*** If you're not sure this is actually a bug, instead post about it at https://discuss.kde.org If you're reporting a crash, attach a backtrace with debug symbols; see https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Debugging/How_to_create_useful_crash_reports Please remove this comment after reading and before submitting - thanks! *** SUMMARY In the "region and language" KCM, I can only select a few languages for which the file "plasmashell.mo" exists (reading from the code). This is problematic because (1) other applications may support more languages than Plasma; (2) a distribution may choose to install only the translation files that the user has enabled; (3) the user might want to use a language for other applications. STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Go to "region and language" KCM, click "Modify" on "Language" 2. Click "Add more..." OBSERVED RESULT Only a few languages show up. (I use Gentoo, and only those languages enabled in LINGUAS are installed for plasmashell) EXPECTED RESULT All languages should show up. The definition of "all" is up to debate, for example, it can be all languages supported by glibc, or qt, or all locales available on the current system. Optionally, we can include a filter checkbox called "Only show languages supported by Plasma," where we return to the current behaviour. SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS Windows: macOS: (available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window) Linux/KDE Plasma: KDE Plasma Version: 6.4.1 KDE Frameworks Version: 6.15.0 Qt Version: 6.9.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION When I have en_CA.utf8 as the system locale, entering this KCM will display `The language "en_CA" is unsupported.` I would recommend changing this wording as well. It can be better phrased as "The language ... is not supported by Plasma, but other applications that do support it will display their UI in this language."
Whilst you are technically correct, the intention is to not show options that don't appear to work. Making it complex to support broken setups or entirely niche cases would not be a better change.
(In reply to David Edmundson from comment #1) > Whilst you are technically correct, the intention is to not show options > that don't appear to work. Making it complex to support broken setups or > entirely niche cases would not be a better change. Then it should display a message for advanced users on how to make the changes themselves. Looking at the source code, it is written into plasma-localerc.
> Then it should display a message for advanced users on how to make the changes themselves. I mean, the usual Linux locale setting method also works. In fact, distributions for advanced users like ArchLinux deliberately disabled Plasma's auto locale generation feature, in favor of the old-fashioned manual one.