Skype is incompatible with the asiatic language input method, scim, on ubuntu. It seems that problem was fixed on a ancient version by the ubuntu japanese team. But the problem is comming back with the last skype...
How could I report this bug to the skype team?

When using scim as default input method, skype will crash with the following error:
*** glibc detected *** skype: free(): invalid pointer: 0x08c9eac0 ***
======= Backtrace: =========
/lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6[0xb73ac89d]
/lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(__libc_free+0x84)[0xb73aca24]
/usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6(_ZdlPv+0x21)[0xb716dfb1]
/usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6(_ZNSs4_Rep10_M_destroyERKSaIcE+0x1d)[0xb714accd]
/usr/lib/libscim-1.0.so.8[0xb6bb4043]
/usr/lib/libscim-1.0.so.8(_ZN4scim20scim_get_module_listERSt6vectorISsSaISsEERKSs+0x37)[0xb6bb52b5]
/usr/lib/libscim-1.0.so.8(_ZN4scim29scim_get_imengine_module_listERSt6vectorISsSaISsEE+0x3f)[0xb6bafe2f]
/usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/libqscim.so(_ZN4scim23QScimInputContextGlobal10initializeEv+0x25f)[0xb6da345b]
/usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/libqscim.so(_ZN4scim17QScimInputContextC1Ev+0x3dc)[0xb6da5c7c]
/usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/libqscim.so(_ZN22ScimInputContextPlugin6createERK7QString+0x7a)[0xb6da1b4a]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN26QInputContextPluginPrivate6createERK7QString+0x25)[0xb7b63f43]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN20QInputContextFactory6createERK7QStringP7QWidget+0x94)[0xb7b63b10]
/usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/libqimsw-multi.so(_ZN18QMultiInputContext17changeInputMethodE7QString+0xc3)[0xb6e9485b]
/usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/libqimsw-multi.so(_ZN18QMultiInputContext27changeInputMethodWithMenuIdEi+0x4e)[0xb6e949ba]
/usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/libqimsw-multi.so(_ZN18QMultiInputContext9qt_invokeEiP8QUObject+0xda)[0xb6e96b96]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN7QObject15activate_signalEP15QConnectionListP8QUObject+0x25c)[0xb795595c]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN7QObject15activate_signalEii+0x1b0)[0xb7956146]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QPopupMenu9activatedEi+0x37)[0xb7cfc9b9]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QPopupMenu6actSigEib+0x36)[0xb7a7b860]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QPopupMenu17mouseReleaseEventEP11QMouseEvent+0x4be)[0xb7a7be80]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN7QWidget5eventEP6QEvent+0xf3)[0xb798c601]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication14internalNotifyEP7QObjectP6QEvent+0x274)[0xb78eca98]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication6notifyEP7QObjectP6QEvent+0x578)[0xb78eec56]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication20sendSpontaneousEventEP7QObjectP6QEvent+0x5b)[0xb787f3fd]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN9QETWidget19translateMouseEventEPK7_XEvent+0xefb)[0xb787dd3f]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication15x11ProcessEventEP7_XEvent+0xbfc)[0xb787c14c]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QEventLoop13processEventsEj+0x108)[0xb7893320]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QEventLoop9enterLoopEv+0x70)[0xb790716e]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication10enter_loopEv+0x25)[0xb78ee5bf]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QPopupMenu4execERK6QPointi+0xad)[0xb7a7cd79]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN9QTextEdit24contentsContextMenuEventEP17QContextMenuEvent+0x11c)[0xb7ae377e]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN11QScrollView24viewportContextMenuEventEP17QContextMenuEvent+0xa4)[0xb7a8a82a]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN11QScrollView11eventFilterEP7QObjectP6QEvent+0x33e)[0xb7a8c678]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN9QTextEdit11eventFilterEP7QObjectP6QEvent+0x28a)[0xb7ae8f24]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN7QObject16activate_filtersEP6QEvent+0x78)[0xb7954ddc]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN7QObject5eventEP6QEvent+0x42)[0xb7954e5a]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN7QWidget5eventEP6QEvent+0x25)[0xb798c533]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication14internalNotifyEP7QObjectP6QEvent+0x274)[0xb78eca98]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication6notifyEP7QObjectP6QEvent+0x9f5)[0xb78ef0d3]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication20sendSpontaneousEventEP7QObjectP6QEvent+0x5b)[0xb787f3fd]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN9QETWidget19translateMouseEventEPK7_XEvent+0x128a)[0xb787e0ce]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication15x11ProcessEventEP7_XEvent+0xbfc)[0xb787c14c]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QEventLoop13processEventsEj+0x108)[0xb7893320]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QEventLoop9enterLoopEv+0x70)[0xb790716e]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN10QEventLoop4execEv+0x32)[0xb7906f7e]
/usr/lib/libqt-mt.so.3(_ZN12QApplication4execEv+0x25)[0xb78ee641]
skype[0x8072fd2]
/lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xdc)[0xb735b8cc]
skype(_ZN9QComboBox11setEditTextERK7QString+0x59)[0x806c911]
======= Memory map: ========
08048000-088d4000 rwxp 00000000 03:03 602348 /usr/bin/skype
088d4000-089a1000 rwxp 0088b000 03:03 602348 /usr/bin/skype
089a1000-08f96000 rw-p 089a1000 00:00 0 [heap]
b5f36000-b6700000 r--p 00000000 03:03 866446 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/kochi/kochi-gothic-subst.ttf
b6700000-b6721000 rw-p b6700000 00:00 0
b6721000-b6800000 ---p b6721000 00:00 0
b681c000-b681d000 r--p 00000000 03:03 893971 /usr/share/locale-langpack/fr/LC_MESSAGES/scim-qtimm.mo
b681d000-b6839000 r--p 00000000 03:03 632847 /usr/share/locale-langpack/fr/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo
b6839000-b68a5000 r--p 00000000 03:03 651957 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-dejavu/DejaVuSans-Bold.ttf
b68a5000-b68d7000 rw-p b68a5000 00:00 0
b68d7000-b68d8000 ---p b68d7000 00:00 0
b68d8000-b6958000 rw-p b68d8000 00:00 0
b6958000-b6959000 ---p b6958000 00:00 0
b6959000-b69d9000 rw-p b6959000 00:00 0
b69d9000-b69da000 ---p b69d9000 00:00 0
b69da000-b6a81000 rw-p b69da000 00:00 0
b6a95000-b6ac9000 rw-p b6a95000 00:00 0
b6ac9000-b6ad2000 r-xp 00000000 03:03 324513 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_files-2.4.so
b6ad2000-b6ad4000 rw-p 00008000 03:03 324513 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_files-2.4.so
b6ad4000-b6adc000 r-xp 00000000 03:03 324515 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_nis-2.4.so
b6adc000-b6ade000 rw-p 00007000 03:03 324515 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_nis-2.4.so
b6ade000-b6af0000 r-xp 00000000 03:03 324510 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnsl-2.4.so
b6af0000-b6af2000 rw-p 00011000 03:03 324510 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnsl-2.4.so
b6af2000-b6af4000 rw-p b6af2000 00:00 0
b6af4000-b6afb000 r-xp 00000000 03:03 324511 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_compat-2.4.so
b6afb000-b6afd000 rw-p 00006000 03:03 324511 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_compat-2.4.so
b6afd000-b6b0b000 r--p 00000000 03:03 609026 /usr/share/skype/lang/skype_en.qm
b6b0b000-b6b27000 r-xp 00000000 03:03 651610 /usr/lib/X11/locale/common/ximcp.so.2.0.0
b6b27000-b6b29000 rw-p 0001b000 03:03 651610 /usr/lib/X11/locale/common/ximcp.so.2.0.0
b6b29000-b6b4d000 r-xp 00000000 03:03 946849 /usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/libqsimple.so
b6b4d000-b6b4e000 rw-p 00024000 03:03 946849 /usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/libqsimple.so
b6b4e000-b6c1f000 r-xp 00000000 03:03 607513 /usr/lib/libscim-1.0.so.8.1.0
b6c1f000-b6c2d000 rw-p 000d1000 03:03 607513 /usr/lib/libscim-1.0.so.8.1.0
b6c40000-b6cb1000 r--p 00000000 03:03 651961 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-dejavu/DejaVuSans.ttf
b6cb1000-

it seems like the QT library you have, has a hard time with scim, try to install the latest scim and/or QT version (that is compatible with KDE3).

deltatux

skype also crashes in debian etch when using input method as gcin or oxim.
but skype-beta-1.3.0.30 didn't.

seems like this is a Debian issue, I don't have a problem over here w/ SuSE Linux.

deltatux

I am using the skype package given by the japanese team of ubuntu (v. 1.2.0.18), it is stable but a little slow.
The latest skype or the deb package that can be downloaded on the skype website crash with scim. The v. 1.3 beta starts but does not connect and die...

I'm having the exact same problem. What can I do to resolve this?

I'm on Ubuntu.

In kde, you can install qtimm
or, you can try this in console:
export LANG=c
QT_IM_MODULE=xim skype

This trick works fine, Thank you

But with the xim input method I cant use skype in combination with scim. Which is fine for me, as I can still use scim in any other application, but somehow not optimal as I can't enter asian languages characters directly into skype.

That worked for me. Thanks.

I've just been cutting-and-pasting from Gedit.

try

QT_IM_MODULE=xim skype

and then install

scim-bridge

then you can input asian in xim by invoking scim. Hope it helps.
It works fine for me.

I'm running ubuntu 6.10. This is my first excursion into linux, mostly because XP has begun to crash and die on the other part of my harddrive. I'm hoping to eventually make ubuntu do everything I want my computer to do so that I can strip XP down to its barebones and use linux primarily.

Anyway, as a person who lives abroad, it's very important for me to have Skype function adequately in ubunto. I can get the program to run with the command QT_IM_MODULE=xim skype, but only so long as I leave the terminal open. I don't want to have to leave my terminal open to run skype, I just want it to run. Period. Is there no way to force Skype to run under XIM and not SCIM permanently??

There is 2 method that you can satisfied what you want
A.) put process you called into background (In this solution, you still have to open terminal in order to start the program. However, after you start it you can shut the ternimal off)
Instead of typing
$ QT_IM_MODULE=xim skype
Just use this instead
$ QT_IM_MODULE=xim skype&

B.) This solution just use bash file to call skype for you, and in that bash file you just add the above command. (with this solution, you can use start session to start skype for you as usual.)
1.) Rename /usr/bin/skype to /usr/bin/skypy0
$ sudo mv /usr/bin/skype /usr/bin/skype0
2.) Make new file call "skype" in /usr/bin
$ sudo gedit /usr/bin/skype

********************in the file***************************

#!/bin/bash


export LANG=c
#Call to original skype file that you just rename
QT_IM_MODULE=xim skype0

*********************end file*****************************

3.) Change permission of "skype" to executable.
$ sudo chmod 755 /usr/bin/skype

Now you just start skype normally just like you do before.

PV_Milk

****************************************
You'll never walk alone.

I used method 2 and it worked brilliantly! Thanks!

PV_Milk's «Plan B» works very well to resolve the problem of Skype crashing when activated in a SCIM environment in Ubuntu. But the problem remains that SCIM cannot be used to write CJK languages directly in a Skype chat. In an earlier message, Jifeng Zhang suggested installing something called «scim-bridge» ; is this a programme or a command to be written in a terminal or something else entirely ?...

Henri

I had the same problem with Skype 1.3 in Ubuntu Feisty Fawn. My QT library didn't work together with the current Skype version and I could only run Skype after using the aforementioned command



This would start Skype and I could even use SCIM-based Japanese input to some extent. However, the Romaji->Kana conversion worked very poorly which made chatting in Japanese a real pain in the ass. Also, I didn't have any luck with using scim-bridge, as someone suggested.

However, there is a possibility to use SCIM with Skype to full extent: Download the statically linked Japanese Skype Version (Static Binary tar.bz2) from:

http://www.skype.com/intl/ja/download/skype/linux/
(Don't be afraid of the all-Japanese website. The files in the tarball are in English and on my Ubuntu with English locale, this Skype version actually started up with English texts.)

This version of Skype comes with its own QT files and should work out of the box with SCIM. The only disadvantage is that this version of Skype may look a bit ugly on your desktop (e.g. overlarge fonts). Ubuntu users can make the looks of this version a bit prettier by following the bottommost section of https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Skype

A note to the Linux developers: Please make sure that these QT problems will be resolved in the next Skype version and that Skype works nicely with SCIM. I have several contacts with whom I want to chat in Japanese, so the possibility to input Japanese is crucial for me.

I'm running an ubuntu feisty fawn. After a lot of reading and trying different things i solved the problem writing japanese kanji with scim in skype. I hadn,t any luck with the statically linked skype version. I installed

scim-qtimm
scim-bridge
im-switch.

The command "im-switch -l" shows if scim-immodule is available. Then I started skype with

QT_IM_MODULE=scim-immodule skype

Now by clicking the right mouse-button in the chat input field you can choose scim-bridge as Input Method. Now you should use scim as normal.

This is interesting, I wish I had known some of this earlier thanks. I just thought I'd mention that the 1.4 alpha gave me much less trouble with Japanese input (didn't have to do anything extra at all for it to work).

I discovered how to start skype directly with scim-bridge as Input Method. Just run the command QT_IM_MODULE=scim-bridge skype. Now you can type japanese font by activating scim with Strg-Space. You need not extra select the Input Method as described above.