Reported by mdcurran on 2010-08-03 03:07
I have created a branch containing a new desktop keyboard layout, that also contains alternative key bindings for laptop users. I.e. a second binding for any script that uses the numpad.
The branch is at:
http://bzr.nvaccess.org/nvda/keyboardLayoutRefactor
The advantage of unifying the laptop and desktop layouts in to one is that hopefully we will be able to maintain it much easier, and not leave the laptop layout as a "second class citizen", as some have said.
There have been a few changes to the original desktop key bindings, such as moving all the settings dialog scripts to control+nvda+function keys, to free up more keys for proper numpad emulation on the right letter keys.
Please try this new layout on laptops and provide comments on this ticket as to your thoughts:
- Are there any key combinations that do not work on your keyboard?
- Have I missed any key bindings?
If this new unified layout works well for people, I will then update the user guide with proper tables of keys and there alternatives. We also plan to mark up the user guide such that a key commands document can be generated straight from the user guide.
As a primary developer of NVDA, I am more than happy to make this new layout work well for people, and make sure its maintained as well as the original desktop layout. However, as noted above, there are some changes to the desktop layout etc, but I feel that this new way will be the most easiest for us to not leave the laptop layout behind.
Having NVDA run on laptops/netbooks is extremely important, especially in education.
I have managed to not use the alt key at all in this layout, nore have I used any 4-key combinations (e.g. control+shift+nvda+letter). As these were two problems noted in the past.
Reported by mdcurran on 2010-08-03 03:07
I have created a branch containing a new desktop keyboard layout, that also contains alternative key bindings for laptop users. I.e. a second binding for any script that uses the numpad.
The branch is at:
http://bzr.nvaccess.org/nvda/keyboardLayoutRefactor
The advantage of unifying the laptop and desktop layouts in to one is that hopefully we will be able to maintain it much easier, and not leave the laptop layout as a "second class citizen", as some have said.
There have been a few changes to the original desktop key bindings, such as moving all the settings dialog scripts to control+nvda+function keys, to free up more keys for proper numpad emulation on the right letter keys.
Please try this new layout on laptops and provide comments on this ticket as to your thoughts:
If this new unified layout works well for people, I will then update the user guide with proper tables of keys and there alternatives. We also plan to mark up the user guide such that a key commands document can be generated straight from the user guide.
As a primary developer of NVDA, I am more than happy to make this new layout work well for people, and make sure its maintained as well as the original desktop layout. However, as noted above, there are some changes to the desktop layout etc, but I feel that this new way will be the most easiest for us to not leave the laptop layout behind.
Having NVDA run on laptops/netbooks is extremely important, especially in education.
I have managed to not use the alt key at all in this layout, nore have I used any 4-key combinations (e.g. control+shift+nvda+letter). As these were two problems noted in the past.