--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "suzmccarth" <suzmccarth@...> wrote:

> Now I am wondering how you have done the keymapping. For example,
> what have you done for the five n's - that is usually the worst
> problem. (I know some systems have n, N, ng, nj, ny - that is more
> of a transliteration scheme but it does work fairly smoothly.) I
> suppose you have simple placed each 'n' on a different key - that
> will work too. Since I have asked for a 'visual' representation,
> that would be consistent.

It got arbitrary after 'g' -> /ng/, 'n' -> /N/, 'm' -> M. I've got a
nasal zone on the keyboard, rather like the 's' zone a Thai Kedmanee
keyboard. However, I don't expect anyone to learn my keyboard.

Rajesh B. Shrestha did a nice job with keyboard mappings. It is
quite simple to add a new keyboard mapping. To change a mapping you:

1. Take the file aa_keyboard.js setting up an array bb, and rename it
cc_keybvoard.js.
2. Changed it to define array dd, changing round the assignments to
suit your taste. (You can define a 'call-out' to display appropriate
text when the mouse hovers over the key. I've done that with the
Unicode names so I no what's on each key - I'm not familiar with the
Tamil alphabet.) This is the most difficult part.
3. Change the main file for the web page so it will execute
cc_keyboard.js - just put it in a SCRIPT element next to the other
keyboard mapping definition files.
4. Add the array name dd and a designation of the keyboard to the
picklist (you'll find it if you look for eng_key).

The biggest limitations are changing the size of the labelling -
possibly a browser issue (tweaking the style sheet had no effect) -
and putting two labels (or more - Cambodian needs three shift states)
on a key. That means shift has to do pretty obvious things, like
lengthening a vowel or, perhaps, subjoining a consonant! By the way,
the web page responds to character inputs, rather than key presses,
so it can't totally emulate a true keyboard mapping.

For the latter reason alone, a Cree keyboard layout would be
impossible - you might as well have the real thing or a click-only
set of buttons. A type Roman see Cree system could be emulated,
though.

Richard.