Built in Dvorak layout and backslash/pipe

[Charles]

Hi,

A few days ago I decided to try the dvorak button on my keyboard. I set the PC keyboard layout to 'UK qwerty' (in windows), plugged in my typematrx & hit Fn-f1. This struck me as ideal because if I'm not here and someone needs to use my PC, they can just plug in a conventional keyboard.

Only trouble is, I can't find the | or \ symbols anywhere! I've had to switch back to having the PC set up with US-Dvorak so that I can use them.

Any ideas? For a work PC, using the dvorak button would make the machine usable by other people if need be, but it's no use if I can't find characters I need.

[Stu L]

I can find them in the dark or even on a blank keyboard but then I've been typing Dvorak only since 1991.  The key you are looking for is bottom row, just right of Z.

For now, here's a picture to help you on your way to touch typing Dvorak:  http://www.typematrix.com/images/bepo/2030usb_us_dvorak_703x289.png

** This was typed on a TypeMatrix 2030DV **

[Charles]

that gives me "#" and "~"

It works fine if I have US international Dvorak selected in windows , but if I have UK qwerty selected, then select dvorak with the key combination (so it's being emulated by the keyboard itself) that's when I can't get the \ or |

It seems to work ok on Linux, so there must be something weird about the UK qwerty layout scan codes in Windows (windows 10, if it makes a difference).

[Stu L]

I have Windows 10 and have English (United States) selected and every key outputs what it should with any combo of fn and shift.  Of course, that's after pressing fn-F1 every time the keyboard is powered up.  Before that, it outputs Qwerty.  I haven't actually tested everything in Qw because it's so long since I used it and I don't care to use it at all.

Try that and if it works, you'll know something is different with the UK keyboard.

[Stu L]

Just for fun and curiosity, I installed an input method - United States - Dvorak and turned off fn-F1 and selected US-DV in the language bar that appeared.  All keys work normally.  Turning on fn-F1 produces garbage.  However, when the computer starts, it will be BW (before Windows) and the BIOS will load qwerty.  Too confusing.  I don't mind pressing fn-F1 and having that nice green light on indicating I'm in Dvorak mode.  Uninstalled United States - Dvorak.  Back to my (familiar) status quo.  ;-)

[Charles]

Bother - I didn't know this, apparently US keyboards have 1 fewer key than UK keyboards. Guess which key no longer exists when I use this combination of UK qwerty layout and TypeMatrix dvorak mode :-( Yes, I could remap the keyboard in software, but the idea was to use the standard keyboard layout and just allow the keyboard to do the translation, so that other people could plug a UK qwerty in and use my PC.

[Charles]

Argh. Again.

I found the answer (sort of) in this post from Feb

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/typematrix-user-group/Pk1LyARfiCk

about missing keys in the azerty layout. 102 key mode changes the cut/play button at bottom left to be the european 102nd key, which is the one I want.

But.....

102 key mode is qwerty. Bother. So I can have 102 keys, or I can have built in dvorak, but I can't have both simultaneously.