Keyboard Layout

Introduction

The keyboard supplied with the IYONIX pc is similar to a standard PC design with three extra keys that were not available on previous RISC OS computers (on a PC keyboard the extra keys are labelled as two 'Windows' keys and one menu key)

Function Key Labelling

To make the IYONIX pc more individual, and to enhance ease of use, Castle hope to ship keyboards with additional labelling in the future:

Key Label Suggested function
F1 Help Show application help (in HTML form preferably)
F2 Edit For path edit mode in drawing programs, edit spreadsheet formula etc)
F3 Save Shift-F3 to save in other formats, Ctrl-F3 for quick save with no prompt
F4 Find Shift-F4 for Find and Replace (unless that function is included in F4)
F5 Go To Go to a line number, follow a link
F6 Back Previous record/last match/previous page etc
F7 Next Next record/next match/next page etc
F8 Undo Undo last operation
F9 Redo Redo last operation
F10 Spell Spell check the word, Shift-F10 to spell check whole document
F11 Zoom Set view scale
F12 OS * command prompt
Print Scrn Print Print document
Ctrl-f2 Close window (note that this must be implemented by the application)
Shift-f12 Toggle icon bar to the front
Ctrl-f12 Open a Task window
Shift-Ctrl-f12 Shutdown

The last three functions are implemented by the OS but the application must pass on these and other unrecognized key codes via Wimp_ProcessKey.

Clearly these keys assignments will not be relevant to all applications and in these cases the function keys may be used for other purposes. The aim, however, is to standardise on these keys as far as possible.

Novices will learn to use applications quickly as the common functions will be labelled and in the same place every time. Experienced users will find functions more quickly as they know where to look.

This poses some challenges for developers and clearly many applications will not conform, but if the majority of applications conform as far as possible, it will make the system much more friendly.

Note that the F1-F12 label will still be the predominant label on each key.

A keyboard diagram is available showing the proposed key labelling.

Other Key Labels

We also hope to add accent and other symbols to the relevant key fronts. For example, an acute under [, to remind users that Alt-[ is used to apply an acute accent to the next character.

Other symbols would be shown too, including: ½, ¼, ¾ etc.

Delete, Home and End Keys

For historical reasons, the RISC OS delete key has always performed the same function as Backspace in most applications, while the End key has performed a 'delete right' function. It is wasteful having two keys perform the same function when the Delete key could be used more sensibly.

The IYONIX pc therefore adopts the industry standard, as follows:

<- Backspace (character code 8) should delete the character to left of cursor
Delete Delete (key code 127) should delete forwards, i.e. delete the character to right of cursor
Home Go to start of line
End Go to end of line
Ctrl-End Go to bottom of document

Note this conforms to the original RISC OS 3 Style Guide, published in 1993, which specifies this behaviour when using PC style keyboards.

Applications adopt the following conventions for Shift and Control keys on all keyboards:

Shift-Left Previous word
Shift-Right Next word
Ctrl-Left Start of line
Ctrl-Right End of line
Ctrl-Up Top of document
Ctrl-Down Bottom of document

Extra Keys

The three extra keys (Windows-Left, Windows-Right and Menu) that appear on the keyboard will be reserved for user applications and coloured red, green and blue.

These keys generate Wimp key codes as follows:

Windows key Future IYONIX labelling Key code Shift-key code Ctrl-key code Shift-Ctrl-key code
Left Windows U1 (red)
1C0

1D0

1E0

1F0

Right Windows U2 (green)
1D0

1C0

1F0

1E0

Menu U3 (blue)
1C1

1D1

1E1

1F1

Note that some keys generate the same code, for example U2 and shift-U1 both generate Wimp key code 1D0. Unfortunately this is unavoidable due to the lack of spare key codes. It is therefore proposed that Ctrl-U1 to Ctrl-U3 should be used for extra functions, but that Shift-U1 and Shift-U2 be avoided (shift-U3 may be used).

The intention is to allow the user to assign these keys to different functions, selectable from a list which would typically include:

New web browser window with default home page
New web browser window with search page
Email application
Write new Email
Search telephone directory/dial number
CD Player control
Open root directory
Open user-specified directory
Open user-specified file (eg a letter template or order template)
Calculator
Calendar
World map/time zones

A new setup utility in !Boot will allow different actions to be assigned to these keys, and there would be a mechanism for applications to offer functions to be mapped onto each key.