Bug 28777

Summary:	mozc (ibus): use hiragana mode by default (regression from mga7, patch to fix it was dropped without comment)
Product:	Mageia	Reporter:	Christian Lohmaier <lohmaier+mageia>
Component:	RPM Packages	Assignee:	All Packagers <pkg-bugs>
Status:	NEW ---	QA Contact:
Severity:	normal
Priority:	Normal	CC:	cjw, geiger.david68210, marja11, thierry.vignaud, tmb
Version:	8
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
URL:	https://github.com/google/mozc/issues/381
Whiteboard:
Source RPM:	mozc-2.23.2785.102-4.mga7.src.rpm	CVE:
Status comment:
Bug Depends on:	24502
Bug Blocks:

Description Christian Lohmaier 2021-04-14 11:09:26 CEST

The patch to fix the bug was dropped without corresponding comment/explanation in 
https://svnweb.mageia.org/packages/cauldron/mozc/releases/2.25.4190.102/1.mga8/SPECS/mozc.spec?r1=1660987&r2=1662821

+++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #24502 +++

Description of problem:
traditionally, mozc method did start with hiragana mode enabled by default, the mode that most people want when using ibus-mozc as an additional layout along with their native keyboard.

Upstream decided to change it to direct mode when running in ibus-1.5.x or later, which might come handy for native Japanese, but not for everyone else. (and my assumption is that the vast majority of mageia users using mozc are not typing primarily with Japanese keyboard but are mainly using their native xkb layout most of the time an only occasionally switch to ibus-mozc)

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
changed in 1.15.1785.102 (mga6 has 1.11.something, so while mga6 already had ibus 1.5, mozc did default to hiragana mode)

As there is no runtime configuration option for this, only way to change default is a one-liner patch the source
https://github.com/google/mozc/blame/096650398addf9548a49403e1658a21b6e55b4e4/src/unix/ibus/property_handler.cc#L78-L86

- const bool kActivatedOnLaunch = false;
+ const bool kActivatedOnLaunch = true;


see https://github.com/google/mozc/issues/381 and https://github.com/google/mozc/issues/201 for details

to reproduce:
1) add ibus-mozc to your input sources (in gnome-settings region and languages)
2) switch to Japanese input method using super+space or via panel
   → try typing romanized Japanese
     → get frustrated since it still is in direct mode
3) manually switch mozc to hiragana via panel (as AFAICT there's no working shortcut to switch by default, only if you had hankaku key)
   → finally can type Japanese

thankfully ibus remembers your setting for your user session, so switching to another layout and back won't reset mozc to direct mode, but nevertheless a big annoyance...

Comment 1 David Walser 2021-04-14 15:32:40 CEST

Looks like a more proper fix is available at the bottom of:
https://github.com/google/mozc/issues/201

CC: luigiwalser => (none)

Comment 2 Christian Lohmaier 2021-04-15 13:23:29 CEST

Thanks for the pointer, brings me to the next issue though, in GNOME I cannot open the settings for ibus-mozc to configure anything like that.

GNOME Settings → Region and Language
 I have the Japanese (Mozc) entry, and it has the settings-wheel, the eye and delete icons, but clicking on the settings-wheel or eye does nothing (wouldn't expect the eye to be useful, but would love to open the settings).
If I click on those, nothing happens. For the German or English keybord layouts, there is no settings-icon (as there is nothing to configure), and the eye opens a picture of the keyboard layout as expected.

running ibus-settings has similar problem. It lists mozc as input method, but clicking on the settings button does nothing.

Turns out mozc-tools is not installed, and neither mozc nor ibus-mozc recommends it. When installed, the settings open, but there is no UI element to adjust the initial mode.
(and then I looked at the issue again and saw that the fix is just a month old, and even when configured manually it wouldn't work…)

########

tldr:

* please add a recommends to mozc-tools to ibus-mozc
* add the patch that makes the initial state configurable/update to a version that has it included:
https://github.com/google/mozc/commit/467a91c5b237ef9f519075b42e7c4585281e168f
* and if you don't decide to flip the default to hiragana again, at least add a changelog message "initial mode is now user-configurable see sample config for details" or similar.

Comment 3 Marja Van Waes 2021-04-15 21:47:13 CEST

(In reply to Christian Lohmaier from comment #2)
<snip>
> 
> ########
> 
> tldr:
> 
> * please add a recommends to mozc-tools to ibus-mozc
> * add the patch that makes the initial state configurable/update to a
> version that has it included:
> https://github.com/google/mozc/commit/
> 467a91c5b237ef9f519075b42e7c4585281e168f
> * and if you don't decide to flip the default to hiragana again, at least
> add a changelog message "initial mode is now user-configurable see sample
> config for details" or similar.

Assigning to all packagers collectively (since "nobody" maintains this package)
CC'ing tv, who was the last one to touch this package

Assignee: bugsquad => pkg-bugs
CC: qa-bugs, sysadmin-bugs => thierry.vignaud
Keywords: advisory, validated_update => (none)