XKB data for DreymaR's Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks
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VERSION:
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File description: Modified xkb-data files for DreymaR's Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks (Linux/XKB)
Files found here: https://github.com/DreymaR/BigBagKbdTrixXKB
xkb-data version: 2-23-1-1ub1, edition DreymaR
XKB archive date: 2018-02-02
My starting date: 2018-08-21
INTRO:
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This readme holds version info, TODO and DONE lists for the BigBag-4-XKB repo.
For more general info, see the [main repo README][BBREADME].
The [xkeyboard-config][XKBgitHb] files in this folder are updated to [XKB-data v2.23.1-1ubuntu1][XKB-Ub18], 2018.
They work fine with other versions though, in nearly all cases.
TODO:
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* Move the ks variants out of the official sortiment? They're rather bad anyway, and may confuse newcomers?
- Leave them to be added by a simple modding, could have links to them as commented-out lines in the symbols/colemak file or something.
* Check out Space key implementation now
- `NOTE: The basic layout didn't define some keys (no Space?); I've no idea why.` is found in some locales, which then add a space def.
- This should be handled universally in the colemak file now, though? Shouldn't it? Maybe not for phonetic variants?
* Update xkb-data
- 2.35.1.1 as of 2023-05
- Use the [freedesktop.org GitLab repo][XKBgitLb] as that's the freshest there is? But it has the rules in raw/uncompiled format.
* Test the XKB BigBag on a Wayland system?
* Sym mod implementation
- Should the Sym mod be implemented as hard (model)? No, it should not rearrange Extend.
- Better to make a new symbols/symbols file, and put everything in there.
- Then select sym mod according to wide status, as an option.
- Update setkb.sh to handle all that.
* Make a patch file of the mod dir.
* Update most forum.colemak.com links with new BigBag links: Locale topic (id=1458) -> https://dreymar.colemak.org/variants.html#locales etc.
- Also, fix the attributions like this:
// 2006-01-01 Shai Coleman http://colemak.com/ (Public Domain) : The Colemak keyboard layout.
// 2012-01-01 OEystein "DreymaR" Bech-Aase, formerly Bech Gadmar : New shift levels 3-4.
- And fix the `for xkb on X.Org Server 7.x` bits, to `for the XKeyboardConfig xkb-data package`. Only fix mine, not Shai/Bucao/Norman's.
* Better instructions for Wayland?
- Depends on your Wayland Compositor (Sway is common?)
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/wayland#Compositors
- Didn't we have some good ones at the Colemak Discord? Where?
https://discord.com/channels/409502982246236160/1059814838408319026/1059866421066203257
* Lockable lv5 modifier, for users who want Extend-lock. Maybe Shift+Extend to lock it, or something?
- It's possible today to have two switch-or-lock lv5 modifiers. But it seems wasteful to use up two keys.
* Non-Fn-key Extend is now the default. Add a separate option for FKey Extend? Many new users struggled with this, or have weird FKey setups.
- Add a FKey Extend option to misc? So people can activate `misc:extend` and `misc:extend_fk` separately.
* Add colemak-dh to the colemak symbols file and the US locale? Both ISO, ANSI and Ortho.
- Would it be "allowable" to actually move both default and dh colemak _into_ the symbols/colemak file now?
- If so, edit rules components accordingly, and consider editing all locale variants to include them
* Not all distros source `~/.bashrc` by default. Seems that `~/.xinitrc` is mostly used by xinit and not generally sourced?
- What about `~/.xsession` or `~/.profile`? Seems to be mostly legacy; used by `startx`? It's messy.
- Look in `/etc/X11/Xsession` to see how thing are run at startup?
- But `~/.Xresources` seems like a good option (and is sourced by xinitrc too)?
- Its format is different though. And it doesn't list keyboard layout as one of its intended purposes.
* Add some easy way of returning to the old xkbmap setup? But how? Can't unset settings, so we'd have to store it somehow? Or just let them go to us/us?
- Could write setxkbmap output to a file. Check it isn't overwritten, like the normal backup.
- Make a restore to default layout shortcut instead? It's only an alias for `setkb 4n/5n`. Maybe `resetkb 4/5`?
* Transition many ###.xml changes to ###.extras.xml? Other Colemak locale variants reside there. But it's a mess: Many (such as Norwegian) are in the main file!
- It might be nice to keep all the BigBag locales in one place though? Or not?
* To get Extend with the currently active layout, use `setxkbmap -v 9 -option "" -option "misc:extend,lv5:caps_switch_lock,compose:menu"`.
- The first `-option ""` clears any existing option settings, while the one with non-empty arguments add to existing options.
* Add lv5:lalt_switch_lock for LALT-Extend.
* Add compose:102? Inconsistent between ISO and ANSI, just add a pro-tip.
* The Curl(DH) model implementation has to go as it may mess w/ QWERTY. Instead, I should use two Extend variants.
- It also seems very hard for some newcomers to understand. So yes, I should have the Angle mod only and not CurlAngle models?
- Also, matrix users want the V-D swap without an Angle mod! Another nail in the coffin for the Curl models.
- The V-D swap also messes with the Extend mapping for Paste, which becomes Ctrl+D instead of Ctrl+V.
- Actually, should I make a NoModel CurlAngle layout for the model impaired? Vanilla, Curl(DH) and Curl(DH)Angle then. ... No?
- First, just make Curl with D-V swap built in. Let the Extend Paste function be where it falls for now?
- Separate Angle mods for Curl and non-Curl? Probably not, as it'll still get silly when using both QWERTY and Cmk-eD.
- Separate Extend-Angle includes! Similar to how EPKL handles this problem.
* Check out the compose:102 option. This would be similar to what I've used in EPKL for Windows! It's also present in some other layouts.
* Echo the setxkbmap command when using setkb.sh, for ease of troubleshooting! Also make the script able to output the command for piping.
* Add a localectl option to setkb.sh? So people can choose that or setxkbmap. Eventually, even more variants such as Sway?
* Problems with Super+ shortcuts: https://github.com/DreymaR/BigBagKbdTrixXKB/issues/23#issuecomment-1027839924
* A purge option in addition to restore for the install script? So backup dirs etc are removed and the xkb dir restored to original state.
* Find out how to change the rules component properly to allow compiling and eventually merging to the main repo?
- A clarification by Peter Hutterer on the mystic .part files in the rules component:
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xkeyboard-config/xkeyboard-config/-/issues/327#note_1436334
- The parts are numbered to get their sequence in the resulting files right. Only when there are differences, they start with base/evdev.
- There are RMLVO (user interface) and KcCSGST (actual XKB) letter codes. The naming of those .part files is 1234-rmlvo-kccgst.part...
- but with only the relevant bits. So, e.g., `0009-m_g.part` is the model to group mapping of the final rules file. `ml_s.part` is model + layout to symbols.
- It seems that you can make simple layout commits by editing only the rules/base.xml (and symbols) file(s) though?
- We may need to provide both the uncompiled and compiled files (or a patch thereof) for different purposes.
* Add a model-less Colemak-CAWS for people who want to switch to QWERTY? Or instructions on how to setkb it? That's better, I think.
* Problem: Using Google Spreadsheets, hitting Caps Lock (which is mapped to ISO_Level5_Shift) clears the current spreadsheet cell.
- https://forum.colemak.com/topic/1438-dreymars-big-bag-of-keyboard-tricks-linuxxkb-files-included/p15/#p23838
- This solves it by convincing Google Sheets that the Caps key is a Win key: `sudo setkeycodes 0x3a 125`
- But it only works for built-in laptop keyboards and not USB/Bluetooth ones?
* Is there a way to clear the LevelFive mod on all the Extend mappings by default? Or must I be more careful with each RedirectKey()?
- Example: `Q -> Esc -> Caps` caused people trouble, as Ext+Q would act as Esc+Caps.
- Possibly, finally make a new key type EIGHT_LEVEL_EXTEND with the action clearmods=LevelFive added to state 5-8? No, no actions.
- In xkb/types/level5 under EIGHT_LEVEL_SEMIALPHABETIC I used `preserve[Shift] = Shift;`. We need the opposite here, to discard lvl5.
- See for instance https://www.x.org/releases/X11R7.5/doc/input/XKB-Enhancing.html
- "Usually, all modifiers introduced in 'modifiers=' list are used for shift level calculation and then discarded."
- Does this mean that LevelFive should've been discarded but isn't? Is it an XKB bug?
* Migrate from `~/.bashrc` to `~/.xprofile`? The latter is more appropriate, but which setups source it and which ones don't?
- Include both? Or, people can just enter the file names.
* Could use an key code alias defined in keycodes/evdev (alias = ), instead of the code?
* Test this method for using a local dir, by Bjørnar "zkf" Hansen:
- Copy the `xkb-data_mod/xkb` dir to, say, `/usr/local/bigbag/xkb` if desired.
- Set `setenv MYXKB ` or `export MYKXB=` as appropriate (not necessary for this, just practical here).
- `setxkbmap -rules evdev -option '' -print | xkbcomp -I -I$MYXKB -I/usr/share/X11/xkb - $DISPLAY`
- See https://github.com/DreymaR/BigBagKbdTrixXKB/issues/14
- More useful info in this comment: https://github.com/DreymaR/BigBagKbdTrixXKB/issues/14#issuecomment-767590722
- "-I/usr/local/share/X11/xkb can be written more succinctly as -I. if you first cd into this directory."
- Another reason to first cd into the local xkb dir is that the rules dir is expected to be in the pwd.
* An earlier comment on the local dir subject, by neeasade@github in issue 1:
- https://github.com/DreymaR/BigBagKbdTrixXKB/issues/1#issuecomment-462952051
- https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/397716/custom-keyboard-layout-without-root
- `setxkbmap -I $MYXKB -rules evdev -print | xkbcomp -I $MYXKB - "$DISPLAY"
- "I made that tweak to setkb and some small changes to use a hardcoded $HOME dir path, and it appears good."
- Another attempt by birdspider, with some tripups and solutions:
https://github.com/DreymaR/BigBagKbdTrixXKB/issues/1#issuecomment-818880299
* Is something wrong with Rulemak? It's there with the bg (Bulmak) locale, but the ru one seems to sport Polish for some odd reason?!?
- The deal is that Rulemak has its own entry by default now, from GHen himself.
- I think someone asked for that Polish entry under Ru? Not sure why, though...
* For an EsAlt variant as in EPKL:
```
key { [ 4, dollar, dead_currency, EuroSign ] }; // 4
key { [ l, L, U2039, guillemotleft ] }; // QWE U Cmk L
key { [ u, U, ú, Ú ] }; // QWE I Cmk U - EsAlt
key { [ a, A, á, Á ] }; // QWE A Cmk A - EsAlt
key { [ h, H, leftarrow, rightarrow ] }; // QWE H Cmk H
// key { [ n, N, ñ, Ñ ] }; // QWE J Cmk N - EsAlt ANSI
key { [ e, E, é, É ] }; // QWE K Cmk E - EsAlt
key { [ i, I, í, Í ] }; // QWE L Cmk I - EsAlt
key { [ o, O, ó, Ó ] }; // QWE ; Cmk O - EsAlt
key { [ ñ, Ñ, oe, OE ] }; // <> - EsAlt ISO
// key { [ k, K, endash, uparrow ] }; // QWE N Cmk K - ANSI
key { [ bracketleft, braceleft, masculine, ordfeminine ] }; // [{
```
HOLD:
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* Is `any` equivalent to `NoSymbol` in the definitions? If so, we could make symbols/extend tidier!
- Doesn't seem that way. There are more compact forms of notation, like leaving out symbols entirely, but those are less clear.
DONE:
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* Fixed key repetition with Extend, particularly vis-a-vis Wayland.
- Added `repeat=yes` after the key actions, to all keys that have actions.
- https://discord.com/channels/409502982246236160/1066499260322943006/1080488398403424256
- http://web.archive.org/web/20190320180541/http://pascal.tsu.ru/en/xkb/gram-symbols.html
- I couldn't devise a way to do this once and for instead of by-key (looked at compat but no?).
* Moved Space to the "letters" block to ensure a consistent Space key implementation for `_ks` layouts etc. Many xkb layouts are sloppy about that.
* Renamed setkb --> setkb: It's easier to type. Updated all docs including the Forum topic.
* Switched to the new DH = DHm standard (was DH = DHk, 2017–2020).
* Changed the default layout for the setkb.sh script to US (UniSym): In my experience, most users that struggle with the setup want US English.
* Relieve the sudo requirement. And add an option to change the X11 dir since Nix uses another place. Pulled from fufexan@github.
- https://github.com/DreymaR/BigBagKbdTrixXKB/issues/15#issuecomment-769431139
[XKB-conf]: https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/XKeyboardConfig/ (XKeyboard Config page)
[XKBgitLb]: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xkeyboard-config/xkeyboard-config (XKB-config on GitLab)
[XKB-pkgs]: https://pkgs.org/download/xkb-data (pkgs.org xkb-data page)
[XKB-DebS]: https://packages.debian.org/sid/xkb-data (Debian Sid xkb-data download)
[XKB-Ub18]: https://ubuntu.pkgs.org/18.04/ubuntu-main-amd64/xkb-data_2.23.1-1ubuntu1_all.deb.html (Ubuntu 18.04 LTS xkb-data page)
[XKB-Ub22]: https://ubuntu.pkgs.org/22.04/ubuntu-main-amd64/xkb-data_2.33-1_all.deb.html (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS xkb-data page)
[XKB-2351]: https://debian.pkgs.org/sid/debian-main-amd64/xkb-data_2.35.1-1_all.deb.html (Debian Sid xkb-data page, 2022-12)
[BigBag]: https://dreymar.colemak.org/ (DreymaR's Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks)
[BigBag4X]: http://forum.colemak.com/viewtopic.php?id=1438 (DreymaR's old BigBag for Linux/XKB on the Colemak Forum)
[BB-ExtFK]: https://github.com/DreymaR/BigBagKbdTrixXKB/blob/a8db6e705e78721a1f2d82c54fcebfe304b4d66a/xkb-data_xmod/xkb/symbols/extend#L64 (BigBag – FK include in symbol/extend)
[BBREADME]: README.md (main BigBag4XKB README)