How to allow for caps-lock keyboard layout change

Question

I am using a freshly installed Ubuntu-Gnome 16.04, and I want to set caps-lock to change keyboard layout (single key, not key combination). I used to have this Linux-mint, and I grew used to it. I looked into the setting manager, but there is doesn't accept caps-lock as a valid input. I also looked int gnome-tweak-tools but there I can't find the keyboard layout switching at all. Is this possible? how?

Solution 1

You could set the corresponding xkb option via dconf-editor.
Navigate to org > gnome > desktop > input-sources and add grp:caps_toggle to your xkb-options:

Note each option is enclosed in single quotes, options are separated by comma+space.

---

On older gnome3 releases you could do that also via System Settings > Keyboard (or gnome-control-center keyboard in terminal) > Typing > Modifiers-only switch to next source to Caps Lock

This was removed from recent releases (see sanmai's answer for alternatives to dconf-editor).

Solution 2

If you're looking for a way to visually edit configuration as in other answer, there's dconf-editor supplied with dconf-tools:

sudo aptitude install dconf-tools

If you fancy batch editing needed value, here's how you can read it:

dconf read /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/xkb-options

And here's how to update it:

dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/xkb-options "['grp:caps_toggle']"

You may need to logout and log back in for changes to take effect, but in my case changes came into effect immediately.

Other option is to use gnome-tweaks.

Solution 3

In Cinnamon on Linux Mint (or other Gnome like):

Keyboard->Layouts->Options->
                         |->Switching to another layout->Caps Lock
                         |->Use keyboard alternative ... LED->Caps Lock

Comments

[IC_]

It looks like gnome-tweak-tool now lacks menu Swithing to another layout. Your first approach works

[LeoRochael]

@Herrgott, On my machine, running gnome-tweaks 3.30.2, Under the top level menu Keyboard & Mouse there is a button Additional Layout Options which opens a modal dialog box with the options shown here for Typing. @sanmai, it would be helpful if you could update your answer.

[IC_]

@LeoRochael I guess you made a mistake with mention. I haven't posted an answer. I'm not using gnome and this is one of the reasons

[sanmai]

@LeoRochael Done, thanks for the tip!

[Jeff Schaller]

Is this just a text-based description of sanmai's answer?

[beguy]

Nope. He's using gnome-tweaks but all rly simpler.