s not in package manager repository, it’s not as dependency in im-chooser or imsettings packages, so I don’t know what to do with it.

FWIW, this is all I could find:

From github.com – imsettings-daemon.service.in:

[D-BUS Service]
Name=com.redhat.imsettings
Exec=@libexecdir@/imsettings-daemon

From dbus.freedesktop.org – system-activation.txt:

If you wish to activate the service without calling a well known method,
the standard dbus method StartServiceByName can be used:

dbus-send --system --print-reply			\
	--dest=org.freedesktop.DBus			\
	/org/freedesktop/DBus				\
	org.freedesktop.DBus.StartServiceByName		\
	string:org.freedesktop.Hal uint32:0
1 Like

Honestly, nothing works, no matter what I try. I’m too lazy to look for a solution, so let this post be marked as solved, because there are ways to change the input method without im-chooser. Looks like I’ll have to use the terminal imsettings-switch for a long time…

1 Like

FYI, someone just reported that the order of the available languages effects the chooser: Keyboard layout switching stopped working - #3 by andriisultanov

1 Like

im-chooser is still failing on F42. The two screenshots below show how I tried (and failed) to enable ibus through it.


Here’s the log file linked in the error dialog above:

[        55.981802]: GLib-GIO[2925]: DEBUG: _g_io_module_get_default: Found default implementation dconf (DConfSettingsBackend) for ā€˜gsettings-backend’
imsettings information
==========================
XINPUTRC: /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d//none.conf
	  File: /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d//none.conf
	  Size: 184       	Blocks: 8          IO Block: 4096   regular file
	Device: 0,37	Inode: 2516        Links: 1
	Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--)  Uid: (    0/    root)   Gid: (    0/    root)
	Context: system_u:object_r:bin_t:s0
	Access: 2025-06-21 12:10:17.194862253 -0300
	Modify: 2025-01-16 21:00:00.000000000 -0300
	Change: 2025-05-03 23:33:34.837871130 -0300
	 Birth: 2025-05-03 23:33:34.837836628 -0300
Is DBus enabled: yes
Is imsettings enabled: yes
Is GTK+ supported: yes
Is Qt supported: yes
Is Action needed: no
DESKTOP: KDE-wayland
GUESS_DESKTOP: $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
DISABLE_IMSETTINGS: 
IMSETTINGS_DISABLE_DESKTOP_CHECK: 
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS: unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
GTK_IM_MODULE: 
QT_IM_MODULE: 
XMODIFIERS: @im=none
IMSETTINGS_MODULE: none
IMSETTINGS_INTEGRATE_DESKTOP: yes
IMSETTINGS_DISABLE_SYS_XINPUTRC: no
IMSETTINGS_DISABLE_USER_XINPUTRC: no
IMSETTINGS_IGNORE_SESSION: *-wayland,GNOME

No action required

[         0.116724]: IMSettings-Daemon[2925]: WARNING **: Child process exited with code 1

[         0.120225]: IMSettings-Daemon[2925]: WARNING **: Unable to open X Display. Input Method may not work.
[         0.122222]: libnotify[2925]: DEBUG: SNAP app: (null)
[         0.139126]: IMSettings-Daemon[2925]: INFO: Unloading imesttings module: gsettings
[         0.139255]: IMSettings-Daemon[2925]: INFO: imsettings-daemon is shut down.
[         1.150481]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO: Starting imsettings-daemon...
[         1.151364]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO:   [HOME=/home/dsilva/.config/imsettings]
[         1.151494]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO:   [XINPUTRCDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/]
[         1.151578]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO:   [XINPUTDIR=/etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/]

[         1.151655]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO:   [MODULEDIR=/usr/lib64/imsettings]

[         1.151723]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO:   [MODULES=gsettings]

[         1.153365]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO: X Display is available

[        13.484310]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: WARNING **: Child process exited with code 1

[        16.957343]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: WARNING **: Child process exited with code 1
[        16.958042]: GLib-GIO[4128]: DEBUG: _g_io_module_get_default: Found default implementation dconf (DConfSettingsBackend) for ā€˜gsettings-backend’
[        16.958664]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO: X Display is available

[        19.467666]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: WARNING **: Child process exited with code 1
[        19.472474]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: INFO: X Display is available

[        49.016690]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: WARNING **: Child process exited with code 1

[        38.941194]: IMSettings-Daemon[4128]: WARNING **: Child process exited with code 1

Starting IBus (my workaround)

This solution lets me skip im-chooser completely, and use IBus for keyboard switching.

I just got ibus started on F42 by switching the Virtual Keyboard from the default ā€œMaliitā€ to ā€œIBus Waylandā€. I’m not sure if the required IBus packages come preinstalled — install them if you don’t see the IBus option.

The screen above is found in the System Settings app, category ā€œInput & Outputā€, option ā€œKeyboardā€, then ā€œVirtual Keyboardā€.

The IBus indicator should now be in your system tray.

IBus does the layout switching

Since KDE has its own keyboard layout switching — and its shortcuts take precedence over IBus — I have disabled the KDE layouts I had previously configured in the System Settings and the associated keyboard shortcuts; this allows IBus to take over the layout switching.

It has some notable differences. The layout can only be changed when your focus is on an editable input box (e.g. a form field) — nothing happens otherwise, but that’s OK for me. Also, in some rare occasions the little dialog gets stuck on your screen; this happened when I was trying to capture the screenshot above.

Although I don’t need to type japanese or chinese, I still need to have an IME like IBus enabled. For example, WhatsApp Web is one application that misbehaves without a running IME, failing to type accented first characters like Ć© or Ć£.