Auomatically switch input language

[Fast-T]

Hi there,

I am looking for a way to automatically change the keyboard layout once my BT keyboard connects to my SP3.

I live in the US and have a SP3 w/ US type cover layout. Since I do lots of technical writings in German, my BT desk keyboard has a German layout. I don't carry the BT keyboard to meetings and use the type cover instead. It is very annoying to switch back and forth between the input languages manually, so I am looking for a setting in Windows that will switch the input language automatically to German as long as my BT keyboard is connected and use US English if not.

Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot

 

[malberttoo]

Hi there,

I am looking for a way to automatically change the keyboard layout once my BT keyboard connects to my SP3.

I live in the US and have a SP3 w/ US type cover layout. Since I do lots of technical writings in German, my BT desk keyboard has a German layout. I don't carry the BT keyboard to meetings and use the type cover instead. It is very annoying to switch back and forth between the input languages manually, so I am looking for a setting in Windows that will switch the input language automatically to German as long as my BT keyboard is connected and use US English if not.

Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot

Well I'm no expert... but I don't even know if this is possible. I wouldn't think that when you plug the keyboard in, that it identifies itself to the SP3 like so: "Hi' I'm a German keyboard" or "Hi, I'm an US English keyboard". Rather it probably just says "I'm a generic USB keyboard".

The keyboard itself, every time you hit a key, is probably sending the appropriate character to use.

This is interesting though so I hope someone more knowledgeable chimes in.

 

[Fast-T]

I fear this is the truth. It would be OK if there was a event handler that tells the system "Hey my awesome master is typing on the Type Cover" Windows should answer "OK, I switch to English layout" and when the Wedge Keyboard whines about being pulled out of sleep the system switches to German.

Maybe there is some macro I can create and run? On my mac (yes I still have mine) I have such a s/w doing things like this for me.

 

[malberttoo]

I fear this is the truth. It would be OK if there was a event handler that tells the system "Hey my awesome master is typing on the Type Cover" Windows should answer "OK, I switch to English layout" and when the Wedge Keyboard whines about being pulled out of sleep the system switches to German.

Maybe there is some macro I can create and run? On my mac (yes I still have mine) I have such a s/w doing things like this for me.

Ok well if you're looking for a macro, in this case a hot-key combo, THAT's a different story!

Check out AutoHotkey. I've used it for a few things on my various machines. They do have a user forum, so you'll probably have to ask there how to do exactly what you want.

But when you get it working right, be sure to post back here with the file!

 

[Tsurugaya]

Win+Spacekey is all you need to switch. Why make it more complicated?

 

[Fast-T]

I am at high level stress at work and because I write test without looking at the screen and the keyboard either (looking at the script or my onenote notes). 2000 words later I find there is a key map difference between the keyboards and 20 minutes of work lost. Can't be that hard to allocate a keymap to a keyboard once it is used, right?

 

[malberttoo]

Win+Spacekey is all you need to switch. Why make it more complicated?

What does that do?

 

[malberttoo]

Ok never mind I found what it's supposed to do, it just does nothing on my machine. I'll have to play around with it.

 

[Tsurugaya]

You have to have more than one language installed and you have to activate it.