Kaixo! On Mon, Feb 25, 2002 at 06:35:37PM +0700, Ivan Pascal wrote: > > Pablo Saratxaga wrote: > > The problem with that is it breaks compatibility for all non-latin > > keyboards where two groups are used. > > Imagine some people has defined his keyboard just as "ru" or "th" etc. > > then he updates XFree86 and those files include only one group --> he > > is unable to type any ascii and can't manage his system anymore... > > Sorry, I forgot to mention ... > I don't intend to _replace_ existent layout maps by new ones. > I know that all non-latin layouts are really two-layout maps where the first > layout is 'US qwerty'. And we have to keep all of them at least some time. > For new maps I'd suggest to use a special name extension (for example, > .sg - 'single group') or place them in new subdirectory (for example, > symbols/layouts).
But that means duplicating half of the files; it's a real waste. Better would be to have a special keyword or something so the files can remain single group, but be identified as non-latin; and if such a file is loaded alone, then silently add "us" layout in group 1 and switch the asked file to group 2. Otherwise all current, but also all new layouts for non latin languages should be duplicated. > > However, often the first group in such cases is always US qwerty. > > So, what about making those files have an empty first group (that has already > > been done for various keyboard files, it would just need to be done for > > the remaining ones) and then have arule to xkb_simbols that says something > > like: > > I would not like to make such kind of changes in xkbcomp. > It is just a compiler. I would not like it have too much intellect to make > assumptions what user meant omiting some part of map. It could be made simpler: have only single layout files, and a way to tag a non-latin layout. Then, if there isn't any latin layout in the user specified list, insert one (the default one, "us") as first layout and switch of 1 the group numbering of others layouts. > > I was thinking about the "phonetic" layouts, their purpose is to allow > > to type a non latin script with a latin keyboard that doesn't have the > > non latin letters printed on the keys. > > They are based on an US qwerty keyboard. > > Yes. I thought about differences of latin-based keyboards and problems > it can cause for any secondary layouts. The problem is that the "phonetic layouts" aren't supposed to be layouts, but phonetic equivalences between latin letters and non latin. > > things like: > > > > a = Cyrillic_a > > A = Cyrillic_A > > b = Cyrillic_be > > ... > > I don't know how to assign (in the XKB) a key description to keysym > instead of keycode name. (The xmodmap has such posibility but it seems to me > rather dangerous.) It should be allowed only for group 2 and up, not for the first one. So there will always be a clean layout. And there shouldn't be real keysym aliasing at the end, but a dynamic layout should be created on the fly, based on the first layout, but replacing all keysyms with others based on a keysym alias table. > But the XKB has so called 'keycode aliases' that can help, I suppose. > We can compose special xkb_keycodes files with such aliases ( with > "alias <LATA> = <AC01>" for 'us' keyboard and "alias <LATA> = <AD01> It would be better to implement a new and specific support for real keysyms aliases (if the idea seems ok, if not, it is not that important). -- Ki ça vos våye bén, Pablo Saratxaga http://www.srtxg.easynet.be/ PGP Key available, key ID: 0x8F0E4975 _______________________________________________ I18n mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://XFree86.Org/mailman/listinfo/i18n