Typing glyphs on Linux

Since mid-2012, most Linux distributions with X11 have Dyalog APL keyboard support included with the distribution, using, the X Keyboard Extension.

setxkbmap
The simplest way to set up an APL keyboard on Linux is with the following  command. Enter the following in your terminal emulator of choice:

An explanation:


 * assigns  (U.S. English) to be the primary layout, whereas   is secondary


 * assigns Right Alt to switch to the secondary  layout when it is pressed, otherwise   is used


 * assigns the Dyalog APL variant to the  layout which contains modifiations unique to the Dyalog language (Note the preceding comma)

A full list of keys that can be used to switch layouts is included in  under the   category.

Note: these changes are not permanent; the user will have to select one of a myriad of methods to run the command on startup. Alternatively, if they use one of the desktop environments listed below, they can follow those instructions.

GUI

 * 1) Open the Activities menu; this is located in the top-left corner of a default GNOME 3 session (alternatively, use your Super key to open the Activities overlay): Gnome-kbd-setup-1.png
 * 2) Search for "startup." When the Startup Applications program is highlighted, press the Enter key to open it: Gnome-kbd-setup-2.png
 * 3) Select the Add button on the right-hand side: Gnome-kbd-setup-3.png
 * 4) Provide a name, enter your  command, and click Add when finished: Gnome-kbd-setup-4.png

Terminal

 * 1) Navigate to   and create a   with any name that will help you remember its function.
 * 2) Add the following to the contents of your file, customizing to suit your needs:

LXDE

 * 1) Prepend an   to the   command from above:
 * 2) Add it as a line in your user's LXDE   file, located at:

For Lubuntu versions up to and including 18.04 (before the LXQt split), the location of  is.

GUI

 * 1) From your LXQt panel, navigate to Preferences → LXQt Settings → Session Settings; alternatively, enter   in your terminal emulator. You will be greeted with the following window: Lxqt-session-settings.png
 * 2) Select the   dropdown (it will be highlighted as shown above) and click the Add button to display the following pop-up window: Lxqt-add-autostart.png
 * 3) Provide a name, enter your   command, and click OK when finished.

Terminal
The above GUI approach merely creates a  file in the user's. Create your own file in the  directory whose contents are as follows, to replicate the functionality achieved through the GUI:

GUI

 * 1) Open your MATE menu (in the top-left corner of a default environment) and select Control Center at the bottom of the window: Mate-kbb-setup-1.png
 * 2) Scroll down through the main window, and under the Personal category, select Startup Applications: Mate-kbb-setup-2.png
 * 3) Click the Add button on the right-hand side: Mate-kbb-setup-3.png
 * 4) Provide a name, enter your   command, and click Add when finished: Mate-kbb-setup-4.png

Terminal
Navigate to  and create a   with any name that will help you remember its function.

Add the following to the contents of your file, customizing to suit your needs:

Xfce
A tutorial specific to Xfce's config files can be found at this GitHub repository.

Settings reverted during X Windows session
Since at least March 2020 there have been issues with  settings being reset without user instruction under the X Windows System.

Below is a script written in Raku that continuously checks for this undesirable reset behavior and puts the intended settings back in place.