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    How can I uninstall Colemak?

    • Started by ct
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    • ct
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    • Registered: 03-Mar-2008
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    Hi, Could someone please tell me how to uninstall colemak from my computer.  I installed it for windows and linux/unix about a week ago with no results and suddenly my keyboard is now working in colemak.  I don't have a clue which version is running and I would be grateful for any help.  Also, I tried running uninstall.exe with no luck.  Thanks for taking the time to help.

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    • Shai
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    • Registered: 11-Dec-2005
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    What version of Windows are you using?
    When you go Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs , do you see Colemak there?

    To remove Colemak under Windows XP:
    * In the Control Panel > Regional and Language Options (if it doesn't appear make sure you're in Classic view)
    * On the "Languages" tab, select the "Details" button under Text services and input languages, and see if Colemak appears there. Make sure to select another keyboard layout as the default, and then remove Colemak, and press "Apply". You may have to repeat this step again.

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    • ct
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    Shai, thank you for your help.  I am using Windows XP but Colemak is not appearing in "details" under "languages" in the control panel, it only shows "EN English Keyboard US."  I tried multiple times applying this keyboard and also "English International" but my keyboard is still in Colemak.  Anything else you might suggest?  Thanks again.

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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
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    Oh, hang on- you didn't try the "full remap registry method" did you? Because if that's what you did you'll need to do it in a more technical way. Let us know if that's the case.

    Or alternatively, first make sure you have another layout chosen (like UK English or whatever), and that one is chosen as the default input language. This is necessary before you can uninstall any installed layout.

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

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    • Shai
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    Yes, if it doesn't appear, then you've probably used the registry remapping technique. You need to run I386\Clear remapping.reg file to do that. See https://colemak.com/Registry_remapping for details.

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    • ct
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    Thank you both for your help.  I think I must have done a registry remapping, can you please guide me through how to run I386\Clear remapping.reg?  I'm not quite sure how to do that.  I do have US English as my default right now.

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    • From: Viken, Norway
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    Ah, right. The .reg file method means that you've run the full remapping .reg file at one point. Now the computer has a setting in its' registry telling it that whenever you press your E key you really meant to press F and so on.  :)

    Real mayhem would ensue if you were to select a truly different layout in your control panel settings (such as a Dvorak or Colemak install)! In that case, the layout would be telling you that you did press the F key from your QWERTY E position... which the registry would then remap to a T for you! Colemak to the second power, so to speak - that could get confusing fast.

    Fortunately, you don't have to go into the registry and root out the settings. All you need do is to locate the file Shai mentioned - it should be in the I386 directory and be named "Clear remapping.reg" like he said. Now while you're logged in as administrator on your computer you simply double-click that file. You'll be asked whether you want to add this file to your registry and you reply yes. That should be all there's to it.

    Actually, should it turn out that you didn't have a registry remapping after all, no harm should come from running the clearing file. The worst that could happen would be that your CapsLock key fell back into its' old habits of working as a CapsLock key, more or less - unless you've been adding some more exotic key remappings for other reasons. Any and all registry remapped keys will revert to their former selves when you clear the remappings.

    If you do want to mess around in the registry yourself, open the .reg file in a text editor and you'll see what registry location(s) to go visit. But if you do that, be careful in there. The registry isn't a good place to have more than two thumbs in.  ;)

    Last edited by DreymaR (04-Mar-2008 22:20:24)

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

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    • ct
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    Thanks so much again for all your help and time.  I still don't know what happened (in what manner Colemak got installed) but I ran a system restore back to Feb 15th and that seems to have solved the problem.  Well, back to old qwerty for now but hopefully keyboards will come to their senses in the future! Cheers, friends.

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    • From: Viken, Norway
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    While we're on that subject: I recently learned what the hell those .reg files are all about. Here's the inside of the one I use:

    REGEDIT4 
    
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout] 
    ; The next line maps RWin <- CapsLock <- BackSpace
    ;"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,0e,00,3a,00,3a,00,5c,e0,00,00,00,00
    ; The next line remaps only CapsLock <- BackSpace
    "Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,0e,00,3a,00,00,00,00,00
    ; The next line removes all scancode remappings
    ;"Scancode Map"=-
    
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout]
    "Scancode Map"=-
    
    ; Numbers are LittleEndian (0x12345678 -> 78,56,34,12)
    ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------
    ; Bytes          Meaning
    ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------
    ; 00 00 00 00    Version info (usually zero)
    ; 00 00 00 00    Flags (usually zero)
    ; 03 00 00 00    # of entries (# of mappings +1 for the terminator)
    ; 0e 00 3a 00    The CapsLock(3a) key now sends a BackSpace(0e) scancode
    ; 3a 00 5c e0    The RWin(e05c)   key now sends a CapsLock(3a)  scancode
    ; 00 00 00 00    Null terminator (always zero)

    Now, what this does is to set a remapping on the machine level. If you wanted it on the user level you'd use that HKEY_CURRENT_USER line instead. If you wanted to clear all remapping you'd set both lines to a simple "-" (like the second one already is).

    Just found it somewhat interesting. That's why I added those comment lines in the file, too.  :)

    Shai, if you find this instructive feel free to use my more verbose file in your install package. (I use the RWin remapping myself but I suppose you don't want that so I quoted a version with only your standard remapping in it.)

    Last edited by DreymaR (06-Mar-2008 14:24:24)

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

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