PC Users 1999 April/Cd Pc Users extra 19 abril 1999.iso/Pshare/Util/Keyboard/Keyboard.exe/Document/readme.txt

Text File | 1999-02-20 | 8.5 KB | 254 lines

D-System - Keyboard Remapper 0.85 Win95/98/NT (Shareware)
Keyboard Remapper program

Daniel Marczisovszky (mailto:[e-mail])

Keyboard Remapper official web-site:
http://move.to/kr (http://ultra.obuda.kando.hu/~dmarczis/keyboard.html)

D-System web-site:
http://come.to/d-system (http://ultra.obuda.kando.hu/~dmarczis)

6 Csiki-hegyek
Budapest 1118
Hungary

Translation's made by Peter Szabolcs (mailto:[e-mail])


Price (on a per-computer basis):
Personal use: $12
Other (commercial): $30


PLEASE SUPPORT ME, IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THIS PROGRAM...



1. Introduction

This utility was made for you, if you:

- are not satisfied with current Windows layouts
- want much more freedom using your keyboard
- use some peculiar symbols which are hard to find.

From now, under "modifiers" I mean the keys "Control", "Alt",
"Win" and "Shift".



2. Installation

My program doesn't need any kind of installation other than
copying the files into a suitable folder on your hard disk. You may
also simply erase that folder if you don't like Keyboard Remapper.
But in the case you put KR to your Startup Folder or into the
Registry, you should remove it (Preferences/Mini Keyboard). This
procedure is also recommended when you upgrade from a previous
version.


3. Operation

With the help of this utility, you can have two keyboard layouts
simultaneously (1st layout / 2nd layout).

You can switch between the two layouts with the Hotkey that you
set in Preferences/Hotkey.

An also existing function is the "temporary switch". If you hold
down "Caps Lock" then Keyboard Remapper switches to the other
(opposed to the actual) layout. If some (redesigned) keys aren't
pressed, then "Caps Lock" is functioning like the original. In
the other case, the state of "Caps Lock Led" remains the same.
"Temporary Switch" can be toggled on/off.

In both layout, you can map a given key to a character, considering
also whether the key was pressed alone, or with any of the modifiers.


The program can distinguish the left form of the modifiers from the
right form. As a consequence of this feature, you can design a character
to e.g. (Left Shift + A), and another to (Right Shift + A).

You can also set that in the case of pressing the (Left or Right)
"Control", "Alt" or "Win" modifiers, which character is about to
appear with no "Shift" held pressed; with "Left Shift" held pressed;
with "Right Shift" held pressed.

In other words, for one key, you can map 6*3=18 characters/macros/
/dead keys (in one layout).
- (Left or Right) "Control", "Alt",  "Win" = 6 possibilities.
- Keypress without "Shift", with "Left Shift" or with "Right Shift" =
  = 3 possibilities each.



4. The designer (keyboard.exe)


4.1 Designing a layout

The method is very simple: just drag the suitable character/macro/dead key
and drop to its place in the virtual keyboard. If you don't re-design a key,
then it will work as in the original Windows layout. If you want to wipe out
an assignment, you can just pull the character to the trash.

By clicking the modifiers you can switch between their state, e.g.
if you want to change a key's state with "Shift" held down, you
should click "Shift" in the virtual keyboard.

If you press a key, it will be pressed on the virtual keyboard too,
if Keyboard Remapper is active.

You can switch between the layouts by clicking the button with the double "T"s.

The two layout can be swapped by clicking the button with the double "A"s.

The present Windows layout can be copied to the editor by clicking
the button representing a keyboard.



4.2 Setting keyboard properties (Preferences/Layout)

The following properties belong to both layouts:

4.2.1 General Settings (Preferences/Layout/General)

4.2.1.1 Startup Layout

You can define whether the first or the second one
should be the startup layout.

4.2.1.2 Startup Led Status

You can individually set, that at startup the state of Num Lock,
Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock

-turns on
-turns off
-doesn't change (the grey one)

4.2.1.3 Capitals

Whenever the "Caps Lock Led" is on, pressing a key will usually get you
the character which was designed with "Shift" pressed down.
When the "Caps Lock Led" is on, then "Keyboard Remapper" examines what
would you get if it were held down with "Left Shift". If the character
appears in the list of capital letters (Preferences/Layout/Capital Letters),
then it uses the character with "Shift" held down, in the other case it
uses the unmodified form.

4.2.1.4 Caps Lock Mode Always Means Capital Letters

With a graphic description: CAPS LOCK or cAPS lOCK mode (in other words,
when "Caps Lock Led" is on, should "Shift" + "any key" combo yield a
lower or an upper case letter).

4.2.1.5 Caps Lock Change

When enabled pressing "Caps Lock" + key combo will not result "Caps Lock Led"
to change state, but temporarily KR switches to the other layout.

4.2.1.6 Num Pad remapping

You may set whether Num Pad remapping should work when "Num Lock Led" is off.

4.2.1.7 Layout Names

As it implies, you can assign a name for each layout. Its role is so far that
the resident program displays this.


4.2.2 Hotkeys

This is the place where you can set the Hotkey for switching between
layouts. In a later version it can be almost any combination (now the
modifiers are not selectable).


4.2.3 First/Second Layout (Preferences/Layout/Layout n.)

4.2.3.1  How modifiers work

a. Enabling modification (Works as a modifier)
   If it is set, then the given modifier key is usable for re-designing.
   For example, if it is disabled for "Left Win" then won't appear any
   character by pressing ("Left Win" + any key)

b. Disabling original function (Original function is disabled)
   The (modifier) key's original function will be disabled if you
   turn this switch on. This switch is good for making sure that
   a modifier can only be used to utilize the re-designed layout,
   without any side-effect of the original function. For example
   you may want to use "Right Control" to reach the newly made
   layout, and not for the common File Open ("Control" + O).
   Of course, you can use the "Left Control" for File Open.

   Turning this switch on may also mean that:

   - Pressing "Win" won't bring up the Start menu.
   - In the case of "Control", the often used keyboard commands will
     be disabled e.g. ("Control" + S = Save).
   - You may not be able to get the pull-down menus with "Alt" disabled

4.2.3.2 You can set whether "Keyboard Remapper" should distinguish
between the "Left" and "Right" counterparts of the modifiers.
For example "Left Shift" = "Right Shift"

4.2.3.3 "Win" + hot keys can be disabled, so Windows' own hot keys like
Win+E to start Explorer won't work.



4.3 Editor settings (Preferences/Editor)

4.3.1 Hints: Turn on/off hints, change the delay before show/hide.

4.3.2 ASCII and Keyboard

You can set the name and size of the font to use on the virtual
keyboard and the ASCII table.

4.3.3 Don't ask silly questions: it's just that.

4.3.4 Language

The program gives the opportunity to freely modify texts and messages
appearing in the program. You may save changes to language files. These
should be stored in Language sub-directory (with LNG extension).
Language Editor can be used to modify language.

4.3.5 Sizable Main Window

If enabled, the main window will be resizable (it helps a lot if you
have a low display resolution).


4.4 Dead keys

If you want to access accent characters, diacritic keys can be definied.
These called dead keys. This way you have to press "'" first and "e" after
to enter "Θ". The diacritic can be selected from the bottom line in the
editor, and appears in red on the keyboard. The dead key combinations
can be edited in (Preferences/Dead keys). Pressing a dead key + SPACE will
result the symbol (not the diacritic) itself.

4.5 Macros

Not only characters and dead keys but macros (strings) can be assigned
to a key. First the macro should be defined with (Preferences/Macros).
Then (in the editor) it can be dropped to the virtual keyboard from
the macro list. Macroing is currently under quick development. It's
conceivable that KR will do a lot better in that area.


5. This program is currently in BETA state, but stabilises day by day :-)

It's almost certain that it contains bugs, if you encounter one
please send me the description of it. I would also like to hear your
opinion about the program, and your suggestions.