KEYBOARD

Purpose:    Sets an alternative keyboard layout.

Syntax:     KEYBOARD=[XT|AT|PC]<STANDARD|ID>
                     [SIMPLE]
                     [HOTKEY ss cc]
                     [TEMPHOTKEY cccc]
                     [PRELOAD|LOADONCALL]
                     [ACTBORDER xx]
                     [DEFBORDER yy]
                     [USEBORDER]
                     [MAPS nn]
                     [,[codepage [,[drive:][path]filename]]

            Where, ss   - shift state
                   ßß   - scan code
                   ßßcc - scan code

By default: KEYBOARD = STANDARD

Note:
     When defining some "extended" keys it is necessary to set upper byte of
the cccc as 0E1h or 0E0h.  For instance, the <Ctrl> scan code should be
defined as 57373 or 0E01Dh.

     To change the keyboard layout from the one supported by BIOS, it is
necessary to include KEYBOARD = ID, where ID is a two letter country code
(See the COUNTRY command). The new layout may be substituted for another
in an interactive mode by using the KEYB external DOS command.  Specifying
STANDARD is equivalent to stating no KEYBOARD command at all.

     The XT, AT and PC prefixes specify the type of keyboard interface and
are recommended only in case of faults arising from using the KEYBOARD
command.

     SIMPLE means absence of "dead keys". Dead keys don't lead to display of
some character after being pressed separately. If a letter key follows the
dead one, then the specified letter is displayed with an accent or "umlaut".

     You can switch from one layout to another in interactive mode with the
help of the following keys:

     <Ctl-Alt-F1> - set the initial layout
     <Ctl-Alt-F2> - set the loaded layout,

or with the DOS KEYB command. Also, a hot key can be specified by stating
HOTKEY ss cc, where ss is the shift state and cc - the scan code. In this
case you may shift between states by pressing the specified key. It is also
possible to define a TEMPHOTKEY hot key used for shifting the layout only
while it is held pressed.

     Display border may indicate the current status with its color, if the
USEBORDER parameter is specified.  ACTBORDER xx defines the active state
border colour (white by default), DEFBORDER yy defines the initial state
border colour (black by default).  Parameter values are treated depending on
the type of display: for CGA, it is one of the 16 colors, for EGA and the
like, one of the available palette colors (one of 64 or more colors).

     MAPS nn defines the maximum number of layouts loaded with KEYB command.
nn may range from 1 to 9, default value is 1.

NOTICE: Border color indication does not apply to MDA and Hercules
        displays, both not having the option.

     The system automatically installs a new keyboard layout when KEYBOARD
command is processed. PRELOAD is used for making an new layout active after
ßomputer loading. LOADONCALL points out that a new layout will be installed
by pressing hotkeys.  Codepage means exactly what it says.  Filename (By
default, KEYBOARD.SYS) specifies name of the file containing the keyboard
layout data.