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Creating the Keyboard Input Language (Windows CE 5.0)

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Use the Kbdgen.exe tool to generate the files necessary to build an input language library for the keyboards for your hardware platform. The Kbdgen.exe tool generates necessary source and registry files to build this library.

All keyboard platform-dependent drivers (PDDs) can share hardware-independent input languages. The input language contains the virtual-key code to Unicode character tables, the key modifier list, and the virtual-key code to XT scan code list, which RDP requires. Windows CE includes US English, Japanese, and Korean input languages. To support other keyboard layouts and character mappings, create a new input language. The input language can be a separate DLL, or it can be included in Kbdmouse.dll. The entry point for an input language is IL_0000<Locale>, for instance, IL_00000409 for US.

For an example of an input language, in the latest Platform Builder installation, see %_WINCEROOT%\Public\Common\Oak\Drivers\Keybd\Inputlangs\0409\Il_0409.cpp as an example of an input language.

For an example of required registry keys, in the latest Platform Builder installation, see %_WINCEROOT%\Public\Common\Oak\Drivers\Keybd\Laymgr.reg.

Perform each of the following steps in the latest Platform Builder installation.

To create the input language

  1. Use the Kbdgen.exe tool to partially generate the complex portions from the Windows-based desktop platforms keyboard layouts. For more information, see Keyboard Layout Generator Tool.

  2. Create an InputLanguage directory within the keyboard driver directory for your hardware platform.

    For example, %_WINCEROOT%\Platform\%_TGTPLAT%\Drivers\Mykbdmouse\InputLanguage.

  3. Add a sources file to the InputLanguage directory.

    For an example InputLanguage sources file, see %_WINCEROOT%\Public\Common\Oak\Drivers\Keybd\InputLangs\0409.

  4. Add the Makefile file to the DeviceLayout directory.

    For an example DeviceLayout sources file, see %_WINCEROOT%\Public\Common\Oak\Drivers\Keybd\InputLangs\0409.

  5. From the files that the Kbdgen.exe tool generated, add the file ending in IL to the InputLanguage directory.

  6. Add the InputLanguage directory to the dirs file that builds the entire keyboard driver.

    This dirs file is in the keyboard driver directory for your hardware platform, which is immediately subordinate to the Drivers directory. For example, %_WINCEROOT%\Platform\%_TGTPLAT%\Drivers\Mykbdmouse\Dirs.

See Also

Layout Manager

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