Michael Eng

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'Real' UK 102-key layout for the Macintosh

Version 1.0, by Michael Eng, 23 Nov 2003

Description

This layout file provides an alternative UK keyboard layout for the Macintosh especially suited to plug in 102-key PC keyboards (and plug in 102-key PC people).

It makes the following changes to the "British" keyboard map:

• Shift-[2] makes ["] and Shift-['] makes [@]
• [`] and shifted [¬] are back in the top left hand corner next to [1].
• To get [¦], press Option-[`]. (although this seems not to work in native Mac apps, it does work in Apple X11.)
• [\] and shifted [|] are to the left of [Z]
  (note, we follow the PC idiom of sending an unbroken bar where the broken bar symbol is and vice versa. I don't consider this behaviour to be broken, as | is what you want if you type foo|less.)
• [#] and shifted [~] are to the right of ['] (left of Return)
  (Option-[3] will still get #, if you're feeling peverse.)
• [§] and shifted [±] are available via Option-[\] and Option-Shift-[\], if you want them back.

In effect, we end up with a standard 102-key UK PC layout.

Note: the grave dead-key still works (eg. Opt-[`], [a] produces à), just push it in the new position. Key Caps also reads the new mapping and produces the correct display.

Compatibility

This file has been tested on System 10.2.8. It will not work on System 10.1 or 10.0. The System 9 layout has been tested on System 9.2.2, both in native mode and under Classic. I would appreciate any positive or negative reports for other System versions.

Download

Notes

These layouts don't do any modifier key mapping. You want uControl to make Alt send Command and similar things.

Please send me mail if you have problems (address below), as I rarely read net news.

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