Ability to define more precise Input Locale

[MiranoV]

Hello,

I would like to request the ability to define the language ID and keyboard layout separately for the Input Locale setting.

Background

In the Netherlands, many users use the United States-International keyboard layout because it allows easy typing of accented characters while retaining a familiar US keyboard layout.

In NTLite, selecting:

Verenigde Staten (internationaal) | 00020409

results in the following being written to the unattend file:

<InputLocale>0409:00020409</InputLocale>

Where:

0409 = English (United States)
00020409 = United States-International keyboard layout

The Problem

Although all other language settings are configured as Dutch:

<SystemLocale>nl-NL</SystemLocale>
<UILanguage>nl-NL</UILanguage>
<UserLocale>nl-NL</UserLocale>

Windows still adds English (United States) as a language to the user profile because of the 0409 language ID in the InputLocale.

After installation:

Get-WinUserLanguageList

returns:

en-US
nl-NL

This results in Windows showing both:

ENG English (United States)
NLD Nederlands (Nederland)

in the language switcher, even though only Dutch is intended.

Desired Behavior

I would like to be able to specify:

<InputLocale>0413:00020409</InputLocale>

Where:

0413 = Dutch (Netherlands)
00020409 = United States-International keyboard layout

This produces:

Get-WinUserLanguageList

nl-NL

while still using the United States-International keyboard layout.

Reproduction steps


1. Configure NTLite with:
- UI Language = Dutch (Netherlands)
- System Locale = Dutch (Netherlands)
- User Locale = Dutch (Netherlands)
- Input Locale = United States (International)

2. Generate the unattend file.

3. Observe that NTLite generates:

<InputLocale>0409:00020409</InputLocale>

4. Install Windows.

5. Run:

Get-WinUserLanguageList

Result:

en-US
nl-NL

Expected result:

nl-NL

with the keyboard layout remaining United States-International.

Request

Would it be possible to:

- Allow manual entry of the full InputLocale value
- Allow separate selection of the language ID and keyboard layout ID
- Provide a Dutch + US-International option that generates:

<InputLocale>0413:00020409</InputLocale>

This would help administrators in countries where the US-International keyboard is commonly used without requiring English to be added as a language.

Thank you.

 

[garlin]

I don't believe this works through the unattended file, my understanding is it needs to be run as a PowerShell command (Set-WinUserLanguageList with InputMethodTip) during the specialize pass.

The problem is it's a non-standard mapping, and the unattended mode only supports having the input keyboard match the locale.

 

[MiranoV]

I don't believe this works through the unattended file, my understanding is it needs to be run as a PowerShell command (Set-WinUserLanguageList with InputMethodTip) during the specialize pass.

The problem is it's a non-standard mapping, and the unattended mode only supports having the input keyboard match the locale.

The issue is, pardon me if im mistaken, that it only works for the first user that's logged in, now it doesn't work when a new user is added.

 

[garlin]

Correct. It would have to move to a FirstLogon task if you're supporting multiple users. Or a RunOnce applied to the Default User's hive.