BolNagri

From IndLinux

Bolnagari keyboard is a phonetic keymap for XKB. It is a hack, but works. It was desiged after the authors lost sanity after trying to use the phonetic keymaps available with IIIMF and compose keys and xmodmap. Its inspired by Devrom keymap available from keyman.

Download
Bolnagri-in tarball (137KB)
Old bolnagri tarball (29KB)
deb package

Use Bolnagri-in if using any distro like Debian Etch, Fedora Code 6/7, Ubuntu/Kubuntu 7.04, Suse 10.2, Mandrake 2007 etc.
Fedora Core 8, *buntu 7.10, Debian lenny/sid, Mandriva 2008 etc have bolnagri by default. Select India - Hindi BolNagri in keyboard layout selection

Installing

Bolnagri-in

1. tar zxvf bolnagri-in.tgz
2. cd bolnagri-in
3. ./install.sh

Bolnagri old tarball

1. tar zxvf bolnagri.tar.gz
2. cd bolnagri
3. ./install.sh

Prebuilt packages Deb package

1. dpkg -i bolnagri_0.1_noarch.deb

Using

Bolnagri-in
Bolnagri-in is enhancment of Indic XKB map (in) available in X windows. To overcome the difficulties in using old bolnagri scheme, the map has been included in the main Indic XKB map as a varaint, avoiding the need of installation in future as the new map becomes part of all future distributions.
Usage is simplified without the need of clicking on a panel icon to switch between layouts, since now keyboard shortcuts could be used at ease.
One main difference over the old map is the use of 'Right Alt' (or any other chosen level3 key) to get the vowels. Default one gives consonants and matras.

Default switching between layouts is  LeftAlt+Shift (GNOME),  Ctrl+Alt+K  (KDE)
Once bolnagri selected consonants and vowel matras could be typed by default.
To type vowels, level3 key is to be used (default - Right Alt).
For इ उ ए ओ   use Right Alt +key
 eg. ओ - RightAlt + o 
For ई ऊ ऐ औ  use Shift + Ralt + key
 eg. औ - Shift+ Right Alt + o
Some other suitable key(s) could be assigned for level3 switching using the layout switching tool.

Use the keyboard layout switching utility of your desktop.

For GNOME, right click on panel, Add Panel applet -> Keyboard layout switcher.
Once added, right click on the applet to open keyboard layout preferences, in layout options, click Add
Select India, in the list, and within it Hindi Bolnagri.
You can assign group switching keys & level3 switchers other than the default 

Old Bolnagri
Copy Bolnagri.desktop, English.desktop entries avialable in /usr/share/doc/bolnagri to ur ~/Desktop dir. These are app launchers which will switch layout between bolnagri & english. $ cp /usr/share/doc/bolnagri/*.desktop ~/Desktop

This will get two icons on desktop, same can be dragged onto the panel & activated from there by clicking once. To type using

Or from terminal issue following commands

• setxkbmap -layout 'bolnagri_matras, bolnagri_vowels, us' -option grp:caps_toggle

Use caps to toggle between matra or vowel sign mode & swars or full vowel mode and English mode.

Refer to image below to learn the layout. Most of the keys are phonetically mapped with exception of few characters.

http://www.indlinux.org/images/bolnagri_map.png Bolnagri README (also contained in the package )

Use capslock to toggle between Matra mode where you get all the vowel signs or matras and Vowel Mode to get Independent Vowels/Swars.

The 'bolnagri_layout.png' Image provided shows the visual layout. It is in the following format: shifted in normal position, shifted in capslock position normal position(without shift), capslock position(without shift)

1) All consonants appear in both the modes. 2) ZWNJ(q in both modes) is used after consonant+halanth (eg:ka+halanth+ZWNJ) in order to prevent the next consonant from joing this consonant to form a conjunct. 3) The characters are mostly phonetically place, but due to the shortcomings of XKB, certain characters are placed elsewhere. The placements:

                TA & THA in f & F.
                DA & DHA in v & V.

4) To form samyuktakshars, use x in both modes. eg: To get 'pakka', type p+k+x+k+a

Examples: 'ka' - k 'kha' - K 'k' - k+x (pure consonant k, ie., with halanth) ksha - k+x+S tra - t+x+r jna or gya - j+x+Y nukta - shift period in normal mode Devnagari abbreviation sign - shift comma in normal mode bindi - single qoute chandrabindi - tilde Independent vowels:

       a vowel - a in capslock mode
       aa or A vowel - shift a in capslock mode

Suggestions, etc., : ravikant at sarai.net

                    pramodr at gmail.com
                    karunakar at sarai.net