5 ms·

For one, the character coverage is much broader than what's typically found on an international keyboard. I use it all the time for typing arrows and other sym

For one, the character coverage is much broader than what's typically found on an international keyboard. I use it all the time for typing arrows and other symbols, for example. YMMV but I also find it mnemonically better, from time to time I can just guess what the right Compose sequence is.

shawnz 5y ago
Wouldn't it be better to just create a new keyboard layout featuring the composed keys you want, rather than running software constantly in the background to achieve the same thing? See here for example: https://dailydoseoftech.com/how-to-create-a-custom-keyboard-layout-in-windows/ https://dailydoseoftech.com/how-to-create-a-custom-keyboard-...
- jtvjan 5y ago
  Not really. I don't know in advance which symbols I want to type, and even then I'd have to learn where I put the symbols on the custom layout, while the compose sequences I can usually guess. Considering the amount of background processes the typical Windows system runs, having one additional program really doesn't make a difference.
  - shawnz 5y ago
    I don't necessarily mean that each individual user of the software should do this. I mean, why not just create a new layout instead of developing this? Or as a user, why not just use a layout someone else has already developed which has logical choices for the composed keys? EDIT: Some compelling arguments in favour of the app in this thread. Thank you
    - sterlind 5y ago
      you can't compose keyboard layouts, so you'd either have to stick with only QWERTY or generate separate enhanced layouts for Azerty + Dvorak + etc. discoverability would also be harder, and you'd have to hold down every key in the combo instead of pressing them in sequence holding the compose key, so you couldn't distinguish /ae/ vs /ea/ and you'd get carpal tunnel. side-note: X11 layouts are really frustrating. there's a hard constraint of one key combo -> one Unicode character, which makes it impossible to output multiple characters. I run into this with Lushootseed, which has /ƛ̕/ (glottalized barred lambda encoded as barred lambda + accent marker), but you'd never write it without the accent in that language.
      - bmn__ 5y ago
        > there's a hard constraint of one key combo -> one Unicode character, which makes it impossible to output multiple characters. The orthodox solution for this problem is an IME. Quickest path to success is via editing a new map file /usr/share/m17n/lut.mim (see Blackfoot and Inuktitut in the same directory for examples of multiple character output) and then using the m17n plugin for fcitx or scim or ibus.
    - frosted-flakes 5y ago
      Because a Compose key allows you to type any of thousands of characters, which (a) isn't possible with a custom keyboard layout, and even if it was, (b) would be very difficult to learn.
      - shawnz 5y ago
        What makes this easier to learn? I think you could implement the same kinds of sequences by using AltGr combined with dead keys.
        frosted-flakes 5y ago
        So you're going to turn every key on the keyboard into a dead key? Also, the compose file can easily be customized, and some entries output multiple characters or involve non-character keys like the arrows. How is that going to work with a static keyboard layout?
        shawnz 5y ago
        Only AltGr + [the key] would be a dead key, not the bare key itself. Perhaps a tool could be made to convert compose files into Windows keyboard layout definitions with this strategy That's a good point about non-character keys though, I don't think that could be supported with this method.
        account42 5y ago
        > some entries output multiple characters Too bad that Qt broke support for that in version 5 and has never fixed it.
    - Symbiote 5y ago
      You'd swiftly run out of practical combinations. On the 1 key, I have 1 and !. Maybe I could add ¹ and ₁, with AltGr and Shift+AltGr (or Ctrl, or something). Maybe ½ and ¼? With Compose, I have ¹, ₁, ½, ⅓, ¼, ⅕, ⅙, ⅐, ⅛, ⅑, ⅒, ①, ⑩, ⑪, … ㊶ which involve the 1 key. I do not need to look up the sequences for these, as they're intuitive: Compose ^ 1, Compose _ 1, Compose 1 2, … Compose ( 4 1 ).
      - shawnz 5y ago
        You could maybe use AltGr combined with dead keys to accomplish that, but I suppose it would be limited to combinations of two keys (plus the modifier). EDIT: Actually, it seems Windows supports chained dead keys, so I think you could accomplish longer sequences with a plain old Windows keyboard layout definition too. But that's not supported with MSKLC.
- bradrn 5y ago
  I agree! This is exactly what I ended up doing: https://github.com/bradrn/Conkey https://github.com/bradrn/Conkey
  - shawnz 5y ago
    Nice! Thank you for this.

shawnz 5y ago

Wouldn't it be better to just create a new keyboard layout featuring the composed keys you want, rather than running software constantly in the background to achieve the same thing? See here for example: https://dailydoseoftech.com/how-to-create-a-custom-keyboard-layout-in-windows/ https://dailydoseoftech.com/how-to-create-a-custom-keyboard-...

jtvjan 5y ago
Not really. I don't know in advance which symbols I want to type, and even then I'd have to learn where I put the symbols on the custom layout, while the compose sequences I can usually guess. Considering the amount of background processes the typical Windows system runs, having one additional program really doesn't make a difference.
- shawnz 5y ago
  I don't necessarily mean that each individual user of the software should do this. I mean, why not just create a new layout instead of developing this? Or as a user, why not just use a layout someone else has already developed which has logical choices for the composed keys? EDIT: Some compelling arguments in favour of the app in this thread. Thank you
  - sterlind 5y ago
    you can't compose keyboard layouts, so you'd either have to stick with only QWERTY or generate separate enhanced layouts for Azerty + Dvorak + etc. discoverability would also be harder, and you'd have to hold down every key in the combo instead of pressing them in sequence holding the compose key, so you couldn't distinguish /ae/ vs /ea/ and you'd get carpal tunnel. side-note: X11 layouts are really frustrating. there's a hard constraint of one key combo -> one Unicode character, which makes it impossible to output multiple characters. I run into this with Lushootseed, which has /ƛ̕/ (glottalized barred lambda encoded as barred lambda + accent marker), but you'd never write it without the accent in that language.
    - bmn__ 5y ago
      > there's a hard constraint of one key combo -> one Unicode character, which makes it impossible to output multiple characters. The orthodox solution for this problem is an IME. Quickest path to success is via editing a new map file /usr/share/m17n/lut.mim (see Blackfoot and Inuktitut in the same directory for examples of multiple character output) and then using the m17n plugin for fcitx or scim or ibus.
  - frosted-flakes 5y ago
    Because a Compose key allows you to type any of thousands of characters, which (a) isn't possible with a custom keyboard layout, and even if it was, (b) would be very difficult to learn.
    - shawnz 5y ago
      What makes this easier to learn? I think you could implement the same kinds of sequences by using AltGr combined with dead keys.
      - frosted-flakes 5y ago
        So you're going to turn every key on the keyboard into a dead key? Also, the compose file can easily be customized, and some entries output multiple characters or involve non-character keys like the arrows. How is that going to work with a static keyboard layout?
        shawnz 5y ago
        Only AltGr + [the key] would be a dead key, not the bare key itself. Perhaps a tool could be made to convert compose files into Windows keyboard layout definitions with this strategy That's a good point about non-character keys though, I don't think that could be supported with this method.
        account42 5y ago
        > some entries output multiple characters Too bad that Qt broke support for that in version 5 and has never fixed it.
  - Symbiote 5y ago
    You'd swiftly run out of practical combinations. On the 1 key, I have 1 and !. Maybe I could add ¹ and ₁, with AltGr and Shift+AltGr (or Ctrl, or something). Maybe ½ and ¼? With Compose, I have ¹, ₁, ½, ⅓, ¼, ⅕, ⅙, ⅐, ⅛, ⅑, ⅒, ①, ⑩, ⑪, … ㊶ which involve the 1 key. I do not need to look up the sequences for these, as they're intuitive: Compose ^ 1, Compose _ 1, Compose 1 2, … Compose ( 4 1 ).
    - shawnz 5y ago
      You could maybe use AltGr combined with dead keys to accomplish that, but I suppose it would be limited to combinations of two keys (plus the modifier). EDIT: Actually, it seems Windows supports chained dead keys, so I think you could accomplish longer sequences with a plain old Windows keyboard layout definition too. But that's not supported with MSKLC.
bradrn 5y ago
I agree! This is exactly what I ended up doing: https://github.com/bradrn/Conkey https://github.com/bradrn/Conkey
- shawnz 5y ago
  Nice! Thank you for this.