[Ubuntu-PH] Philippines National Keyboard Layout

Tue Oct 12 08:03:08 UTC 2010

Hi JC:

As you mentioned, the dead-key method for combining acutes, graves and
circumflexes is indeed more common than the newer Unicode way. In fact, I
use it everyday on a Dvorak-Filipino keyboard (with acutes, graves,
circumflexes, peso, and other signs).

I suggest the following changes to expose the common symbols with simpler
and easier-to-remember combinations,

   - Changing the circumflex from Y to 6 or (^).   â = a then AltGr-6 or
   AltGr-^ (so that the circumflex is related easily with the ^ symbol on the 6
   key. having it on 6 will make it easier to type, because ^ will entail an
   extra Shift key pressed.)
   - Exchange the þ and ₱, so peso signs are more easily typed than the þ
   sign.
   - Move the × symbol to AltGr-x
   - Move the ÷ symbol to AltGr-d or AltGr-/
   - Move the ± symbol to AltGr-=, Move the ∓ symbol to AltGr-+ (Shifted
   version of the ± sign) [both these are related to the + key]
   - Exchange the ß and § as the Section symbols are more likely to be used
   in a Philippine setting than the German ß
   - Move the ™ symbol to AltGr-t
   - Move the © symbol to AltGr-c
   - Move the ® symbol to AltGr-r
   - Move the inverted question mark to the question mark key, ¿ to AltGr-/
   (which is the unshifted version of ? Shift-/ to produce ?, AltGr-/ to
   produce ¿)
   - Use the unshifted version for the ¡ symbol so it maps to AltGr-1, with
   Shift-1 producing ! (same principle as the ? symbol)

Best regards,
Ren²

Noong Oktubre 11, 2010 22:06, JC 施洗 John ᜑᜓᜏᜈ᜔ Sese 謝 Cuneta ᜃᜓᜈᜒᜆ si <
jcjohn.sesecuneta at laibcoms.com> ay sumulat:

>  Hello again everyone,
>
> Here's the new version with the accent symbols listed below added.  But the
> way to use it is the Unicode-way (letter first, then accent after).
>
> *To type:*
> combining tilde as in "ng̃": g then AltGr+Shift+~
> combining acute as in "Pahilís": i then AltGr+'
> combining grave as in "Paiwà": a then AltGr+`
> combining circumflex as in "Pakupyâ": a then AltGr+y (just below number 6
> [which has the non-combining ^ character])
>
>
> The four changes above are not ISO-based, I moved them to where I think
> we're already familiar with exception of ^ which is in AltGr+y (which is
> also easier to access than the number 6).
>
> *Other changes in this version (v3.4)*
> - changed all codings from XKB Keysyms to Unicode hexadecimal for greater
> compatibility with non-US standard (physical) keyboard models/designs.
> - added more extra characters
>
>
> To see the keymappings, just open the attached file in your favorite
> Unicode text editor.
>
> Wanted: feedbacks
> Do try to use it, as in, install then type away (I suggest getting an *
> ancient* :þ Philippine book in any Philippine language).
>
> ~ JC
>
>
>
> On Monday, 11 October, 2010 01:37 PM, Pablo Manalastas wrote:
>
> I believe that any Filipino keyboard has to have provisions for accenting
> words. The accent key is pressed first, and the the letter to which to apply
> the accent is pressed next.
>
> You need the following accent marks:
>
>   ´  Pahilís (Acute)   `  Paiwà (Grave)   ˆ  Pakupyâ (Circumflex)   For
> example to type the word Paiwà, you need to type the characters in the
> order P-a-i-w-`-a, where [`] is the key for "grave accent", not the back
> slash key. Typing [`]-[a] produces the accented letter à. Similarly for
> the acute accent key and the circumflex accent key. Other examples of
> accented words are: mabilís, mayumÌ, maragsâ.
>
> Salamat.
>
> ~Pablo Manalastas~
>
>
>
>  2010/10/10 JC 施洗 John ᜑᜓᜏᜈ᜔ Sese 謝 Cuneta ᜃᜓᜈᜒᜆ <
> jcjohn.sesecuneta at laibcoms.com>
>
>>  Hi everyone,
>>
>> Attached is the X Keyboard file that you can use to try out v2 of the
>> Philippines National Keyboard Layout, hopefully will become the official one
>> down the road.  Before the long explanation, here's a HowTo install:
>>
>> ----------------------------------
>>
>> * Just put the "ph" file in: /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols
>>
>> Step 1.0: Open these two files
>>     gksu gedit /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/evdev.lst
>>     gksu gedit /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/base.lst (xfree86.lst)
>>
>> Step 1.1 Search for: ! variant
>> Step 1.2 before it, add
>>   ph              Philippines
>>
>> Step 2.0: Open these two files
>>     gksu gedit /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/evdev.xml
>>     gksu gedit /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/base.xml (xfree86.xml)
>>
>> Step 2.1 Search for: </layoutList>
>> Step 2.2 before it, add
>>     <layout>
>>       <configItem>
>>         <name>ph</name>
>>         <shortDescription>Phi</shortDescription>
>>         <description>Philippines</description>
>>         <languageList><iso639Id>eng</iso639Id></languageList>
>>       </configItem>
>>       <variantlist/>
>>     </layout>
>>
>> ----------------------------------
>>
>> Now for the long explanation:
>> First of all, I decided to base this new National keyboard layout on the
>> (soon-to-be standard) ISO/IEC 9995-3:2009 keyboard layout.  This is to make
>> sure that if ever this becomes the official or *de facto* keyboard for
>> Filipinos, the characters will not change much if we bought a different
>> keyboard or we're in another country (well, that was the idea of ISO but
>> only Canada and some other country uses the ISO layout, we might become the
>> third).
>>
>> Secondly, I only "activated" the characters that I have personally seen in
>> used by Filipinos here in the Philippines (regular citizens to businesses).
>> That means this is only a partial ISO-based keyboard.  My guideline is, if
>> there is no valid reason to add a character, then do not add it.
>>
>> Third, I added the ₱eso sign and enye Ññ both of which are not part of
>> ISO/IEC 9995-3:2009 keyboard layout.  The reason is simple, this is a
>> "National" keyboard for us, it is only appropriate to add these two
>> characters since we use these.
>>
>> The guidelines I used:
>> a) Prioritized the layout of ISO/IEC 9995-3
>> b) Next, prioritized the keys that Filipinos actually use
>> c) Next, do not deviate away from the methods used by ISO in typing
>> similar characters (eg: ¥ and ₱, as explained below)
>>
>> Next, I'm going to run down the characters I added
>> 1) ₱eso sign - to type press: AltGr+Shift+P
>> -- Why?  The Japanese ¥en / Chinese ¥uan sign is typed as: AltGr+Shift+Y.
>> I do not want to deviate away from that method.
>> -- Why not 3, 4 or 5?  3 have #³£; 4 already have $¼€; 5 have %½↑
>> -- And Guideline letter C above.
>>
>> 2) Ññ - to type press: AltGr+Shift+N for uppercase; AltGr+n for lowercase
>> 3) Number keys from 1 to 0 have the following: Level 3 (AltGr) -->
>> ¹²³¼½¾⅛⅜⅝⅞; Level 4 (AltGr+Shift) --> ¡¤£€↑↓←→±™
>>
>> From hereon, it is always: Level 3 (AltGr) first then followed by Level 4
>> (AltGr+Shift)
>> 4) e: œ Œ - "oe", still being used in English today.  fœderal; diarrhœa
>> 5) r: ¶ ® - "¶" signifies end of paragraph; and Registered Trademark sign
>> 6) y: ɼ ¥ - I have to add ɼ (AltGr+y) so AltGr+Shift+Y (¥) will work.
>> 7) p: þ ₱ - I have to add þ (AltGr+p) so AltGr+Shift+P (₱) will work.  The
>> þ character looks like the emoticon :p anyway.
>> 8) a: æ Æ - "ae", still being used in English today.  Archœology; Æon Flux
>> 9) ;: ° (degrees sign), so we can now type easily: It's too hot today!
>> Ubuntu weather reports 28°C T_T
>> 10) \: ə Ə (schwa, usually used in text books and by linguists)
>> 11) z: « - double-left arrow
>> 12) x: » - double-right arrow
>> 13) c: ¢ © - cents and Copyright
>> 14) v: “ ‘ - a stylish double quote and single quote; Office suites and
>> WYSIWYG's actually use these ones
>> 15) b: “ ‘ - a stylish double quote and single quote; Office suites and
>> WYSIWYG's actually use these ones
>> 16) n: ñ Ñ
>> 17) m: µ º - micro symbol, example: µblog.  º means an "ordinal number",
>> so if I put 1º it reads as "1st"; 2º it reads as 2nd.  We don't really use
>> this, maybe mathematicians and physicists do.  Besides, there's a space for
>> AltGr+Shift+M if I don't add it, might as well use it.
>> 18) ,: … × - "…" is a *single* character "..." (ellipsis). Useful for
>> microbloggers, saves you two characters.  Next is the Multiplication sign
>> "×", compare that to lowercase letter 'x': ×x×x
>> 19) .: · ÷ - middle dot and division sign
>> 20) ]: a combining tilde - example g with a tilde: g then AltGr+]  = g̃
>> historically, Philippine languages puts a tilde above the letter g.  Read:
>> http://laibcoms.com/the-history-of-mr-nang-and-ms-ng  Educators,
>> historists, linguists may need this ability.
>>
>>
>> So far, I'm cool with this version (v2).  I'm looking for feedbacks
>> specially if there are experts out there or if there is a "committee" of
>> sorts that handles this type of "National" things (DOST?)  If not, then it
>> is up to us to decide on which format the first "Philippines National
>> Keyboard Layout" will take form.
>>
>> Feel free to pass this to the rest of the Philippine Linux community and
>> any other lists that might be interested in this project.  If the feedback
>> is good, then I'll start creating a Windows7 version, then we can start
>> spreading this new layout and submit to X.org too.
>>
>> Thank you very much.
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> ubuntu-ph mailing list
>> ubuntu-ph at lists.ubuntu.com
>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ph
>>
>>
>
> --
> ubuntu-ph mailing list
> ubuntu-ph at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ph
>
>

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