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    Submitting Colemak-DH to xkeyboard-config

    • Started by stevep99
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    • From: UK
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    As mentioned on the Discord, I'm proposing to submit Colemak-DH layouts to xkeyboard-config.
    Norman, Workman, and Carpalx layouts are already there, so it seems reasonable that Colemak-DH should be included too!

    Proposal is to have basic Colemak-DH, no extras or variants (such as Extend, or Caps to Backspace, or DHk).

    This is what I have done for starters, still a work-in-progress (and not yet tested):

    https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/stevep/x … 52e697dbc3

    The implementation is similar to the existing vanilla Colemak one, which uses the US mapping as a base, then other international layouts inherit from that, making changes where necessary. Dvorak seems to do a similar approach too.

    So, I have implemented the US (ANSI) variant, this uses the the angle(z) mod, and also acts a base from which other international variants can build. Interestingly, I note the US mapping does include the <LSGT> key (mapped to hyphen by default), so I have mapped that to Z in the US layout (in addition to <AB05>), so that non-US layouts that extend from it will automatically have the correct ISO Z.

    In the existing files, only GB and PL layouts seem to have local Colemak variants that extend from us(colemak), so I have only implemented those for Colemak-DH using analogous configuration to the existing Colemak ones. I'm trying to make it as consistent with the existing approach as possible, and I also don't want to get into messing around with the Colemak implementation that's already there.

    Feedback or extra patches welcome!

    Last edited by stevep99 (02-Nov-2020 12:56:24)

    Using Colemak-DH with Seniply.

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    stevep99 said:

    the US mapping does include the <LSGT> key (mapped to hyphen by default), so I have mapped that to Z in the US layout (in addition to <AB05>), so that non-US layouts that extend from it will automatically have the correct ISO Z.

    ISO layouts that include your base will then also have the Z on their old B key (<AB05>)? So they should remap the B key to whatever they want there. But yeah, then it's a clever trick. I finally understood it now.

    Last edited by DreymaR (02-Nov-2020 13:24:35)

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

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    DreymaR said:

    So they should remap the B key to whatever they want there.

    Yes, they definitely should do that. Usually it would be whatever would otherwise be on the ISO key.


    Also, it would also be good to gather information for the PR on why it should be merged (i.e. evidence that it's being actively used rather than Yet Another Keyboard Layout from some rando on the internet!). I am thinking of stuff along the lines of:

    Colemak-DH project site:

    http://colemakmods.github.io/mod-dh/

    Supported in some typing tutor sites:

    https://monkeytype.com/
    https://www.colemak.academy/

    Sculpted keycaps available:

    https://drop.com/talk/42259/the-first-s … irst-one-w

    If anyone knows of any links to blogs/reviews/discussion or other evidence then post below!

    Using Colemak-DH with Seniply.

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    I'd include the BigBag on this forum? I'll be updating the parts that pertain to DH variants. I'm currently battling the EPKL HelpImageGenerator...

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

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    Update: this is now merged!

    Using Colemak-DH with Seniply.

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