ibus not working in Lubuntu

I install lubuntu few days ago and I tried to add my locale(sinhala). By using command ibus-setup I got the ibus configuration window and then I add my locale. I can see the keyboard icon on the top bar and when I use key combination ctrl+space it change default English(US) to my locate. But that effects nothing. When I type all I get is English. I tried adding another locale and result is the same.

I tried running im-switch -s ibus which gives a error like

Error: no configuration file "ibus" exists.
Error: No action taken.

So I guess though ibus is running it is not set as the input method. Can anyone give me a hand here.

I think you should install the ibus-m17n package.

sudo apt-get install ibus-m17n

Then, next time you log in, you should see a bunch of new Sinhala options when running ibus-setup. Pick the one of your choice, and hopefully it makes a difference.

I recently had a really hard time making this work and finally solved my problem using xfce4-xkb-plugin on Lubuntu 18.04.

First install the plugin

sudo apt-get install xfce4-xkb-plugin

then right-click on the task-bar and click add/remove panel items , it will open a Panel Preferences window

Click the +Add button; it will open Add plugin to panel window select Keyboard Layout Handler and click +Add button

Now back in the Panel preferences window select Keyboard Layout Handler and click the Preferences button

This will open the Keyboard Layout Handler preferences window, whereyou need to do the following:

Under Advanced setxkbmap Options uncheck keep system layouts

Under Keyboard Layouts > +Add select the language you want to add

Under Change Layout Option choose the keys you want to toggle between the languages

Now try it يعمل جيدا معي في اللغة العربية