Create your own personal keyboard layout

[henriquemaia]

This HowTo is for those of you who are not satisfied with the layout of your keyboard, like myself.

You can have several reasons to do this (eg. for the sake of the experience, for achieving a more ergonomical typing experience, etc). I have done this for the sake of ergonomy. I type a lot (professionally) and I use my computer most of the time (99%). My keyboard is now non-standard, but that's not a problem, since I'm much more productive this way and I STILL know how to use a normal keyboard.



1. The Basics

You don't have to mess with many things. Just edit one file. But to achieve your goal, you have to understand what's in it.

The file is located at:

/etc/X11/xkb/symbols/

This is where the different language keyboard layout files are. I use pt and I'll use that as an example. First, backup the file you want to edit so you can put things back normal again if not satisfied. For that do:

cp /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pt /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pt_backup

just change pt for your selected keyboard.

now open the file:

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pt

You'll see something like this (it's not the complete file, but just a part of it):

key <AE01> { [ 1, copyright, registered, trademark ] };
key <AE03> { [ 3, numbersign, section, paragraph ] };
key <AE04> { [ 4, EuroSign, dollar, sterling ] };
key <AE11> { [ masculine, ordfeminine, dead_circumflex, dead_caron ] };
key <AE12> { [apostrophe, asterisk, plus, dead_abovering ] };

key <AD11> { [dead_acute, dead_grave, dead_diaeresis, dead_macron ] };
key <AD12> { [question, exclam, questiondown, slash ] };
key <AC10> { [ ccedilla, Ccedilla, dead_acute, dead_doubleacute ] };
key <AC11> { [dead_tilde, dead_circumflex, dead_diaeresis, dead_breve] };
key <TLDE> { [ backslash, bar, notsign, notsign ] };

key <BKSL> { [question, exclam, questiondown, slash ] };

The entries with key <xxxx> are the name of the keys (based on xkb keycodes*) and their resulting symbols*. There are four symbols you can get when pressing a given key: normal (no modifier key), with Shift key modifier, with Alt Gr key modifier and with Alt Gr + Shift key modifiers.

Let's take a look at a particular example. Where is located the key <AE12>? You can take a look at following image:



or you can understand the logic behind it. The key <AE12> is located is an Alphanumeric character, located at the row E at the column 12. You can understand the rows and columns layout looking at the picture below:


The other keys, like Control, Alt, and so on, have particular keycodes names. Consult the list of available keycodes to know the key you want.


2. The Actual Configuration

• Look at you keyboard and have a thought on what keys you like to change.
• Go to your opened language file (pt in my case).
• Edit the entries accordingly to your needs.

Example:

I wanted to change the dead accent and the dead tilde location** as I find them rather unergonomically on the pt keyboard. As such, I edited the file and exchanged the places of the symbols entries for those keys:

key <AD11> { [ plus, asterisk, dead_diaeresis, dead_abovering ] };
key <AD12> { [dead_acute, dead_grave, dead_tilde, dead_macron ] };

and:

key <AC10> { [ ccedilla, Ccedilla, dead_acute, dead_doubleacute ] };
key <AC11> { [ masculine, ordfeminine, dead_circumflex, dead_caron ] };

to become:

key <AD11> { [dead_acute, dead_grave, dead_tilde, dead_macron ] };
key <AD12> { [ plus, asterisk, dead_diaeresis, dead_abovering ] };

and:

key <AC10> { [ masculine, ordfeminine, dead_circumflex, dead_caron ] };
key <AC11> { [ ccedilla, Ccedilla, dead_acute, dead_doubleacute ] };

It's easy as this. Remember that you can even put different symbols that weren't there in the first place, like making your backspace key type an ® you you want. It's all up to you.

You then

• save the file
• restart your X session (logout and press ctrl+alt+backspace

Before you do this, take a look at the next section, 3. Hints.


3. Hints

1. Since to try the new keyboard layout you'll need to restart your X session, you can use this trick to test it without abandoning your current session. After saving the file, you open a terminal and type:

sudo xinit -- :2

This will open a new screen with a terminal on it. Type around on that terminal to see if you got the expected results. To end that session, just press ctrl+alt+backspace and you'll get back to your current session again. Do this as many times as you like it until you have achived your final keyboard layout.

2. If you really like your new keyboard layout (like I do) and want it to survice future installations, you just have to put your keyboard layout file on a archive folder on you home (supposing you have a different partition for you /home) and then link the file to the actual file on /etc.

example:

You create a archive folder on your /home on the location:

/home/archive/keyboard/layout

and put there your layout file my_layout.

Then you just have to backup your language layout file (probably you just did on the beginning of the HowTo) and then link your layout file to the actual language layout file, like this:

sudo ln -sf /home/archive/keyboard/layout/my_layout /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pt

Just adjust the folders and file names to your needs. Your layout will be preserved even if newly install your system. You can repeat the link step after an installation to get you layout working again.


4. Documentation

You can find further information about this topic on the following sites:

• An unreliable guide to xkb configuration (don't let the name fool you)
• How to configure xkb

5. Reverting to the Original Layout

1. Ok, you are not satisfied with the experience, you grow tired of your layout and want your old keyboard back. No problem, since you made a backup at the beginning of the HowTo. To revert to your original layout, you just have to do:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pt_backup /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pt

After this, you just have to restart your X session and next time you login you'll have the normal layout again. Please note that the pt must be changed to your own language keyboard layout.

2. You thought you were Dvorak himself and changed your complete keyboard layout. You were prepared to chalenge yourself for the hard work of learning a complete new set of keys and then you fail miserably in doing so, finding yourself stuck with a untypeable keyboard where it's a headache to find the keys. Don't stress. You have the layout backup. "But I can't type the commands!".

No problem. Press ctrl+alt+F1 and you're on the console. Login and type:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pt_backup /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pt

After this, press ctrl+alt+F7 to get back to your X session again.

Restart your session and you'll have your normal keyboard back again.




*An extensive list of keycodes and symbols available can be found on the files I attached for your convinience. These can also be found on /etc/X11/xkb/keycodes/xfree86 and /usr/include/X11/keysymdef.h for the keycodes and symbols respectively.

**In actuality, I changed the location of all dead accents and the ? and the ! punctuation marks. I don't know who designated those keys on the Portuguese keyboard, but certainly it was not a typist professional. It's not my point to discuss this here, so I just simplified the example.

[henriquemaia]

I have updated the HowTo. I have added the section Reverting to the Original Layout.

[ow50]

Another way to configure the keyboard for X is to use a ~/.xmodmap file. It gets loaded automatically on X login. You can get the keycodes at least with xev (run in terminal). As an example, SWE/FIN Colemak layout.

! Q W F P G   J L U Y Ö Å ¨
!  A R S T D   H N E I O Ä '
! < Z X C V B   K M , . -

!keycode   9 = Escape Escape
!keycode  10 = 1 exclam
!keycode  11 = 2 quotedbl at
!keycode  12 = 3 numbersign sterling
!keycode  13 = 4 currency dollar
!keycode  14 = 5 percent
!keycode  15 = 6 ampersand
!keycode  16 = 7 slash braceleft
!keycode  17 = 8 parenleft bracketleft
!keycode  18 = 9 parenright bracketright
!keycode  19 = 0 equal braceright
!keycode  20 = plus question backslash
!keycode  21 = dead_acute dead_grave
!keycode  22 = BackSpace Terminate_Server
!keycode  23 = Tab Tab
keycode  24 = q Q
keycode  25 = w W
keycode  26 = f F
keycode  27 = p P
keycode  28 = g G
keycode  29 = j J
keycode  30 = l L
keycode  31 = u U
keycode  32 = y Y
keycode  33 = odiaeresis Odiaeresis
keycode  34 = aring Aring
!keycode  35 = diaeresis asciicircum dead_tilde
!keycode  36 = Return
!keycode  37 = Control_L
keycode  38 = a A
keycode  39 = r R
keycode  40 = s S
keycode  41 = t T
keycode  42 = d D
keycode  43 = h H
keycode  44 = n N
keycode  45 = e E EuroSign
keycode  46 = i I
keycode  47 = o O
keycode  48 = adiaeresis Adiaeresis
!keycode  49 = section onehalf
!keycode  50 = Shift_L
!keycode  51 = apostrophe asterisk
keycode  52 = z Z
keycode  53 = x X
keycode  54 = c C
keycode  55 = v V
keycode  56 = b B
keycode  57 = k K
keycode  58 = m M
!keycode  59 = comma semicolon
!keycode  60 = period colon
!keycode  61 = minus underscore
!keycode  62 = Shift_R
!keycode  63 = KP_Multiply
!keycode  64 = Alt_L
!keycode  65 = space
!keycode  66 = Caps_Lock
!keycode  67 = F1 XF86_Switch_VT_1
!keycode  68 = F2 XF86_Switch_VT_2
!keycode  69 = F3 XF86_Switch_VT_3
!keycode  70 = F4 XF86_Switch_VT_4
!keycode  71 = F5 XF86_Switch_VT_5
!keycode  72 = F6 XF86_Switch_VT_6
!keycode  73 = F7 XF86_Switch_VT_7
!keycode  74 = F8 XF86_Switch_VT_8
!keycode  75 = F9 XF86_Switch_VT_9
!keycode  76 = F10 XF86_Switch_VT_10
!keycode  77 = Num_Lock
!keycode  78 = Scroll_Lock
!keycode  79 = KP_Home KP_7
!keycode  80 = KP_Up KP_8
!keycode  81 = KP_Prior KP_9
!keycode  82 = KP_Subtract
!keycode  83 = KP_Left KP_4
!keycode  84 = KP_Begin KP_5
!keycode  85 = KP_Right KP_6
!keycode  86 = KP_Add
!keycode  87 = KP_End KP_1
!keycode  88 = KP_Down KP_2
!keycode  89 = KP_Next KP_3
!keycode  90 = KP_Insert KP_0
!keycode  91 = KP_Delete KP_Decimal
!keycode  94 = less greater bar
!keycode  95 = F11 XF86_Switch_VT_11
!keycode  96 = F12 XF86_Switch_VT_12
!keycode  97 = Home
!keycode  98 = Up
!keycode  99 = Prior
!keycode 100 = Left
!keycode 102 = Right
!keycode 103 = End
!keycode 104 = Down
!keycode 105 = Next
!keycode 106 = Insert
!keycode 107 = Delete
!keycode 108 = KP_Enter
!keycode 109 = Control_R
!keycode 110 = Pause Break
!keycode 111 = Print Execute
!keycode 112 = KP_Divide
!keycode 113 = Mode_switch
!keycode 115 = Super_L
!keycode 116 = Super_R
!keycode 117 = Menu

For virtual consoles, a separate .kmap file is needed. See /usr/share/keymaps for examples. As an example, SWE/FIN Colemak layout in file ~/.colemak.kmap.

# Q W F P G   J L U Y Ö Å ¨
#  A R S T D   H N E I O Ä '
# < Z X C V B   K M , . -

charset "iso-8859-1"
keymaps 0-2,4-6,8-10,12-14
alt_is_meta
include "qwerty-layout"
include "linux-with-alt-and-altgr"
strings as usual

keycode  1 = Escape
keycode  2 = one exclam
keycode  3 = two quotedbl at
keycode  4 = three numbersign sterling
keycode  5 = four dollar dollar
keycode  6 = five percent
keycode  7 = six ampersand
keycode  8 = seven slash braceleft
keycode  9 = eight parenleft bracketleft
keycode 10 = nine parenright bracketright
keycode 11 = zero equal braceright
keycode 12 = plus question backslash
keycode 13 = dead_acute dead_grave
keycode 14 = Delete
keycode 15 = Tab
keycode 16 = q
keycode 17 = w
keycode 18 = f
keycode 19 = p
keycode 20 = g
keycode 21 = j
keycode 22 = l
keycode 23 = u
keycode 24 = y
keycode 25 = odiaeresis Odiaeresis
keycode 26 = aring Aring
keycode 27 = diaeresis asciicircum dead_tilde
keycode 28 = Return
keycode 29 = Control
keycode 30 = a
keycode 31 = r
keycode 32 = s
keycode 33 = t
keycode 34 = d
keycode 35 = h
keycode 36 = n
keycode 37 = e
keycode 38 = i
keycode 39 = o
keycode 40 = adiaeresis Adiaeresis
keycode 41 = section onehalf
keycode 42 = Shift
keycode 43 = apostrophe asterisk
keycode 44 = z
keycode 45 = x
keycode 46 = c
keycode 47 = v
keycode 48 = b
keycode 49 = k
keycode 50 = m
keycode 51 = comma semicolon
keycode 52 = period colon
keycode 53 = minus underscore
keycode 54 = Shift
keycode 56 = Alt
keycode 57 = space
keycode 58 = Caps_Lock
keycode 86 = less greater bar
keycode 97 = Control

Handy aliases for virtual console

alias asdf='sudo loadkeys ~/.colemak.kmap'
alias arst='sudo loadkeys fi-latin1'

[henriquemaia]

Originally Posted by ow50 Another way to configure the keyboard for X is to use a ~/.xmodmap file. It gets loaded automatically on X login. You can get the keycodes at least with xev (run in terminal). As an example, SWE/FIN Colemak layout. ! Q W F P G J L U Y Ö Å ¨ ! A R S T D H N E I O Ä ' ! < Z X C V B K M , . - !keycode 9 = Escape Escape !keycode 10 = 1 exclam !keycode 11 = 2 quotedbl at !keycode 12 = 3 numbersign sterling !keycode 13 = 4 currency dollar !keycode 14 = 5 percent !keycode 15 = 6 ampersand !keycode 16 = 7 slash braceleft !keycode 17 = 8 parenleft bracketleft !keycode 18 = 9 parenright bracketright !keycode 19 = 0 equal braceright !keycode 20 = plus question backslash !keycode 21 = dead_acute dead_grave !keycode 22 = BackSpace Terminate_Server !keycode 23 = Tab Tab keycode 24 = q Q keycode 25 = w W keycode 26 = f F keycode 27 = p P keycode 28 = g G keycode 29 = j J keycode 30 = l L keycode 31 = u U keycode 32 = y Y keycode 33 = odiaeresis Odiaeresis keycode 34 = aring Aring !keycode 35 = diaeresis asciicircum dead_tilde !keycode 36 = Return !keycode 37 = Control_L keycode 38 = a A keycode 39 = r R keycode 40 = s S keycode 41 = t T keycode 42 = d D keycode 43 = h H keycode 44 = n N keycode 45 = e E EuroSign keycode 46 = i I keycode 47 = o O keycode 48 = adiaeresis Adiaeresis !keycode 49 = section onehalf !keycode 50 = Shift_L !keycode 51 = apostrophe asterisk keycode 52 = z Z keycode 53 = x X keycode 54 = c C keycode 55 = v V keycode 56 = b B keycode 57 = k K keycode 58 = m M !keycode 59 = comma semicolon !keycode 60 = period colon !keycode 61 = minus underscore !keycode 62 = Shift_R !keycode 63 = KP_Multiply !keycode 64 = Alt_L !keycode 65 = space !keycode 66 = Caps_Lock !keycode 67 = F1 XF86_Switch_VT_1 !keycode 68 = F2 XF86_Switch_VT_2 !keycode 69 = F3 XF86_Switch_VT_3 !keycode 70 = F4 XF86_Switch_VT_4 !keycode 71 = F5 XF86_Switch_VT_5 !keycode 72 = F6 XF86_Switch_VT_6 !keycode 73 = F7 XF86_Switch_VT_7 !keycode 74 = F8 XF86_Switch_VT_8 !keycode 75 = F9 XF86_Switch_VT_9 !keycode 76 = F10 XF86_Switch_VT_10 !keycode 77 = Num_Lock !keycode 78 = Scroll_Lock !keycode 79 = KP_Home KP_7 !keycode 80 = KP_Up KP_8 !keycode 81 = KP_Prior KP_9 !keycode 82 = KP_Subtract !keycode 83 = KP_Left KP_4 !keycode 84 = KP_Begin KP_5 !keycode 85 = KP_Right KP_6 !keycode 86 = KP_Add !keycode 87 = KP_End KP_1 !keycode 88 = KP_Down KP_2 !keycode 89 = KP_Next KP_3 !keycode 90 = KP_Insert KP_0 !keycode 91 = KP_Delete KP_Decimal !keycode 94 = less greater bar !keycode 95 = F11 XF86_Switch_VT_11 !keycode 96 = F12 XF86_Switch_VT_12 !keycode 97 = Home !keycode 98 = Up !keycode 99 = Prior !keycode 100 = Left !keycode 102 = Right !keycode 103 = End !keycode 104 = Down !keycode 105 = Next !keycode 106 = Insert !keycode 107 = Delete !keycode 108 = KP_Enter !keycode 109 = Control_R !keycode 110 = Pause Break !keycode 111 = Print Execute !keycode 112 = KP_Divide !keycode 113 = Mode_switch !keycode 115 = Super_L !keycode 116 = Super_R !keycode 117 = Menu For virtual consoles, a separate .kmap file is needed. See /usr/share/keymaps for examples. As an example, SWE/FIN Colemak layout in file ~/.colemak.kmap. # Q W F P G J L U Y Ö Å ¨ # A R S T D H N E I O Ä ' # < Z X C V B K M , . - charset "iso-8859-1" keymaps 0-2,4-6,8-10,12-14 alt_is_meta include "qwerty-layout" include "linux-with-alt-and-altgr" strings as usual keycode 1 = Escape keycode 2 = one exclam keycode 3 = two quotedbl at keycode 4 = three numbersign sterling keycode 5 = four dollar dollar keycode 6 = five percent keycode 7 = six ampersand keycode 8 = seven slash braceleft keycode 9 = eight parenleft bracketleft keycode 10 = nine parenright bracketright keycode 11 = zero equal braceright keycode 12 = plus question backslash keycode 13 = dead_acute dead_grave keycode 14 = Delete keycode 15 = Tab keycode 16 = q keycode 17 = w keycode 18 = f keycode 19 = p keycode 20 = g keycode 21 = j keycode 22 = l keycode 23 = u keycode 24 = y keycode 25 = odiaeresis Odiaeresis keycode 26 = aring Aring keycode 27 = diaeresis asciicircum dead_tilde keycode 28 = Return keycode 29 = Control keycode 30 = a keycode 31 = r keycode 32 = s keycode 33 = t keycode 34 = d keycode 35 = h keycode 36 = n keycode 37 = e keycode 38 = i keycode 39 = o keycode 40 = adiaeresis Adiaeresis keycode 41 = section onehalf keycode 42 = Shift keycode 43 = apostrophe asterisk keycode 44 = z keycode 45 = x keycode 46 = c keycode 47 = v keycode 48 = b keycode 49 = k keycode 50 = m keycode 51 = comma semicolon keycode 52 = period colon keycode 53 = minus underscore keycode 54 = Shift keycode 56 = Alt keycode 57 = space keycode 58 = Caps_Lock keycode 86 = less greater bar keycode 97 = Control Handy aliases for virtual console alias asdf='sudo loadkeys ~/.colemak.kmap' alias arst='sudo loadkeys fi-latin1'

Thanks, nice to know this! I wasn't aware of this other way. I'm very familiarized with the method I presented, but yours looks much simpler.

[soren.kyale]

I have two questions:

How can I create my own dead keys, or modify existing dead keys.
I use semicolon and comma as dead keys, and they don't quite match any of the existing dead keys.

How do I save configuration settings?
I modified the us file under etc\x11\xkb\symbols . But I get an access denied message every time I try to save it. I also tried saving to usr\share\x11\xkb .

I'm using the Feisty version of Kubuntu. Konqueror and Kite are the programs I attempted to save the changes with.

[henriquemaia]

Originally Posted by soren.kyale I have two questions: How can I create my own dead keys, or modify existing dead keys. I use semicolon and comma as dead keys, and they don't quite match any of the existing dead keys. How do I save configuration settings? I modified the us file under etc\x11\xkb\symbols . But I get an access denied message every time I try to save it. I also tried saving to usr\share\x11\xkb . I'm using the Feisty version of Kubuntu. Konqueror and Kite are the programs I attempted to save the changes with.

I’m not very familiar with dead keys, so I can’t help you much on this. But regarding on the issue of not being able to save your changes, that is most certainly due to the fact that you must edit the files using sudo, otherwise you do not have the permissions to write to those files.

If you use konqueror to access and edit the files, run konqueror in sudo mode, i.e. open a terminal and type: sudo konqueror

[soren.kyale]

Thank you. "Sudo konqueror" really helped. Though it made me realize that the admin (root) level belongs to the system not the user. There's something evil about that ("Dave, what are you doing Dave?"). But at least I have the basic keys of my layout working.

Now, I just need to add the dead keys and turn my left alt to a shift, my left winkey to alt, caps lock to winkey, backspace to caps lock and AB05 to backspace.

Thank you, Henriquemaia, you helped me a great deal (I thought Sudo was just a copy command).

[Yellow Onion]

Hello Ive Made a international dvorak with dead keys layout variant in the us file. woks fine

but it isnt in the layout list for gnome, im not exactly sure how i got it running i have set it through xorg.conf file and i can select it through kcontrol
just not through gnome keyboard settings
Is there a a cache that need refreshing or is it something else

add this to bottom of the us file if you want to use it

partial alphanumeric_keys
xkb_symbols "dv-intl" {

        name[Group1]= "Dvorak - International (with dead keys)";
        
    include "us(dvorak)"

   key <TLDE> { [dead_grave, dead_tilde,         grave,       asciitilde ] };
    key <AE01> { [         1,     exclam,    exclamdown,      onesuperior ] };
    key <AE02> { [         2,         at,   twosuperior, dead_doubleacute ] };
    key <AE03> { [         3, numbersign, threesuperior,      dead_macron ] };
    key <AE04> { [         4,     dollar,      currency,         sterling ] };
    key <AE05> { [         5,    percent,      EuroSign                   ] };
    key <AE06> { [    6, dead_circumflex,    onequarter,      asciicircum ] };
    key <AE07> { [         7,  ampersand,       onehalf,        dead_horn ] };
    key <AE08> { [         8,   asterisk, threequarters,      dead_ogonek ] };
    key <AE09> { [         9,  parenleft, leftsinglequotemark, dead_breve ] };
    key <AE10> { [         0, parenright, rightsinglequotemark, dead_abovering ] };
    key <AE11> { [ bracketleft,  braceleft,  guillemotleft, guillemotleft ] };
    key <AE12> { [bracketright, braceright, guillemotright,guillemotright ] };

    key <AD01> { [dead_acute, dead_diaeresis, apostrophe,        quotedbl ] };
    key <AD02> { [     comma,       less,      ccedilla,         Ccedilla ] };
    key <AD03> { [    period,    greater, dead_abovedot,       dead_caron ] };
    key <AD04> { [         p,          P,    odiaeresis,       Odiaeresis ] };
    key <AD05> { [         y,          Y,    udiaeresis,       Udiaeresis ] };
    key <AD08> { [         c,          C,     copyright,             cent ] };
    key <AD09> { [         r,          R,    registered,       registered ] };
    key <AD10> { [         l,          L,        oslash,         Ooblique ] };
    key <AD11> { [     slash,   question,  questiondown,        dead_hook ] };
    key <AD12> { [     equal,       plus,      multiply,         division ] };
    key <AD13> { [ backslash,        bar,       notsign,        brokenbar ] };


    key <AC01> { [         a,          A,        aacute,           Aacute ] };
    key <AC02> { [         o,          O,        oacute,           Oacute ] };
    key <AC03> { [         e,          E,        eacute,           Eacute ] };
    key <AC04> { [         u,          U,        uacute,           Uacute ] };
    key <AC05> { [         i,          I,        iacute,           Iacute ] };
    key <AC06> { [         d,          D,           eth,              ETH ] };
    key <AC08> { [         t,          T,         thorn,            THORN ] };
    key <AC09> { [         n,          N,        ntilde,           Ntilde ] };
    key <AC10> { [         s,          S,        ssharp,          section ] };
    key <AC11> { [     minus, underscore,           yen,    dead_belowdot ] };


    key <AB01> { [ semicolon,      colon,     paragraph,           degree ] };
    key <AB02> { [         q,          Q,    adiaeresis,       Adiaeresis ] };
    key <AB07> { [         m,          M,            mu,               mu ] };
    key <AB08> { [         w,          W,         aring,            Aring ] };
    key <AB10> { [         z,          Z,            ae,               AE ] };

    include "level3(ralt_switch)"
};

[jtschrock]

What does the syntax look like when you want to use UTF-8 encoding rather than the standard naming conventions like "ssharp" and "period" to make your layout?

I'm used to stuff looking like U+026C and U+F242 and I'm pretty sure that's not the correct syntax in XKB. (alright all you unicode linguistics freaks out there, based on the symbols I just mentioned, what part of the world/languages am I dealing with?)

thanks

[Dries_Lee]

I've got a question about this method. When I change my keymap to the following (the rest stays the same):

key <AE08> { [	    8,	asterisk, dead_breve ]	};

...

include "level3(ralt_switch)"

the breve (˘) only works with the 'a' (ă), not with other letters. While I actually only need the 'u' with a breve...

Do you have any idea on how to fix this?

Thanks,
Dries