Post by c128old on Feb 1, 2022 20:41:46 GMT
It occurred to me the C128 Kernal has many more vectors to customize the ROM routines than has the 64.
For instance, the C128 has 5 key table pointers.
For key-presses normal, shifted, c=, caps and alt.
Who knows about using these vectors, did you use them or know of programs that rely on these vectors to change the keyboard mapping?
Further to this, with things like VICE we can easily play around with the CAPS LOCK / DIN key (on a German C128 for example)
With that the c128 will reassign the keymaps and font-rom 'live', overruling key table settings.
Even more esoteric is the key-composition feature!
Did you know that (example: the French Keyboard) has the ability to compose key-presses on international systems?
The ROM space in FC3E-FEff is used for this. In the (rather great work of) 'mapping the c128', a US default is treated and this FExx area is listed as 'not used'.
Looking up the German ROM listing ('C128RomListing OS' from German publisher Mark&Technik) shows what goes on there.
Indeed! Use VICE, set the system to 'french', enable the Caps/Lock (F4, your VIC or VDC screen shows thin characters) then reset.
Now hit the "[" key on the PC and you see a caret, waiting for a subsequent key (e.g. the e) and the system will print the composed char (use lowercase).
Note how the keyboard input will 'lock' that mode (cursor is ignored) until you complete the composition.
The compositing also works with an umlaut ("): using ctrl-[ you get a floating umlaut waiting for a key. I imagine that German textprocessing would use the keys with umlaut-letters rather than the compositing functions.
Anyone know of word processors that used this (OS default) method?
I believe that in Germany the use of C64 with printers quickly led to the use of 'centronics' as a standard because the 801/803 would not print the umlauts (bad for official letters)
Did something similar happen in French language areas (was the French keyboard ever sold to Canada, and if so did the 'narrow' font fail on the NTSC display?, I understand NTSC color frequency does not like single pixels while on PAL that is different)
Funny ROM difference French to German: the German ROM will actively reload the keymap to the VDC upon CAPS/DIN key while the French version appears not to.
