Algebraic Programming Language APL

[burkhard]

(10-18-2018 07:40 AM)grsbanks Wrote:  

(10-17-2018 07:59 PM)Eric Rechlin Wrote:  https://www.hpcalc.org/details/7853

I can see many uses for this. My native language is English but I often slip into other languages that require an alternative layout unless you can remember a sh*tload of Alt-xxx key combos.

Would you consider sharing the source code for this so I can tailor it to my own specific needs or, better still, make it run-time configurable?

If your native language is English, but you often use other languages (especially European), mine is particularly well set up for that giving ä,ö,ü,ß, à, á, ñ, ç and bunch more easily without need for any code-remembering. I occasionally write in German and find it invaluable for that.

Eric and I did essentially the same thing and it is very easy... no need to modify / compile source code. We downloaded a free utility from Microsoft called the "Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator 1.4" (MSKLC) and used that to assign Unicode characters to specific keys on the keyboard. You can either start from scratch or start from an existing one (US English, UK English, Swiss German, Tagalog, whatever) and modify that however suits your fancy.

The Microsoft utility spits out a bunch of files including an *.exe that when run installs the layout you created into the list available from Control Panel (under Region and Language, or something similar depending on your Windows version). Once it's on the list, you merely pick this keyboard layout instead of your prior one and it's "there" for everything running in Windows all the time. There's no special need to fire it up when desired... just install and it stays active until you pick another or go back to what you started from.

Both Eric and I took advantage that Windows actually treats the Right Alt key differently from the left and one can use that to invoke extra characters. So if I hit "j" with the "Right Alt" key held down I get →. And "a" with the RightAlt key held gives me ä. And "L" with the RightALt yields Λ. And many many more. Look up above at my prior post #14 to see what the map of my layout looks like. Eric and I had a different philosophy and did it differently, but the tools we used were exactly the same.

If you want to change an existing layout (like ours or one of the built-in ones), you don't need source code for anything. You just need the Microsoft utility and either a keyboard layout file (*.klc) somebody (like Eric or me) gave you OR you can modify already-installed layouts on your machine.

•The Microsoft utility MSKLC is here. You only need it if you want to make changes. If you merely want to try (and not edit) what Eric or I did, you don't need MSKLC, but only our respective files which are ready to install. But you'll probably want to fiddle on your own as well... :-)
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download...x?id=22339
MSKLC was written years ago for Vista, but it works fine for later Windows, at least through 8.x and probably 10 as well.

I found online a nice writeup on using the MSKLC here:
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/linguist..._MSKLC.pdf
I haven't read through it thoroughly (because I already know how to use it), but it looks helpful.

•If you would like to try my layout, you can download a zip from my Dropbox. In that is a *.docx file that tells how to install / use it. If it looks good, there's also a setup.exe that installs the layout into Windows. If you don't like it, it's simple to disable or completely uninstall.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6der9htt30wrfv...3.zip?dl=0

Let me know (here or PM) if you have any questions.