I suppose debian-faq and kbd packages needs to be updated.
For the original question, in my debian-reference explains as:
https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-reference/ch08.en.html#_the_keyboard_input_for_linux_console_and_x_window
---
The Debian system can be configured to work with many international keyboard
arrangements using the keyboard-configuration and console-setup packages.
# dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration
# dpkg-reconfigure console-setup
For the Linux console and the X Window system, this updates configuration parameters
in "/etc/default/keyboard" and "/etc/default/console-setup". This also configures the
Linux console font. Many non-ASCII characters including accented characters used by
many European languages can be made available with dead key, AltGr key, and compose
key.
---
I agree with Justine that things has changed and I think I updated my doc over 10
years ago. Of course, I don't remember the details now. (I will continue this
discussion after quoted text.)
Post by RLPost by Justin B RyePost by sebulhttps://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-faq/customizing.en.html#consolefont
says /etc/kbd/config file
But, I cannot find /etc/kbd/config on my Debian.
How can I solve it?
/etc/kbd/config is deprecated in favour of /etc/default/console-setup
(see /usr/share/doc/kbd/NEWS.Debian.gz). This seems to imply kbd's
# Description: Linux console font and keytable utilities
# This package allows you to set up the Linux console, change the font,
# resize text mode virtual consoles and remap the keyboard.
# .
# You will probably want to install a set of data files, such as the one
# in the “console-data” package.
For a start there's no such package as "console-data" (does it mean
console-setup-linux?)
there is https://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=console-data
but i am equally puzzled by what any of these three packages (kbd,
console-data, console-setup) actually do, or which i really need. I find
the desciptions of all unclear.
The installer leaves you with kbd (which recommends console-setup |
console-data) but i've never known how to find out why.
Let's check what are used on Debian.
kbd and keyboard-configuration and console-setup are introduced around 2010 and
widely used since.
* https://qa.debian.org/popcon.php?package=kbd
* https://qa.debian.org/popcon.php?package=console-setup
console-data and console-common usage are not used for new default installations
since 2010.
* https://qa.debian.org/popcon.php?package=console-data
* https://qa.debian.org/popcon.php?package=console-common
Let's use aptitude to see kbd package.
---
i A --\ kbd
2.3.0-3 2.3.0-3
Description: Linux console font and keytable utilities
This package allows you to set up the Linux console, change the font, resize text
mode virtual consoles and remap the keyboard.
You will probably want to install a set of data files, such as the one in the
“console-data” package.
...
--\ Recommends (1)
--\ console-setup | console-data
p console-data 2:1.12-8
i A console-setup 1.205
--\ Conflicts (1)
--- console-utilities
--- Package names provided by kbd (1)
--- Packages which depend on kbd (14)
--\ Versions of kbd (1)
i A 2.3.0-3
---
kbd installs console-setup as the primary candidate as recommend and skips to install
console-date. But its description still carry situation when initial introduction of
kbd package happened. It should now say “console-setup” instead of “console-data” to
reduce confusion.
I don't know why old console-data and console-common is still in archive. I don't
use it any more. But maybe for some special system, they still need to configure as
it was done before 2010. If it works, Debian doesn't drop packages. So there are
old packages in archives which normal people don't need to use.