Conflict between keyboard variants when using multiple keyboards with specific layouts

[ortolot]

Hello,

I am using a setup with two so-called keyboards:

• a regular keyboard, layout fr, variant oss;
• a barcode reader, layout us, variant euro.

That configuration does not work:

input type:keyboard {
    xkb_layout fr
    xkb_variant oss
}

# Barcode reader
input 1155:22352:STMicroelectronics_BCST-60_Keyboard {
    xkb_layout us
}

Sway complains: Error on line 8 (~/.config/sway/config) 'xkb_layout us': Failed to compile keymap: couldn't process include statement for 'us(oss)'

That seems normal since us(oss) does not exist, but when completed like this:

input type:keyboard {
    xkb_layout fr
    xkb_variant oss
}

# Barcode reader
input 1155:22352:STMicroelectronics_BCST-60_Keyboard {
    xkb_layout us
    xkb_variant euro
}

Sway still complains: Error on line 8 (~/.config/sway/config) 'xkb_layout us': Failed to compile keymap: couldn't process include statement for 'us(oss)'

It looks like Sway is trying to set the keyboard layout as soon as it sees the xkb_layout directive, without waiting for a possible variant specification.

When corrected that way:

input type:keyboard {
    xkb_layout fr
    xkb_variant oss
}

# Barcode reader
input 1155:22352:STMicroelectronics_BCST-60_Keyboard {
    xkb_variant euro
    xkb_layout us
}

Sway still complaing, but differently: Error on line 8 (~/.config/sway/config) 'xkb_variant euro': Failed to compile keymap: couldn't process include statement for 'fr(euro)'

It looks like Sway is trying to set the keyboard variant without waiting for a possible layout specification, and fr(euro) indeed does not exist.

I eventually found a solution, but I think it would be better if Sway could wait for the entire input block before setting anything. If that is feasible, that is… My current workaround is:

input type:keyboard {
    xkb_layout fr
    xkb_variant oss
}

# Barcode reader
input 1155:22352:STMicroelectronics_BCST-60_Keyboard {
    xkb_variant basic # that exists in both fr and us layouts
    xkb_layout us
    xkb_variant euro
}