ktouch
 

Hi again, I have been looking at improving my typing skills with ktouch. I have already learned the very basics touch method, but I need to learn more. Ktouch looks really good, but they don't have a Swedish keyboard on the list of available keyboards. I looked briefly at the installation files for ktouch - where they talk about creating your own keyboard file. Well, I found the info a little above me - and could do with a little help. Is there anyone that could help me stage by stage create my Swedish keyboard? I really don't know how to begin.

bookie

Hi bookie,

I've not done that myself but looked at the keyboard files out of curiousity. What part is above you? I suggest you open the English keyboard file and for example the German and the Danish, since the first contains the column titles (you see what each column in the sections are for), the second contains ae (ä) and oe (ö) and the latter one has aa (å).

Each small key has a x and y height/width of 10. So a key with (x, y, width, height) = (15, 40, 15, 10) starts at 1,5 times the width of a small key, it is in the fifth row from top (Esc row = 0, each additional downward counts for 10), it has 1,5 times the width of a small key and is exactly as high as a normal key (10).
You can get Unicode values if you start kcharmap (but you won't need it if you take the values from the German and Danish keyboard files). Keytext is obviously the text ktouch will show as the key name. Fingerkey in some parts of the keyboard file means with which finger should trigger each key. So if in the base line "Unicode 97" hits the "A" you can give that value "97" to tell ktouch that the same finger should hit another key. Modifier is needed to tell the values you get with "Shift" or "AltGr" and they are listed in the second block of the keyboard file (named ControlKey).

I suggest you start with the German or Danish layout and modify them. From what I've seen the German looks more complete with special chars like ";:_" if you want to train them.

Please try the following (I hope it gets copied right here) and save it as UTF-8 encoded file se.keyboard. Then move it to /opt/kde/share/apps/ktouch or /usr/share/apps/ktouch or whereever your ktouch folder is. Please test the file, it should be quite complete (actually as complete as I could get the layout of the Swedish keyboard). If it works please give me some kind of answer so I could send it to the ktouch people or make changes.

Cheers :)

Thanks a lot for the help titopoquito. I have been a little busy with other things - but will get back to you if I need any more help and as soon as I have tested your files.

Once again - thanks a lot.

bookie

Hi titopoquito
Well, I had a little time over, so I set about copying and adding your file to ktouch. I tried to copy and save it in a manner of different ways, but every time I opened it it didn't look the same as you had written it. I did give it the name se.keyboard because all the keyboards seemed to be labeled in that way. When I tried to open the keyboard with ktouch there was a problem and the program couldn't read the keyboard. Maybe that has to do with me not being able to save it how you have written it. It also said that the language was Samiska, which isn't entirely the case for most of the population of Sweden.

I had an idea. What about the general keyboard settings that I choose when using my Swedish keyboard? I don't know how those files look like, or where I would find them on the computer? Please don't give up - you are on the right track. It is just a case of probably saving the file in the right way.

bookie

Hi titopoquito, I have just downloaded the se.keyboard that you sent via mail. I am sorry to say I had no luck in choosing the keyboard after installation.

Back to the drawing board.
Please don't give up.

bookie

There is still a problem here with three chars. I have put them at the end of the file and commented them out.
Please save it as sv.keyboard (sv not se!).

Hi titopoquito
 

Well, by George he's got it. Now we are getting some where. Could load the keyboard - seems to be working fine. Keys in the right places.

Thanks a lot. You're a little diamond.

bookie

Du är välkommen - you're welcome :D