[hotani]

This problem has existed ever since OS X adopted user switching. if it is just me logged into the machine, i have no problem keeping the login window set to use the standard US qwerty keyboard layout while I use dvorak in my own user environment. However, as soon as someone else logs in on the machine, the login window resets to dvorak. If I try to log in as root to change it back (the only way I've found to change it), it freezes on login and I have to reboot.

Is there some other way to hard-code that login window to use qwerty so in the rare case that someone needs to log into my machine they won't think they've gone completely insane?

[CharlesS]

Instead of logging in as root, launch the System Preferences app as root using sudo in the Terminal, or the shareware utility Pseudo.

[yukon]

Problem? PROBLEM?!

Hell ;-). With Windows, if you install with dvorak as the default, at the login window you CANNOT change that to default to QWERTY to the best of my knowledge. The only way is to re-run the setup application that runs after installation, but that can cause problems. I've had to reformat people's machines because I selected DVORAK to make the setup easier. The converse being true, leave QWERTY as the default and you're stuck again. You have to know some keyboard shortcut that I don't know.

With OS X you can login as root (or run the prefs as root, good tip), you can change the background image, the keymapping, and other settings, and they'll affect the loginwindow. The only thing I don't like is more universal with UNIXes I've run, when booting the keymapping is compiled into the kernel (and in BIOS). For example, once in a while I go into single user mode in OS X, and type "uojt [fu" to check the filesystem - I actually have that memorized. BTW, something is wrong with the install if it crashes with the keyboard layout change.

[hotani]

thanks for the comments - I'll try launching system prefs as root in my own environment to change login window, that seems like it'll work.

Windows is a holy nightmare when trying to change keyboard layouts - I feel your pain there. They didn't make it any easier with the move to XP either, just more confusing and problematic to switch. Plus it switches for the app you are in at the moment, not the whole environment like OS X does.

My crash or 'freeze' occurs after the login window has decided to switch itself to dvorak and I try to log in to the gui as root. the login screen disappears, then i'm frozen. This is the only thing that will consistently do that.

[Detrius]

Originally posted by hotani:
thanks for the comments - I'll try launching system prefs as root in my own environment to change login window, that seems like it'll work...

If it doesn't, you can also try enabling the root user and logging in as root. The terminal keeps track of whom the login user is--shell variables are set appropriately. So, that may theoretically create problems if you just try to launch it using sudo.

[hotani]

ok cool. root user is enabled on my system... i rarely use sudo.

[Simon]

Originally posted by CharlesS:
Instead of logging in as root, launch the System Preferences app as root using sudo in the Terminal, or the shareware utility Pseudo.

That's interesting. System Preferences saves its system-wide prefs depending on being launched as root? Independent of the logged in user? Really? It would be very handy.

[OreoCookie]

That's really an old problem. (Don't get me started on the stupid French keyboard.)

The login screen uses the root language and fast user switching is sometimes inconsistent with what layout is used. If you can, use a consistent keyboard layout for all users.