This is a module for ZMK which helps with creating keymaps for non-US keyboard layouts.
Many of the files in this repo are generated by ZMK Locale Generator.
See the ZMK module documentation for instructions on how to add this module to your firmware build. Once it is added to the build, you can use the features described below:
ZMK's key codes follow the HID specification, and many key codes indicate the position of a key on a US keyboard layout, not the key's function. If your operating system (OS) is set to a different keyboard locale, then the character a key types may not match its key code name. For example, on a German QWERTZ layout, &kp Y will type z and &kp Z will type y. This module provides headers with localized key codes, so instead of having to remember that Y is Z and Z is Y, you can just include the German header and use DE_Y and DE_Z.
First, find the header that matches your OS keyboard layout inside the include/locale folder. Each file starts with a comment that gives the full name of the keyboard layout.
Next, include it at the top of your keymap like this. The path inside the #include <...> is the path to the header relative to the /include folder in this repo.
#include <locale/keys_de.h>
/ {
keymap {
...
};
};
Finally, look inside the header to see what key codes it provides, and use these key codes in your keymap instead of the standard ZMK key codes.
For example, this snippet of keys_de.h...
/* y */
#define DE_Y (ZMK_HID_USAGE(HID_USAGE_KEY, HID_USAGE_KEY_KEYBOARD_Z))
/* z */
#define DE_Z (ZMK_HID_USAGE(HID_USAGE_KEY, HID_USAGE_KEY_KEYBOARD_Y))...says you can use DE_Y for y and DE_Z for z, while this one...
/* ß */
#define DE_SHARP_S (ZMK_HID_USAGE(HID_USAGE_KEY, HID_USAGE_KEY_KEYBOARD_MINUS_AND_UNDERSCORE))
#define DE_ESZETT (DE_SHARP_S)
#define DE_SZ (DE_SHARP_S)...says you can use DE_SHARP_S, DE_ESZETT, or DE_SZ for ß.
A keymap using these localized key codes might look like this:
#include <locale/keys_de.h>
/ {
keymap {
compatible = "zmk,keymap";
default_layer {
bindings = <
&kp DE_CARET &kp DE_N1 &kp DE_N2 &kp DE_N3 &kp DE_N4 &kp DE_N5 &kp DE_N6 ...
&kp TAB &kp DE_Q &kp DE_W &kp DE_E &kp DE_R &kp DE_T &kp DE_Z ...
&kp CAPS &kp DE_A &kp DE_S &kp DE_D &kp DE_F &kp DE_G &kp DE_H ...
&kp LSHFT &kp DE_LT &kp DE_Y &kp DE_X &kp DE_C &kp DE_V &kp DE_B &kp DE_N ...
&kp LCTRL &kp LGUI &kp LALT &kp DE_SPACE ...
>;
};
};
};