[FIXED] Can't use accents

[Captain Chirac]

On Linux Mint 19, I cannot seem to use accented letters anymore, probably since the latest client update. My system is in English, along with the Steam client but I use a French keyboard and input.

Accents work anywhere else, just not on Steam (be it in chat or through the Steam store).

I've tested it on Windows 10 and I can use the accents there.

Do you have any suggestions to get them back?

Thanks!

[meheezen]

im on CentOS 7 and can use accents as usual (i aways use a English US Internacional layout, got used to it).
check if there are multiple keyboard layouts installed, IIRC the "English US" layout does not support accents. there might be something changing the layout for the Steam application.

[thetargos]

I also can use accented characters, except in the overlay and within games, but in Steam proper I have no issues. I use English locale in Steam, and my distribution is Fedora 28, with Spanish Mex locale in the OS.

[Captain Chirac]

Thanks for the replies.

I've tried several things, with no luck:

• Different keyboard layouts with accents,
  
• Using French for the system locale + region + layout + Steam,
  
• Reinstalling steam,
  
• Using the sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration command as seen in this thread.

I've tried combinations of different layouts and locales, but I simply can't make any accent!

I suspect there's some tweaking to do in the Steam files, but I'm not experienced enough to know where to look.

I'll report back if I find any solution.

[thetargos]

Let me get this straight, in the rest of the system you are able to use accented chars, only Steam is not working as it should?

[Captain Chirac]

That's correct. I couldn't use my computer without being able to type accents. I've only recently realised that I couldn't use any on Steam when chatting with a friend.

[thetargos]

If I have the steam chat client open WITHOUT games, I can use them, but within games I cannot.

[voda]

Had the same problem, fixed it by enabling en_US.utf8 locale.

[Captain Chirac]

Thanks. This indeed fixes the problem on Steam.
However, I won't use my system with US locale (their date format sucks!) so I'll stick to British English and live without accents on Steam.

[Zyro]

You don't need to set it globally. Try
LC_ALL=en_US.utf8 steam
(Single command line.)

[voda]

It is enough to have the US locale installed. I don't use it either.

[GlouGlouFou]

For Debian-based distros (Ubuntu, Mint, PopOS!, etc), you can add locales with this command:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure locales

It will take you to a in-terminal interface, add "en_US.UTF8" to the selection using SPACE-BAR, then verify your favorite local is still selected, then proceed with TAB to the OK button and ENTER. Restart Steam and it should work.

[KairanD]

Originally posted by thetargos:

If I have the steam chat client open WITHOUT games, I can use them, but within games I cannot.

I have the exact same problem with Ubuntu 19.10. I tried everything to solve it and nothing worked. I am almost giving up on Linux.

[Zyro]

Originally posted by KairanD:

Originally posted by thetargos:

If I have the steam chat client open WITHOUT games, I can use them, but within games I cannot.

I have the exact same problem with Ubuntu 19.10. I tried everything to solve it and nothing worked. I am almost giving up on Linux.

What does that mean, "chat client open WITH(OUT) games"?

[KairanD]

Originally posted by Zyro:

Originally posted by KairanD:

I have the exact same problem with Ubuntu 19.10. I tried everything to solve it and nothing worked. I am almost giving up on Linux.

What does that mean, "chat client open WITH(OUT) games"?

I'm able to use accents normally in everything, including Steam chat: á, é, í, ó, ú, ã, ñ.

When I open any game, accents stop working instantly in Steam chat (I can only type the letter, without accent, like a, e, n) and appear like this in any in-game chat (Elder Scrolls Online and Super Animal Royale, for example): ´a, ´e, ~a.

The result: when I'm playing, I can't chat with friends in Portuguese or Spanish without absurd grammatical errors.

I tried everything suggested here and nothing worked. :(

My system language is Brazilian Portuguese.

[thetargos]

Originally posted by KairanD:

Originally posted by Zyro:

What does that mean, "chat client open WITH(OUT) games"?

I'm able to use accents normally in everything, including Steam chat: á, é, í, ó, ú, ã, ñ.

When I open any game, accents stop working instantly in Steam chat (I can only type the letter, without accent, like a, e, n) and appear like this in any in-game chat (Elder Scrolls Online and Super Animal Royale, for example): ´a, ´e, ~a.

The result: when I'm playing, I can't chat with friends in Portuguese or Spanish without absurd grammatical errors.

I tried everything suggested here and nothing worked. :(

My system language is Brazilian Portuguese.

Exactly. If you enter a game and you use the chat in the overlay, you can't input accentuated characters. If you have the chat window open and NOT in a game, all is fine. The only way around is to focus the main chat window (not in the overlay) using alt-tab, which then has problems of its own.