DreymaR's Big Bag Of Keyboard Tricks - PKL[eD]

For PortableKeyboardLayout on Windows

(Written By Farkas Máté in 2008 using AutoHotkey)

(PKL[edition DreymaR] by DreymaR, 2017-)

Documentation

Info about DreymaR's Big Bag of keyboard trickery is mainly found on the Colemak forum:

The Big Bag main topic with better explanations and links.
Daughter topics for implementations, including the Big Bag for PKL/Windows one.
This repo implements most of my Big Bag for PKL, as layout and PKL .ini files.
It also adds my own PKL - edition DreymaR (PKL[eD]) with several improvements.
Big thanks to Farkas Máté, the AutoHotkey people, Vortex(vVv) and all other contributors.

Getting PKL up and running

Download a copy of this repo, for instance with its GitHub Download/Clone button (and then unzip the file you got).
The simplest way of running PKL is to just put the main folder somewhere and run PKL.exe any way you like!
PKL, being portable, doesn't need an install with admin rights to work. You must still be allowed to run programs.
I usually put a shortcut to PKL_eD.exe in my Start Menu "Startup" folder so it starts on logon, per user.
PKL can also easily be used with the PortableApps.com menu by putting its folder in a C:\PortableApps folder.
If the PortableApps menu is started on logon it can start up PKL for you too.
Choose a layout with your ISO/ANS(I) keyboard type, locale and Curl/Angle/Wide preferences, by shorthand or full name.
In PKL_Settings.ini, activate the layout(s) you want by uncommenting (remove initial semicolon) and/or editing.
- My shortcuts use the KbdType (@K) etc values but you could also type the path to a layout folder out in full
- The format is: layout = <1st layout folder name>:,<2nd layout folder>:<2nd menu entry> etc

More Know-How-To

The repo contains executables for the original PKL as well as PKL[eD], and source code for both.
Most of the layouts are now updated to PKL[eD] format though, so they'd need a little reconstruction for old PKL.
To make many PKL_eD changes work, your PKL settings .ini and layout.ini files need extra settings.

These PKL files may take a little tweaking to get what you want. Remember, there are several parameters:

The PKL_Settings.ini file holds layout choices. The layout.ini files hold layout settings and mappings.
ISO (European/World) vs ANSI (US) vs other keyboard types
- These differ notably in the VK_102 key at the lower left, and some of the OEM_ key codes
- I haven't supported JIS (Japanese) etc so far - sorry
QWERTY vs Colemak vs what-have-you, obviously. Choose wisely!
Full/VK mappings: I've provided my own Colemak[eD] as well as 'VirtualKey' versions
- The 'VK' layouts just move the keys of your installed OS layout around, without other changes
- The [eD] layouts have their own Shift/AltGr mappings specified. You may mix types if you want.
Curl(DH), Angle and/or Wide ergonomic mods, moving some keys to more comfortable positions
- Angle/Wide affect the "hard" key positions in the layout.ini file, usually both for Layout and Extend
- Curl(DH) is Colemak/Tarmak specific and for the most part should not affect Extend
Extend mappings, using for instance CapsLock as a modifier for nav/edit/multimedia/etc keys. It's awesome!!!
In PKL .ini you can use a shorthand specifying KbdType, CurlMod and ErgoMod, or use the layout folder name directly.
In layout.ini you can specify in the [eD_info] section some remaps that turn one layout into a modded one, and more.
If you need to tweak some Extend mappings, they're now in a separate file usually found in the PKL_eD folder.
- For Scan Codes (SC###) and Virtual Key names (VK##) see below.
In the layout folder(s) you've chosen, you may edit their layout.ini files further if required.
- Check out that the ISO/ANSI OEM_# key numbers are right for you, or remapped with a VK remap.
- Help image specifications, Extend key, key mappings etc are in the layout.ini file.
Help images aren't always available with the right ergo mod and keyboard type, since there are so many combos.
- First, check around in some of the eD layout folders. Maybe there's something that works for you there.
- With Advanced Mode active, there is a Help Image Generator that can make images for the currently active layout.
- You have to have Inkscape installed, for instance from PortableApps.com, and point to it in the HIG settings file.
- I recommend making state images only at first, since a full set of about 80 dead key images takes a long time!

Here are the columns of a full key mapping together with a sample key – semicolon (QWERTY P) from one of my layout.ini files:

SC01a = OEM_3   0   ;   :   --  dk13    …   ; QWERTY pP - dk_umlaut
SC    = VK      CS  S0  S1  S2  S6      S7  ; comments

Where:

SC & VK: Scan code ("hard code") & Virtual Key Code ("key name"); see my Key Code Table.
CS: Cap state (default 0; +1 if S0/S1 are non-/shifted versions of the same letter; +4 for S6/S7)
S#: Standard modifier states for the key: Unmodified, 1:Shift, 2:Ctrl (not often used), 6:AltGr, 7:Shift+AltGr...

Look in the PKL .ini files if you're interested! Much is explained there.

These hotkeys are found in the PKL settings file:

Ctrl+Shift+1 – Display/hide help image
Ctrl+Shift+2 – Switch layout between the ones specified in the settings file
Ctrl+Shift+3 – Suspend PKL; hit again to re-activate
Ctrl+Shift+4 – Exit PKL
Ctrl+Shift+5 – Refresh PKL, if it gets stuck or something

NOTES:

Maybe all the layout files aren't quite updated with remaps yet. Check out base ones like Colemak-eD_ISO vs Cmk-eD_ISO_CAWide.

Tech note: Running PKL with other AutoHotkey key mapping scripts may get confusing if there is hook competition.

Anti-madness tips for PKL file editing:

In layout.ini: Always use tabs as separators.
In Extend sections: Don't use empty mappings; comment these out. See my examples for advanced mappings like hotstrings!
PKL_eD uses both .ini and source files that may be UTF-8 Unicode encoded.
PKL_eD allows end-of-line comments (whitespace-semicolon) in .ini files, but the original PKL only handles them in layouts.

DONE:

These changes are now implemented in PKL_eD:

A Refresh menu option with a hotkey (default Ctrl+Shift+5) in case the program hangs up in some way (stuck modifiers etc).
Advanced Mode setting that shows 'Key history...' and other menu options, plus more info in the About... dialog.
Help image opacity, scaling, background color and gutter size settings. Help images can be pushed horizontally too.
Separate help image background/overlay, so keys/fingering, letters/glyphs and Shift/AltGr marks can be in different images.
A Help Image Generator that uses Inkscape (separate download) to generate a set of help images from the current layout.
A PKL_Tables.ini file for info tables that were formerly internal. This way, the user can make additions as necessary.
Sensible dead key names for images and entries (e.g., dk14 -> tilde) in a central file that layouts can point to.
A base layout file can be specified, allowing layout.ini to only contain entries that should override the base layout.
Scan and virtual code modular remapping for layouts and Extend, making ergo and other variants much more accessible.
The settings/layout and Extend parts of PKL.ini are now split into separate files.
There's a shorthand notation in PKL_Settings.ini to specify KbdType (ISO/ANSI), CurlMod and ErgoMod with the layouts.

TODO:

I have many more PKL_eD changes on my wishlist, including:

A timer that checks whether the underlaying Windows layout has changed (affects dead keys) - and fixes any stuck modifiers?
Multiple Extend layers (NumPad, hotstring...).
Sticky a.k.a. One-Shot modifiers: Press-release modifier, then within a certain time hit the key to modify.
More flexible dead key output in general, allowing literal glyphs, ligatures and DK chaining (one DK may release another).
A settings panel instead of editing .ini files.

Best of luck! Øystein "DreymaR" Gadmar, 2018-10

starrynte / BigBagKbdTrixPKL