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You are here: Input > Tutorials
Short URL: https://scripts.sil.org/KeymanVsMSKLC

Comparing Keyman and Microsoft Windows Keyboard Layout Creator

Ken Zook and NRSI team, 2007-04-25

Note:

This page may be out of date. For the latest information about Keyman, please go to the  Keyman site.

This table offers a comparison of the capabilities between  Keyman and  Microsoft Windows Keyboard Layout Creator.

FeaturesMSKLCKeyman

Can map a single key (with various shift states) to any single Unicode value

For example 'd' ->  U+0E01
yes yes

Can map a single key to multiple Unicode values

For example '&' -> ั่ U+0E31 U+0E48
yes yes

Any key can be designated a dead key and any single key following the dead key can be mapped to a single Unicode code point

For example '-r' ->  U+024D
yes yes

Can map two or more keystrokes to a single Unicode code point (without the dead key approach)

For example 'r' -> 'r' and 'r-' ->  U+024D
no yes
Can map keystrokes to Unicode code points above Plane 0 (the application must also be able to handle Plane 0 and higher) yes yes

Context sensitive input

For example '0' ->  U+02E9 if after another pitch character
no yes

Can replace previously output characters

For example 'r' -> 'r' and 'r-' ->  U+024D
no yes

Can do reordering, for example so that a prevowel is typed before a
consonant but stored after it

Users want to type  U+1031 before  U+1000 even though they are stored in the opposite order
no yes
Can enforce normalization in keyboard no yes
Works with:  SIL FieldWorks (Data Notebook, FLEx), MS Office, OpenOffice, ZEdit,  Toolbox 1.5, etc. yes yes
Works with: Paratext and older  Toolbox no yes
Freely downloadable yes yes
Use any existing Windows system keyboard as a starting point yes yes
Functions on Win9x no yes

Related Resources

Some tools and resources for character input 2016-02-08
Links to useful tools for character input.

Page History

2008-03-26 MH: added examples

2007-04-25 LP: added Related Resources

2007-04-19 LP: Page created


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