how to start a keymap project

Question

I have take a try dvorak keyboard layout, and i also taked a look of programmers dvorak and colemak layout. But what I'd like create a new layout, which is more better in code and *nix.

I've do some statistic from many codes include java,python,ruby,php,c,js, and get a result of which key use most, which symbol use most, which number use most.

The keyboard will be totally shuffled.

_ and - should be seprate, = should get a good postion, {} should not in shift place....

the numbers key's frequency is not equals, 0 is most , then 1, 2, 3 , 4 , 5, 6 , and 9 ,8 ,7 is rarely use, it will be move into shift place, ...

and also many change with letters, e,t is use most, some sequence like re, er, es, se, also be use most, I put them together "RES", ...

it is diffrent with dvorak and colemak, what i want is not only a Xmodmap file, I want a keymap project. Before this, I have some question.

1. setxkbmap us -v colemak, what's the meaning? colemak is a variable of us layout? but dvorak is "setxkbmap dvorak" ,what's the diffrent.

2. if I wrote a linux keymap file , should I wrote an Xorg keymap file again in diffrent format? if true, where can I find the Xorg keymap file in archlinux?

3. I am using archlinux, is the keymap file the same between with diffrent linux distribution and unix and *bsd system?

4. where can I found some useful documentation?

==================== more information about this layout see this question. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3875077/what-do-you-think-about-this-keyboard-layout-for-programmers

Answer 1

Hi, here is a link to keyboard layout optimiser it allows you to "evaluate" your layout using the text files you want. You might also find some usefull links on it.

Answer 2

Information on X keyboard layout files can be found at:

• xkb-config project
• XKB information from X.Org

Xkb configuration files are standard across all flavors of Linux and Unix, though their installation location varies. Most modern distros install them under /usr/share/X11/xkb/ now.

Answer 3

In a standard Linux distribution, you should find the "USA Programer Dvorak" layout. It is not as shuffled as you described, but has good ideas.

I tend to prefer using standard layout over personalized layouts. It is always difficult when using several machines to deploy on all of them (@home, @work ...). You always find yourself missing your super-magic-fantastic keymap. (This is the reason that drives me to standard dvorak instead of own mapping, that drives me to use vim instead of nedit, ...)