Layouts - best changes from you

[CeeSA]

Here are some changes I really enjoy and use them everyday:

CapsLock = Return
the capslock key is so near to the left pinky, it is a pleasure to use it.

FN + Space = Backspace
that is something I always program with a Tipro keyboard

I J K L = arrow cluster
since I use a Trackpoint between HJN, I need an arrow cluster nearby

what are your favorite Layout changes?

[jabar]

Right now I'm pretty simple. Caps <> LCtrl was an awesome default config for the HHKB so I flip that DIP on every keyboard that has one.

[kbdfr]

Left bracket changed to left bracket, right bracket, left arrow so that a single keypress writes both brackets and places the cursor between them. Never forget closing a bracket again.

Edit: and of course something for AZERTY users: changed ù to où as it is the only French word using that character.

[BimboBB]

Edit: and of course something for AZERTY users: changed ù to où as it is the only French word using that character.

"Die spinnen die Franzosen!"

[Findecanor]

Left bracket changed to left bracket, right bracket, left arrow so that a single keypress writes both brackets and places the cursor between them. Never forget closing a bracket again.

Oh, I sometimes like when editors do that ... but I had it when editors do that without any more logic. It is OK if the line is empty to the right, but not if I am editing an existing expression.

[Daniel]

I use CapsLock as Super-Key.
The Super-Key itself is the action key for my window manager.
Very useful when using winkeyless boards and you need the alt-key for bash and other programs.

[hoggy]

Capslock remapped to backspace. Every time I use someone's computer, I look like a loon hitting capslock and expecting something else to happen...

[ideus]

I use capslock to open Launchy, I do not know if that counts as layout change. The capslock can still be activated using shift+capslock, that is very handy.

I also have changed the menu modifier = AltGr because I need some non US characters.

[pyro]

Remapping the top number row completely and changing "2" and "3" to become modifiers for two extra layers (numerical and symbolic) with conveniently placed symbols, especially on the spacebar. Competely eliminates the need the look at the keyboard (for % or 5, 6, & symbols etc), leads to fewer pinky-shift presses, and provides easier access to all the otherwise marginal keys (like arrowkeys).

It's not an algorithmically calculated setup, but mostly based on my own preferences of what feels natural, trying to combine di/tri/etc-graphs into fewer hand movements.

See this geekhack thread for details http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34832.0

It was after the fact that I read a paper on a visual programming prototype utilizing a touchscreen, suggesting to let the dominant hand do the actual manipulation and the non-dominant hand change modes (of manipulation). As far as I can remember it weren't based on user studies, either, but there you go.

[lcg]

My Caps Lock key is programmed to be the left Windows key because my keyboard is an IBM Model M. If I need to use Caps Lock I can activate it by holding down the left Shift key and pressing Caps Lock.

I also have Ctrl + Page Up/Page Down set as volume up and volume down, respectively.

[Gilgam]

I also have Ctrl + Page Up/Page Down set as volume up and volume down, respectively.

i did this too, but it doesn't work anymore inside a terminal

I switch caps lock with escape.

[7bit]

Here are some changes I really enjoy and use them everyday:

CapsLock = Return
the capslock key is so near to the left pinky, it is a pleasure to use it.

FN + Space = Backspace
that is something I always program with a Tipro keyboard

I J K L = arrow cluster
since I use a Trackpoint between HJN, I need an arrow cluster nearby

what are your favorite Layout changes?

On 3270 emulators:
F13: Escape
Attn: Cut
Clear: Paste
CrSel:Mark
Pause: Undo
ExSel: Select
ErEOF: Compose
Print: Meta
Copy: Alt
the 2 blanks: Prior and Next
~`: ~:
Caps Lock: Hyper
Reset: Super
Alt: Control
><: Shift Lock (turns off by itself when entering a space or a newline)
:;: `;
Alt: Control
Enter: Super

cursor block:
Dup: (
FldMk: )
Jump: Begin
|<-- : {
Insert: }
Delete: End

Rule: Down
arrow down: Delete


number block:
Esc: ~
NmLk/ScrLk: /
,: *
Space: -
-->| +
-: &

The number block is always active, Num Lock switches to cursor keys for legacy support with older programs (should there be any).
F12: Num Lock
F24: Insert

[JBert]

What I change on any keyboard except a model F is Caps Lock to LCtrl, and LWin + Caps Lock = Caps Lock.

I've also been looking for an Fn layout which would work on a model F XT, a Cherry G80 with winkeys and a Poker. In the end, I chose to pick the RAlt of the XT and the "GUI / menu" key as Fn. It can be pressed by resting the side of your hand on that button, so I can have a cursor cluster on IJKL without having to move from the homerow.

Other things I threw on the Fn layer was UO for Home / End, P; for page up and page down, Backspace becomes tab (handy when using the numpad), Tab = Del, and some various keys from the numpad symbols (my file manager uses Ctrl + Numpad + to do select all for example).

[kps]

These are the major layout changes I use with Kinesis contoured keyboards:
Delete = Escape, since I use it all the time and DEL almost never, and the location is symmetrical with Return on the right hand (Return = end line, Escape = end argument in vi).
Swap up and down arrows to be in the same columns as j/k.
Caps lock = ` ~ ‘ “ for symmetry with ' " ’ ”
`~ = AltGr
Insert\| = Alt

[pheo]

I switch caps lock with escape.

I am interested on this. How can you change caps lock to escape? under X and make shift-capslock to become capslock?

[Gilgam]

on most linux desktop manager there is an option in the keyboard settings (i mean Unity, enlightenment, gnome 2, didn't find it rihgt in gnome 3 though -i installed my first fedora yesterday, awesome !!-).
There are more complicated ways to do it indeed But it's longer

On Macos you can switch it too.

On windows didn't tried to do it...

[pheo]

The only change on my layout I made is the menu key to delete. @Gilgam I will look for how to do it with Openbox, I am using on my laptop Openbox and sometimes i3. I am using crunchbang and it is a great distro, if you like minimalism. I would like to try a Fedora, that s based on red hat isnt it? It s a long time since I dont touch a redhat based distro.

[Gilgam]

If you like minimalism. I would like to try a Fedora, that s based on red hat isnt it? It s a long time since I dont touch a redhat based distro.

That computer is the family one and i don't think i3 would fit my wife's habits...
Enlightenment already was a big change, so, No really not at all

I was impressed by fedora and gnome 3 i really love the way it works.
and fedora is not so different from debian style.
Just %s/apt-get/yum/g

[pheo]

If you like minimalism. I would like to try a Fedora, that s based on red hat isnt it? It s a long time since I dont touch a redhat based distro.

That computer is the family one and i don't think i3 would fit my wife's habits...
Enlightenment already was a big change, so, No really not at all

I was impressed by fedora and gnome 3 i really love the way it works.
and fedora is not so different from debian style.
Just %s/apt-get/yum/g

lol. Well i3 wouldnt fit too in my wife habits. She indeed took the time to adapt to Openbox. I made a custom menu with the most used programs she use.

[geekabit]

My keyboard has a split spacebar. The righthand half acts as spacebar while the lefthand half is mapped to enter.

fn + I J K L = arrow cluster.
I love this! All the arrow keys you'll ever need accessible on the home row.

fn + E S D F = page up / page down / home / end
Similar to the arrow cluster.

Since I removed the whole upper row of my keyboard, there are no F-keys. Therefore I mapped Fn+number keys to F-keys.

There are quite a number of other modifications. If anyone is interested I could post a more detailed map.

[Muirium]

My keyboard has a split spacebar. The righthand half acts as spacebar while the lefthand half is mapped to enter.

fn + I J K L = arrow cluster.
I love this! All the arrow keys you'll ever need accessible on the home row.

fn + E S D F = page up / page down / home / end
Similar to the arrow cluster.

Since I removed the whole upper row of my keyboard, there are no F-keys. Therefore I mapped Fn+number keys to F-keys.

There are quite a number of other modifications. If anyone is interested I could post a more detailed map.

But where is fn?

Home row for navigation makes a lot of sense, but wouldn't you need two function keys to really pull that off?

I'd put them either side of the space bar if I weren't already so used to using my thumbs for Command on the Mac. Prime real estate!

[geekabit]

But where is fn?

I'd put them either side of the space bar if I weren't already so used to using my thumbs for Command on the Mac. Prime real estate!

You are right. I placed the Fn keys next to the spacebar. These are my most frequently used modifiers so they're easy to reach with your thumb.

The ctrl keys moved to the caps-lock and quote positions. This is on the home-row, easy to reach with your pinky. The quote moved to another Fn position and the caps-lock is removed.

I cheated a bit by using a fully programmable matrix keyboard, but you could do the same on a normal keyboard. When you move the ctrl keys upwards, you can move the alt and option (or windows) keys sideways. This leaves space for a Fn key next to the spacebar. Your keyboard is just like a big jigsaw puzzle :)

[TacticalCoder]

Remapping Caps-lock as CTRL

Remapping right-alt as an extra modifier and only ever using that extra modifier for a few special characters and for shortcuts related to my window manager. So I'm 100% sure they won't clash with any single application and I also have a whole lot of shortcuts guaranteed to be free to use with my window manager (I'm mostly using the weirdly named "awesome" WM under Linux but I also have one virtual desktop running a full screen fluxbox WM for rare apps which don't really like tiling window managers). So for example I've got lots of virtual desktops (which awesome calls 'tags' IIRC) and I switch between them using right-alt + {0...9,a,b,c,d,etc.} (by default awesome only has ten, I added a few and assigned them to 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', etc.).

You can do it either by using something like the french layout (which already use right-alt to do a few special characters) or by remapping right-alt to a new modifier altogether, like, say, HYPER.

On the HHKB I do the Caps-lock / CTRL remapping using a DIP switch and the extra modifier thing is done using xkbcomp (as I understand it's more "modern" than relying on Xmodmap) and a heavily modified xkb keymap that I created from an xkb dump. The special characters are also done using xkbcomp and the WM shortcuts are configured inside the WM's config file.

I got the idea of the "right-alt as an extra modifier only for the window manager and for some special characters so it won't clash with any app" from an amazing setup by someone on GH (don't remember who, I think some Lisp hacker). I don't remember all the details but he went quite far in his analysis: IIRC he created a keymap/remapping/shortcuts setup compatible with not only most keyboards (which is already tricky in itself seen that some keyboards have different physical layouts) but also compatible with Windows / OS X / Linux so he could switch from one OS to another and one keyboard to another and yet have nearly the exact same behavior everywhere. It's still on my "TODO list" but then I'm nearly exclusively using Linux so it's no big deal...

[cookie]

I swapped Alt GR with capslock because its a pian in the Ass to type { [ ] } under linux where you cant just go ctrl + alt = altgr.

That works relly nice for me, sometimes I miss the capslock when defining a lot of constants...

[Robb12Tekhno]

Hello! I'm new here.

I'd like to—eventually—purchase a new Cherry USB keyboard for my current desktop HP Pavilion PC. It should have FULL cursor AND numeric keypads; it MAY have EITHER 12 OR 24 function keys, and MUST have BOTH <ALTGR> AND <CTRLGR> keys on the bottom right side.

Here's my preferred color scheme for my new keyboard's key caps:

LIME GREEN: The numerical digit keys along the top row.
PALE GREEN: The numerical digits on the numeric keypad.
MAGENTA: The punctuation keys on the main keyboard, and the <CTRLGR> key on the bottom right.
PALE PINK: The operator keys (+ - * / =) on the numeric keypad.
YELLOW: The vowel keys (A E I O U) on the main keyboard.
ORANGE: The approximant keys (H W Y) on the main keyboard.
GRASS GREEN: The velar/uvular keys (G K Q X) on the main keyboard, and the <FN> key on the bottom left.
TEAL: The sibilant keys (C J S Z) on the main keyboard, and the <ALTGR> key on the bottom right.
RED: The dental keys (D N T) on the main keyboard, and the <CTRL> key on the bottom left.
BLUE: The labial keys (B M P) on the main keyboard, and the <ALT> key on the bottom left.
PURPLE: The resonant keys (L R) on the main keyboard.
PALE BLUE: The labiodental keys (F V) on the main keyboard.
BLACK: The modifier keys (both <SHIFT>, <ESC>, <TAB>, <CAPSLK>, <BS>, <ENTER>) on the main keyboard.
NAVY BLUE: The equidistant arrow keys (↑ ↓ ← →) on the cursor keypad.
GRAYISH BLUE: The diagonal arrow keys (↖ ↗ ↙ ↘) and the <HOP> key on the cursor keypad.
LAVENDER: The operational keys (<INS>, <DEL>, <PGUP>, <PGDN>, <HOME>, <END>) on the cursor keypad.
KHAKI: The even-numbered function keys (<F02>, <F04>, ...).
BROWN: The odd-numbered function keys (<F01>, <F03>, ...).

I'd like for the numeric keypad's bottom row to have *3* keys: <, DEL>, <0>, and <. INS>.
The key caps font I'd like used would be ROCKO UPRIGHT BOLD (a rounded stroke version of Helvetica).
Please draw me up a mock-up picture of this United States-based layout. Thank You!

Robb12Tekhno

[Halvar]

I'd say go to http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/ ... board.html , they offer the most customizable keyboards you will find.

[Muirium]

Sibilant, dental, labial … you're giving me ideas Robb, but not about different colours. Rather an IPA keyboard! The one true layout to rule them all.



Besides the actual number of keys and the basic shape of the thing, I'd have a hell of a time getting legends. Fantastic!

[ماء]

Capslock=Return
Return=Backspace

[Robb12Tekhno]

Hello, Muirium!

I DID NOT mean for the keyboard to be set up like the IPA chart, but—rather—each key on the standard keyboard (along with the function keys, cursor keypad, and numeric keypad on the desktop; a laptop version would have the numeric keypad overlaid onto some keys on the right side of the main keyboard, while the diagonal arrows would share keys with some operational ones [<HOME> <END> <PGUP> <PGDN>]) would have a different color. This would make it easier for me to locate them—especially in darkened or poorly-lit rooms.

NUMERIC KEYPAD (desktop kbd) OVERLAID LOCATIONS (laptop/notebook kbd)
[0] <,>
[1] <J>
[2] <K>
[3] <L>
[4] <U>
[5] <I>
[6] <O>
[7] <7>
[8] <8>
[9] <9>
[,] <M>
[.] <.>
[+] </>
[-] <;>
[*] <P>
[/] <0>

CURSOR KEYPAD (desktop kbd) OVERLAID LOCATIONS (laptop/notebook kbd)
[↖] <HOME>
[↙] <END>
[↗] <PGUP>
[↘] <PGDN>
[HOP] <FN<>F08> (suggested)

[<F13> THROUGH <F24>] <SHIFT<>F01> THROUGH <SHIFT<>F12> (suggested)

The overlaid (substitute) positions on the laptop/notebook keyboard would need to be accessed by preceeding them with a hold down on the <FN> key (located between the <CTRL> and <WIN> keys on the bottom left side).

The functional colors keyboard setup is what I base my ASDF keyboard layouts on—each foreign alphabet letter gets assigned to their CLOSEST English alphabetic key, which makes it MUCH easier for me to type! 2nd-level additional characters then go on <ALTGR> and <SHIFT<>ALTGR>, and 3rd-level ones reside on <CTRLGR> and <SHIFT<>CTRLGR>.

Where could I purchase blank keyboard key cap sticker labels (for me to print off)?!
What kind of printer would do the best job of printing these labels?!

Thank You!


Robb12Tekhno

[Robb12Tekhno]

Hello!

Here are where you’d assign character movements to keyboard keys:

[player 0]
[NW] <Q>
[N] <W>
[NE] <E>
[W] <A>
[FIRE} <S>
[E] <D>
[SW] <Z>
<X>
[SE] <C>

[player 1]
[NW] <R>
[N] <T>
[NE] <Y>
[W] <F>
[FIRE} <G>
[E] <H>
[SW] <V>
<B>
[SE] <N>

[player 2]
[NW] <U>
[N] <I>
[NE] <O>
[W] <J>
[FIRE} <K>
[E] <L>
[SW] <M>
<,>
[SE] <.>

[player 3]
[NW] <[7]>
[N] <[8]>
[NE] <[9]>
[W] <[4]>
[FIRE} <[5]>
[E] <[6]>
[SW] <[1]>
<[2]>
[SE] <[3]>

The bracketed numbers refer to the keys over on the numeric keypad.
Most videogame console emulators would only need the settings for [player 0] and [player 3] (for desktop kbds) OR [player 2] (for laptop/notebook kbds). The joystick-tip fire buttons would be located on the <S> <G> <K> keys on the main keyboard, and on the <[5]> key on the numeric keypad.

Thank You!

Robb12Tekhno