How do I create a customized keyboard layout for Windows?

On Linux you can create any layout you wish by editing the appropriate ASCII configuration files. On Windows the keyboard layout definitions are binary. Is there any tool that can create these binary keyboard layout configuration files?

I grew up on the Macintosh international keyboard layout, which used the option key extensively, and now I would like to use the same layout on Windows.

On Linux this Mac international keyboard layout exists for both the console as well as for X.Org. On Windows, the most similar layout is US International, which is not the same.

Pedro Palhoto

Posted 2011-11-21T01:03:20.803

Reputation: 1 407

After searching a little more, I just found the Keyboard Layout Manager application. It creates layouts based on the system's defaults and then you can edit accordingly.

– Pedro Palhoto – 2011-11-21T01:10:07.523

Answers

The officially supported way to create a proper keyboard layout file is the MKLC (the very imaginatively named microsoft keyboard layout creator). Its graphical, but only handles the basic keys. I do believe that you should be able to do what you need off it.

Journeyman Geek

Posted 2011-11-21T01:03:20.803

Reputation: 119 122

This will do what is required. Thank you Journeyman Geek. – Pedro Palhoto – 2011-11-23T10:28:42.353

Unfortunately, it doesn’t support Windows 8. – GergelyPolonkai – 2013-11-05T12:46:32.323

Windows 8 didn't exist back then. I'll probably update an answer if there's a new version, and/or I find an alternative I like – Journeyman Geek – 2013-11-05T13:34:42.263

There are also commercial solutions such as http://www.autohotkey.com/ (if anyone has experience with this) and non-commercial solutions such as http://sharpkeys.codeplex.com/ and AllChars (but this one doesn't seem to be maintained).

davidbourguignon

Posted 2011-11-21T01:03:20.803

Reputation: 111