Explainer: From Key Press to Character
Explainer: From Key Press to Character
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Your keyboard does not send letters, numbers, or symbols to your computer.
A keyboard only sends key presses. These are standardized Human Interface Device (HID) codes that tell the computer which key was pressed.
The keyboard does not know that a key means A, €, ©, or ä.
The Operating System (OS) keyboard layout decides what character each key press becomes.
Keyboard → HID key press → OS keyboard layout → Character appears on screen
Why keyboard layouts matter
Why keyboard layouts matter
The same key press can create different characters depending on the selected Operating System (OS) keyboard layout (keyboard language setting).
For example:
With a US keyboard layout, a key press is interpreted as a US keyboard.
With a German keyboard layout, the same key press may produce a different character.
Your physical keyboard does not change. The OS keyboard layout changes how the key presses are interpreted.
Special characters
Special characters
Characters such as:
€ © ä ß ñ é
are created by the OS keyboard layout, not by the keyboard.
Your keyboard cannot send these characters directly.
To type characters that are not available in your current layout, you must either:
change your OS keyboard layout, or
use an operating system shortcut (for example, Alt + 0169 → © on Windows).
Dead keys
Dead keys
Some OS keyboard layouts include dead keys.
A dead key is a key that does not produce a character immediately. Instead, it waits for the next key press and combines both keys to create a character.
Examples:
' then e → é
^ then o → ô
" then u → ü
~ then n → ñ
Dead keys are part of the OS keyboard layout. They are not a feature of the physical keyboard.
Changing the keyboard hardware does not add or remove dead keys.
Changing the OS keyboard layout can.
About the Layout Editor
About the Layout Editor
The MoErgo Layout Editor language/locale setting only controls which characters are displayed inside the editor.
It does not:
change the HID codes sent by the keyboard,
change the OS keyboard layout,
add or remove dead keys,
change what characters the computer types.
The simple rule
The simple rule
The keyboard sends key presses.
The operating system decides what those key presses become.
How do I get special characters?
How do I get special characters?
Your new keyboard works the same way as any regular keyboard. To find out how to type a character:
Try the same key or key combination you would use on a regular keyboard.
If that key combination produces the character on your old keyboard, it will produce the same character on your new keyboard — provided your computer is using the same OS keyboard layout.
If the character is not available in your current keyboard layout, consider using:
using an International keyboard layout provided by your operating system.
Windows - United States-International keyboard layout (built into Windows 11)using an alternative keyboard layout such as EurKEY for easier access to additional characters,
creating a macro that inserts the character using a Unicode or ASCII input method (for example, an AltGr shortcut).
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