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    Colemak portable on boot up with regular keyboard

    • Started by bndeulogy2
    • 3 Replies:
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 05-Sep-2013
    • Posts: 2

    Hello all!

    I currently have Colemak portable booting when I start up windows. I was wondering if there is a way to make it so the keyboard starts up in the disabled position. I want others who access my computer to be able to use the regular keyboard, but have it active at all times so I just have to double alt to enable it. Is this possible to do?

    Thanks in advance,
    Kyle

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

    Use PortableKeyboardLayout (PKL). In the pkl.ini file there's an option to start up disabled. There's even options to go back to disabled if you don't use it for a certain period of time, so you can switch to Colemak but the next user (after 10 min) will find QWERTY even if you forgot to turn it off.

    In my sig topic there's a link to PKL. I have files for both wide ergonomic and non-wide (standard) setups, so use the one that suits you.

    Last edited by DreymaR (06-Sep-2013 14:11:30)

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

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    • Registered: 05-Sep-2013
    • Posts: 2

    DreymaR,

    Thanks for your quick reply! I have to admit though I am having a hard time finding the line to change in the .ini file. I found the section to disable it after a duration. Is it in the same area? Here's what I am showing in my .ini. Thanks in advance.

    Kyle

    [pkl]

    ; The layout ini file is "layouts/[key value]/layout.ini"
    ; You can use multiple layouts, if you write:
    ;     layout = layout1:Displayed name,layout2
    layout = colemak

    ; With this hotkey you can switch between layouts
    changeLayoutHotkey =

    ; If your original layout has deadkeys (like '^', etc), put them
    ; here; (For example on the Hungarian keyboard '^' is a dead key,
    ; so if I would like to type a '^', I must type '^{Space}'.)
    ; If you write "auto" it use maybe the correct mode (if someone sent me it)
    systemsDeadkeys = auto

    ; The original mode for non-ASCII characters may not work with
    ; all programs (for example GTK applications, like Klavaro or Pidgin)
    ; so you can try alternative modes with this hotkey
    ; If you have found the best mode, you can write it into the
    ; nonASCII.ini, and please send me too!
    changeNonASCIIMode = #F12

    ; A file name in the Languages folder (without .ini). If it is 'auto',
    ; the language definitions are loaded from the system's default locale
    ; (https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/misc/Languages.htm)
    language = auto

    ; Display a help image
    displayHelpImage = yes

    ; Toggle on/off the help image
    ; https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/Hotkeys.htm#Symbols
    displayHelpImageHotkey = #F1

    ; Exit from the application.
    ; https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/Hotkeys.htm#Symbols
    exitAppHotkey =

    ; Suspend (disable/enable) the application.
    ; https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/Hotkeys.htm#Symbols
    suspendHotkey = LAlt & RAlt,RAlt & LAlt

    ; Compact mode: every external file is in the folder of pkl.exe
    compactMode = no

    ; Windows internally translates the AltGr (right Alt) key to LEFT Ctrl + RIGHT Alt
    ; If you enable this option, PKL detect AltGr as (one of) Ctrl + (one of) Alt.
    ; (this is useful for notebook keyboards that do not have a right alt or AltGr key.)
    ; It is not recommend, because fortunately some programs know the
    ; difference between the AltGr and the Alt+Ctrl
    altGrEqualsAltCtrl = no

    ; If you often forget to exit PKL at a shared computer, you can set a
    ; suspend timeout in minutes: after this time of inactivity (with no
    ; keypresses) PKL will suspend. The exit timeout is similar: after
    ; this time is spent suspended PKL will exit.
    ; For example if you use suspend=5, exit=30, then after 5 minutes of
    ; inactivity PKL go suspend – if you are there, you can go live. If you
    ; forgot disable PKL, within 5 minutes your friend can cry to you.
    ; After 30 minutes in suspend PKL exit.
    ; You can disable these features by setting the timeouts to 0.
    ; Important: only "coming out from suspend" is activity for exitTimeOut,
    ; so if you write 0 to suspend and 30 to exit, it will exit after 30
    ; minutes, even you type or pressing keys.
    suspendTimeOut = 0
    exitTimeOut = 0

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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    Tip: Use code tags ('code' and '/code' in [] brackets) when quoting many lines! :)

    It's this line:

    ; If it is yes/true/1, pkl will start up suspended.
    ; (Yes, I know the helper image is appearing and hiding.)
    ; I think it's better to start PKL when you need it instead.
    startsInSuspendMode = no

    If your PKL doesn't have that, try downloading the v0.4 preview version (from my topic sig for instance).

    What I often do instead, is use a QWERTY 'virtualkey' layout for my QWERTY-using guests. That way I can use Extend mode in QWERTY for instance. You could set up PKL to start with a vk_qwerty layout and then use the layout switch hotkey to get to and from Colemak.

    Last edited by DreymaR (09-Sep-2013 11:16:40)

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

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