keyboard repair/customization KEYBOARD REPAIR & CUSTOMIZATION SOFTWARE

[mona]

For all those willing to customize/repair their keyboards :

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Why Would I Want to Remap My Keys?
Unless you are one of the few people that make use of every key on your keyboard and are completely happy with your keyboard layout, there is probably something you would like to change on your keyboard.

My personal reason for key remapping was repairing my favorite Logitech wireless illuminated keyboard after "H" and left "Shift" were broken.

But maybe you have an IBM Thinkpad and you really miss having a Windows Logo key.

Maybe you are used to using a different keyboard and you keep hitting the wrong key.

Maybe you know that you are going to be doing a lot of numerical data entry and would like to change your Num Pad + key into a Tab key for a little while.

How about changing Scroll Lock into a Mute button?

There are lots of reasons for why you might remap your keyboard.

Sure you could remap your keys the hard way by wading through scan codes and reversing the hex notation.

But why do that when there’s are simple apps that can do it for you?
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Here is a list of programs that can help you remapping keyboard keys or even changing the whole layout :

portable:

• MapKeyboard
• Key Tweak
• RemapKey
• SharpKeys

installers :

• AutoHotkey
• HotkeyControl [shareware]
• The Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator

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BTW - Other applications for keyboard customization (they don't do remapping):

• Qliner hotkeys
• Perfect Keyboard [shareware]
• ZenKEY
• Google Input Tools

[mona]

MORE ABOUT KEYBOARD RELATED SOFTWARE :

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Portable keyboard remappers :

3 programs mentioned below are very easy to use and utilize visual keyboard layout.

They are basically aimed to do the same, but there are small differences in functionality.

So if you find out you can't do what you want with one program, try the next one.

• MapKeyboard - the simplest program for basic tasks
• Key Tweak
• RemapKey

SharpKeys lacks visual keyboard layout, but even that it is very easy to use as well.

Besides it's got definitely most wide range of keys that can be remapped.

Keyboard remappers (and not only) with installers :

They are definitely more complex applications than above mentioned portables.

• AutoHotkey

This program is able to remap keyboard shortcuts, like Alt+Tab or Ctrl+Alt+Delete that KeyTweak and other portable remappers don't do. AutoHotkey (AHK) is a free, open-source macro-creation and automation software for Windows that allows users to automate repetitive tasks. It is driven by a scripting language that was initially aimed at providing keyboard shortcuts, otherwise known as hotkeys, that over time evolved into a full-fledged scripting language.

• HotkeyControl [shareware]

Remapping keyboard keys layout at a system level and customizing keyboard's key configuration is only an additional funktionality of this application.
Hotkeycontrol is the award winning and easy to use solution for creating keyboard shortcuts for routine tasks like opening files, changing system volume, controlling display brightness, typing frequently used text, controlling active windows and recording macros.
Volume and brightness level are shown smoothly on screen similar to OS X on Macbooks. And, a handy Hotkeypanel ensures that you never need to remember all your hotkeys by letting you execute them quickly from a single easily accessible window. In addition to normal combination hotkeys, you can use single keys such as function or number pad keys.

• The Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator

If you want to change the entire layout of your keyboard rather than just a few keys, you probably want something more like the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator. You can create a new layout from scratch, base one on an existing popular layout, and otherwise change the entire keyboard. It's great for adding new language support to Windows, adding symbols to your keyboard, or trying something like the Dvorak layout for faster typing.

Other keyboard related applications - without key remapping functionality :

• Qliner hotkeys

Hotkeys builds on the concept of Windows shortcut keys but takes this concept to a whole new
level. Do you think key combinations are hard to remember? Just hold the Windows key for
three seconds and up pops a keyboard with icons on the keys that are configured. This you can
you use , not only to remind you of hotkey combinations, but also for drag and drop
configuration. Now Supports over 1 00 international keyboards

• Perfect Keyboard [shareware]

It is a Macro Toolworks family product focused on users who type on keyboard extensively.

Perfect Keyboard allows users to create macros running in all Windows applications and fire them by keyboard shortcuts, hotkeys and auto-complete feature from within any application

• ZenKEY

ZenKEY gives you full control over your keyboard to assign keystrokes for just about every conceivable function.

It also allows you to extend the use of your mouse beyond simple clicking to cut and paste or select links.

Amongst the many functions you can program it to carry out it can, launch a program or bring it back into focus, open a
document, folder or Internet resource, search the Internet and even minimize or maximize a window.
In addition, it allows you to resize, move or alter a window, issue media commands (eg play, pause or volume up/down), start your screensaver and even shutdown your computer without even touching your mouse or the Start menu.

ZenKey doesn't allow use of macros.

• Google Input Tools <-------- very interesting (offline) application :)

Google Input Tools for Windows is an input method editor which allows users to enter text in any of the supported languages using a Latin (English /QWERTY) keyboard. Users can type a word the way it sounds using Latin characters and Google Input Tools for Windows will convert the word to its native script. Available input tools include transliteration, IME, and on-screen keyboards.
Google Input Tools for Windows is currently available for 22 different languages: Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Persian, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Serbian, Sinhala, Tamil, Telugu, Tigrinya and Urdu.

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BTW

FYI After writing this article I've spotted some other keyboard related software

You can still try them in case you are not happy enough with applications mentioned above.

Here are their names :

FREE : KeyboardManager; KeyRex, Notebook Keyboard ..,

PAID : Key Remapper, KbdEdit, KeyRemapper.

Good luck, everybody.

[player]

a small request: mind changing thread title to a succinct one like "Keyboard Remapping & Customization Softwares"

[mona]

a small request: mind changing thread title to a succinct one like "Keyboard Remapping & Customization Softwares"

Done :)

[t33st33r]

BTW

FYI After writing this article I've spotted some other keyboard related software

You can still try them in case you are not happy enough with applications mentioned above.

Here are their names :

FREE : KeyboardManager; KeyRex, Notebook Keyboard ..,

PAID : Key Remapper, KbdEdit, KeyRemapper.

Good luck, everybody.

Can you post a link to that application (called "Notebook Keyboard") website? please.

[mona]

BTW

FYI After writing this article I've spotted some other keyboard related software

You can still try them in case you are not happy enough with applications mentioned above.

Here are their names :

FREE : KeyboardManager; KeyRex, Notebook Keyboard ..,

PAID : Key Remapper, KbdEdit, KeyRemapper.

Good luck, everybody.

Can you post a link to that application (called "Notebook Keyboard") website? please.

I'll try to help you when I gain access to a portable disc that is now out of my reach. So stay tuned. :)