• You are not logged in.

    help on Qwerty wide mode (not angled)

    • Started by Jhoravi
    • 8 Replies:
    • Reputation: 1
    • Registered: 25-Jul-2021
    • Posts: 15

    Hi, I now mainly use Colemak on ortholinear keyboard but I still maintain Qwerty on standard keyboards. I need help on setting up qwerty wide mod that is not angled.
    Thanks in advance.

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    Since you didn't state your platform and keyboard type I'll assume Windows and ANSI.

    I'd use EPKL, and since it only comes with Angle and AngleWide QWERTY preinstalled I'd copy-paste the QWERTY AWide layout folder and tweak its layout.ini file to be just Wide. With that you'll also get Extend which is very brilliant, and Compose which is also very brilliant. And it'll be easy to turn it off again should you wish to do so.

    Another way is making a QWERTY layout with MSKLC but that'll take a bit of skill to get right (you need to take care of the VK codes).

    Another way is making a complete registry remap with or without SharpKeys, which is the most robust way by far but also some work and it'll take a little work to switch on and off should you wish to do that.

    I had a QWERTY AngleWide layout on my laptop for years and my wife typed on it without really noticing.  /(⁎≧∇≦)\

    Last edited by DreymaR (08-Nov-2021 11:53:48)

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

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 1
    • Registered: 25-Jul-2021
    • Posts: 15
    DreymaR said:

    Since you didn't state your platform and keyboard type I'll assume Windows and ANSI.

    I'd use EPKL, and since it only comes with Angle and AngleWide QWERTY preinstalled I'd copy-paste the QWERTY AWide layout folder and tweak its layout.ini file to be just Wide. With that you'll also get Extend which is very brilliant, and Compose which is also very brilliant. And it'll be easy to turn it off again should you wish to do so.

    Another way is making a QWERTY layout with MSKLC but that'll take a bit of skill to get right (you need to take care of the VK codes).

    Another way is making a complete registry remap with or without SharpKeys, which is the most robust way by far but also some work and it'll take a little work to switch on and off should you wish to do that.

    I had a QWERTY AngleWide layout on my laptop for years and my wife typed on it without really noticing.  /(⁎≧∇≦)\

    Thanks. I would rather go for the EPKL layout.ini editing because I want the extended mod. My second option is MSKLC but no way for SharpKeys because it messes up the keys if I connect my external keyboard and it needs restart.
    I know that Angle qwerty is slightly superior but I don't want to change my qwerty muscle memory. If I want angle mode I would rather use it with colemak curl all the way.

    Last edited by Jhoravi (08-Nov-2021 12:23:57)
    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    Yeah, I agree since on QWERTY it's actually a decent idea to Angle-cheat! The major problem with doing so is that it'll make the transition to a layout using a proper Angle mod (such as Colemak-DH on a row-stag board) harder.

    Tell you what, I'll make a QWERTY Wide-only for you, for this reason. Not only that, but Wide with the Sym mod, which is what I prefer these days. The Wide mod messes with symbol keys anyway, so I think it's better to optimize those at the same time.

    Check out the latest EPKL commit!

    Last edited by DreymaR (08-Nov-2021 16:19:21)

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

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 1
    • Registered: 25-Jul-2021
    • Posts: 15
    DreymaR said:

    Tell you what, I'll make a QWERTY Wide-only for you, for this reason. Not only that, but Wide with the Sym mod, which is what I prefer these days. The Wide mod messes with symbol keys anyway, so I think it's better to optimize those at the same time.

    Check out the latest EPKL commit!

    Awesome! Wide mod should alleviate my wrist pain due to the bad position of the standard right shift. Whoever invented the right shift to be that far should be put to jail.xD

    DreymaR said:

    Yeah, I agree since on QWERTY it's actually a decent idea to Angle-cheat! The major problem with doing so is that it'll make the transition to a layout using a proper Angle mod (such as Colemak-DH on a row-stag board) harder.

    I wanna keep both qwerty and colemak so I need distinction between the layouts to keep them apart inside my brain. Angle vs none angle is one. I even use left thumb for pressing spacebar in colemak and right thumb for qwerty. :)

    Offline
    • 1
    • Reputation: 23
    • From: Belgium
    • Registered: 26-Feb-2008
    • Posts: 480

    I assume people with Wide mod, esp. Qwerty wide, always physically remap their keyboard?  (I still occasionally glance for symbols...)
    Which is not always possible with those keyboards with different F/J keys.

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    On my laptop I haven't remapped anything as popping chiclet jigs is a risky business. I do not want to risk a broken key cap on my workplace Lenovo!

    My own buckling spring board is another matter entirely, of course. But for many cheap boards you can't Wide mod without running into trouble, as the QWERTY J key often has a different stem than the others, presumably to aid montage at the factory? I have a hardware remapping topic that concerns this and more.

    I never found it a problem with my laptop though, as I don't look at the keyboard while typing anyway. I scratched the new home key a little which provided enough homing feel for me, but I don't even need that anymore as my hands know where they are after years of typing on the laptop.

    Cmk-CAWS_Unicomp_DreymaR_TN-Ninja.png

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

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 23
    • From: Belgium
    • Registered: 26-Feb-2008
    • Posts: 480
    DreymaR said:

    I had a QWERTY AngleWide layout on my laptop for years and my wife typed on it without really noticing.  /(⁎≧∇≦)\

    You didn't physically remap this keyboard either?  (How else could she not notice?)

    Last edited by ghen (12-Nov-2021 14:28:41)
    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    Oh, sorry, that was another laptop and it was indeed physically remapped or she'd have gotten very mad I should think!

     ̄(=⌒ᆺ⌒=) ̄

    I guess she noticed that some keys were in other places, but she didn't mind at all.

    Last edited by DreymaR (12-Nov-2021 15:49:55)

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

    Offline
    • 0