How changing hardware keyboard layout on N900? - maemo.org

medri | # 1 | 2009-12-04, 23:35 | Report

Hi Folks,

I looked everywhere to teach this on my own, but I couldn't find anything.

I bought a N900 couple days ago. It's the US-QUERTY version of the keyboard. But since I write eMails also in German I would need to alter the "fn"-Layout of the N900 of the hardware keyboard.
I tried to do it with the UKeyboard Creator programm, but all my tries don't work.

My idea would be to add a "fn"-functionality to the arrow keys (like on the german hardware keyboard) to use the letters "ä", "ö", "ü" and "ß"

What I did so far is:

Originally Posted by

// author Manuel Kimmerle
xkb_symbols "us_ger" {
name[Group1] = "US mit dt. Umlauten auf Pfeil";

include "nokia_vndr/rx-51(english_base)"
include "nokia_vndr/rx-51(arrows_2btns)"

//2.nd Row
key <up> { [ up, up, ä, Ä ] }

};

Can anyone help me with this and post something that I can start with? That would be so awesome!

Thanks in advance!

Manu

medri | # 2 | 2009-12-06, 21:15 | Report

Noone? I'd really like to know how to do that.

olighak | # 3 | 2009-12-06, 21:19 | Report

Originally Posted by medri View Post

Noone? I'd really like to know how to do that.

This is as close as you´ll get.
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?p=412906

Twoboxen did more elaborate fn use than I did. Butt the fn+ functions I did were relatively simple and easy to do. Everything works great. I´ve been tweaking this a little all day to make typing faster.

You need to know what to call those letters in the text file. Ö is odiaeresis (small) and Odiaeresis (capital) ä is adiaeresis (small) and Adiaeresis (capital) in the same way e is ediaeresis in small and Ediaeresis in capt. the SS symbol I don´t remember what is called. Google the other ones and you´ll find a page telling you what you should call it.

You need to figure out how to manipulate the arrows. You can´t really damage much by copying for example a keyboard you don´t use and trying out changes on it. I tried 2-3 times before I got everything to work. The device does not need to be restarted to see the changes happen. I just switched to from and to the keyboard setting I was editing and then clicked "save".

The third column of the character function is the fn+key function. So you just need to add these letters there.

Look at what I did with the left and the up keys. You should be able to do the same with the right and down keys. Or look at where the arrow keys are defined by themselves at the bottom of this file.

To do this you need to install xterm and:
1. Gain root by writing "sudo gainroot" into xterm after running it.

2. Then you write "cd /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/nokia_vndr/" and push enter.

I also suggest that you download vim through the application manager.

3. Then you enter "vi rx-51" or "vim rx-51", and push enter, to enter the basic text editor. (vi is for vi editor which is built in, and vim is for vim which will need to be downloaded if you wish to use vim)

Then follow the vim command list to try editing the file. It is pretty basic. Just don´t save it unless you´re happy with what you did.

4. Once you are done, click the x in the right upper corner of xterm and shut it down. Then go to settings and change to the keyboard you edited and see if everything works as you planned. If not repeat steps 1-4.

List of commands for vim can be found at:
www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/vimcheat.html

vi is already installed and uses basically the same commands as vim.

I was a newbie at this until this morning. It wasn´t hard and no damage was done. Just be careful.

Last edited by olighak; 2009-12-06 at 21:32.

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soleil | # 4 | 2009-12-06, 23:17 | Report

The german hardware keyboard is supported by the N900 . You can change the mapping of the hardwaare keybord .
Setting -->Text input---> Hardware kerbord layout ----> deutsh

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medri | # 5 | 2009-12-09, 19:07 | Report

Originally Posted by olighak View Post

This is as close as you´ll get.
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?p=412906

Twoboxen did more elaborate fn use than I did. Butt the fn+ functions I did were relatively simple and easy to do. Everything works great. I´ve been tweaking this a little all day to make typing faster.

You need to know what to call those letters in the text file. Ö is odiaeresis (small) and Odiaeresis (capital) ä is adiaeresis (small) and Adiaeresis (capital) in the same way e is ediaeresis in small and Ediaeresis in capt. the SS symbol I don´t remember what is called. Google the other ones and you´ll find a page telling you what you should call it.

You need to figure out how to manipulate the arrows. You can´t really damage much by copying for example a keyboard you don´t use and trying out changes on it. I tried 2-3 times before I got everything to work. The device does not need to be restarted to see the changes happen. I just switched to from and to the keyboard setting I was editing and then clicked "save".

The third column of the character function is the fn+key function. So you just need to add these letters there.

Look at what I did with the left and the up keys. You should be able to do the same with the right and down keys. Or look at where the arrow keys are defined by themselves at the bottom of this file.

To do this you need to install xterm and:
1. Gain root by writing "sudo gainroot" into xterm after running it.

2. Then you write "cd /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/nokia_vndr/" and push enter.

I also suggest that you download vim through the application manager.

3. Then you enter "vi rx-51" or "vim rx-51", and push enter, to enter the basic text editor. (vi is for vi editor which is built in, and vim is for vim which will need to be downloaded if you wish to use vim)

Then follow the vim command list to try editing the file. It is pretty basic. Just don´t save it unless you´re happy with what you did.

4. Once you are done, click the x in the right upper corner of xterm and shut it down. Then go to settings and change to the keyboard you edited and see if everything works as you planned. If not repeat steps 1-4.

List of commands for vim can be found at:
www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/vimcheat.html

vi is already installed and uses basically the same commands as vim.

I was a newbie at this until this morning. It wasn´t hard and no damage was done. Just be careful.

Thanks, that brought me closer to what I want. Now I only have one problem:
Maemo doesn't allow me to change the fn+arrow keys. It's fixed by the os, even when I try to override it with the "rx-51"-file.
I managed to replace the Pound-Symbol with the ssharp, but the arrow-keys don't work.

Any idea on this?

Mitja | # 6 | 2009-12-28, 09:09 | Report

Originally Posted by medri View Post

Thanks, that brought me closer to what I want. Now I only have one problem:
Maemo doesn't allow me to change the fn+arrow keys. It's fixed by the os, even when I try to override it with the "rx-51"-file.
I managed to replace the Pound-Symbol with the ssharp, but the arrow-keys don't work.

Any idea on this?

I've done it: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=35089&page=2

Code:

xkb_symbols "arrows_4btns" {
key <UP> 	{ type[Group1] = "PC_FN_LEVEL2", symbols[Group1] = [ 	Up, 	uparrow 	] };
key <LEFT>	{ type[Group1] = "PC_FN_LEVEL2", symbols[Group1] = [ 	Left, 	leftarrow 	] };
key <DOWN>	{ type[Group1] = "PC_FN_LEVEL2", symbols[Group1] = [ 	Down, 	downarrow 	] };
key <RGHT> 	{ type[Group1] = "PC_FN_LEVEL2", symbols[Group1] = [ 	Right, 	rightarrow 	] };
};

Just change uparrow, leftarrow, downarrow and rightarrow as needed.

olighak | # 7 | 2010-01-02, 15:52 | Report

Originally Posted by Mitja View Post

I've done it: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=35089&page=2

Code:

xkb_symbols "arrows_4btns" {
key <UP> 	{ type[Group1] = "PC_FN_LEVEL2", symbols[Group1] = [ 	Up, 	uparrow 	] };
key <LEFT>	{ type[Group1] = "PC_FN_LEVEL2", symbols[Group1] = [ 	Left, 	leftarrow 	] };
key <DOWN>	{ type[Group1] = "PC_FN_LEVEL2", symbols[Group1] = [ 	Down, 	downarrow 	] };
key <RGHT> 	{ type[Group1] = "PC_FN_LEVEL2", symbols[Group1] = [ 	Right, 	rightarrow 	] };
};

Just change uparrow, leftarrow, downarrow and rightarrow as needed.

Has anyone been successful in modifying the russian keyboard, which has 8 levels instead of the usual 4, to allow 2 arrow button functionality when the russian language is selected, but 4 arrow button functionality when the english one is selected?

I changed the russian into Icelandic on mine and my fathers phones and it´s be nice to have both. I tried messing with it, but obviously if someone smart has already figured it out then there is no need to re-invent the wheel.

zlatko | # 8 | 2010-03-03, 10:43 | Report

I am trying to change English base keyboard on my N900 by editing rx-51 file - I want to remap pound sign for vertical bar '|' symbol. What is code name for vertical bar in rx-51?

EDIT: I found it: 'bar'. It is working, now I can pipe easily.

Last edited by zlatko; 2010-03-03 at 10:52.

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