Keyboard layout switching Not Working

[CoolAller]

Distribution

LMDE 7

Package version

Cinnamon 6.6.7

Graphics hardware in use

Radeon RX 480

Frequency

Always

Bug description

Hello dear developers!
We truly appreciate your work and have been using your distributions for many years! But now, serious trouble has come from an unexpected place.

Switching the keyboard layout doesn't work.

Keyboard shortcuts assigned to switch layouts via the XKB Options tab, such as Alt+Shift, don't work in many places. In the Cinnamon menu, the layout doesn't switch at all, and on the authentication screen, the layout doesn't switch either. You have to close the authentication window, change the layout, and repeat the process. Layout switching (XKB Options -> Alt+Shift) doesn't work at all in the Cinnamon menu!

I saw your response to someone else's comment:
Link to comment

"Cinnamon 6.6 changed the default method for defining layout switching keybindings. The new method works the same way other keybindings in Cinnamon work: you have to hold the modifier key before pressing the second key — order matters, you can't just mash the keys together now."

An operating system should be for the users, not the other way around.

This is not just inconvenient, it's unbearable and extremely annoying!

Please bring things back to the way they were before!

Steps to reproduce

1. Assign a keyboard layout using the XKB Options -> Alt+Shift.
2. Open the authentication dialog, for example, when changing the "Network Time" in the "Date and Time" menu.
3. Press the Alt+Shift keyboard shortcut and verify that the keyboard layout does not change.
4. Open the Cinnamon menu, press Alt+Shift, and verify that the keyboard layout does not change.

Additional bug:

When switching layouts (where this still works), icons next to each other start to shift in the tray. This happens because there is no reserved space for the language icon.

Expected behavior

1. The keyboard layout should switch instantly when pressing a key combination (e.g., Alt+Shift), without the need to hold down a modifier key before pressing the second key. The layout should switch immediately after pressing both keys, regardless of the order in which they are pressed.

2. Keyboard layout switching via XKB Options -> Alt+Shift should work everywhere, in all areas of the operating system (DE Cinnamon).

3. When switching keyboard layouts, the icons in the system tray should remain stable, and neighboring icons should not shift or move. The space for the language icon should be reserved to prevent any displacement of adjacent icons.

[mtwebster]

Using XKB Options instead of the new keybindings will give you the 'instant switch' back, it's only the 'taught' keybindings under the layout list that require a correct key order.

Layout switching in popups, dialogs fixed:
58e1c47

Panel issue:
#13603

[CoolAller]

Layout switching in popups, dialogs fixed

All available Cinnamon (LMDE 7) update packages have been installed, but the issue still persists (Cinnamon menu, authentication screens). The fixes probably haven't made it into the repository yet.

mtwebster, I very apologize for my overly emotional message. I really appreciate everything you do! Thank you so much!