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    Eliminating AltGr key for Colemak

    • Started by Kirby54925
    • 6 Replies:
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    • Registered: 14-Nov-2007
    • Posts: 5
    14-Nov-2007 05:31:01#1 Eliminating AltGr key for Colemak

    Hello everyone,

    So I'm currently on Day 3 of being on Colemak (went cold turkey), and the only gripe I have with it so far is the fact that I can't disable the use of the AltGr key in Microsoft Keyboard Layout Editor. All of those extra symbols only serve to prevent me from using common Emacs shortcuts such as M-x command-name or C-M-% for Query Replace Regexp. Heck, when I tried to remake the Colemak layout from scratch, Firefox's shortcut keys still thinks it's in QWERTY mode!

    So, can anybody help me with disabling AltGr (resetting it to a regular Alt key) as well as diagnosing the issue when I try to build the Colemak layout from scratch? I would appreciate it very much!

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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
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    14-Nov-2007 08:53:04#2 Re: Eliminating AltGr key for Colemak

    Ah, what you want to do is not to disable the AltGr I think, but make a layout without the AltGr mappings? I see that you've tried the MSKLC, so the job should be pretty simple for you. Just remember to give it a new name and description under Project -> Properties, and you're good to go.

    If you instead want to make the right-alt equal to the left-alt, you could use KMapper to do that easily. Then you'll have two equal Alt keys. I could never do that since I'm a glyph fan - I want one MORE AltGr key, not one LESS! Heck, I'd take two or three more if the opportunity arose...  :)

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
    *** Check out my Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks for Win/Linux/TMK... ***

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    14-Nov-2007 18:20:08#3 Re: Eliminating AltGr key for Colemak

    Yeah, I hardly, if ever, use other glyphs... (last time I used it was for Spanish class a few years ago.) I'll try out KMapper then to remove AltGr functionality from the right Alt key. However, it still doesn't solve the issue of neither Firefox nor Emacs not recognizing Colemak for the shortcut keys (it does recognize Colemak when I type out stuff, though). Any more help would be greatly appreciated!

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    • From: London
    • Registered: 02-Feb-2007
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    14-Nov-2007 18:46:07#4 Re: Eliminating AltGr key for Colemak

    Just thinking--can't this be done easily with AutoHotKey?

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    14-Nov-2007 19:32:53#5 Re: Eliminating AltGr key for Colemak

    Not necessarily. I do not know if AHK would work for Steam games such as Counter-Strike, so I'm very reluctant to use AHK.

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    • Shai
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    • Registered: 11-Dec-2005
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    14-Nov-2007 19:56:36#6 Re: Eliminating AltGr key for Colemak

    Kirby54925, the problem with the shortcut is likely a problem with the layout you created with MSKLC, not with the standard Colemak.

    I suggest use the standard Colemak, and then use one of the registry utilities (see Registry remapping) to change the mapping of the right Alt key.

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    14-Nov-2007 20:04:58#7 Re: Eliminating AltGr key for Colemak

    You're right... it was the layout I created. I scrapped that one and simply modified the .klc file you provided. I then realized my mistake: I forgot to remove the AltGr mapping for Spacebar! It seems to be working now; though I might reboot a couple of times to make sure the layout sticks for Firefox. Thanks for the suggestions!

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