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I have created a keyboard layout in the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator tool. It is based on US layout, the only changes I've made include:

mapped from               mapped to

alt(right)+[                  å
alt(right)+'                  ä
alt(right)+;                  ö
alt(right)+Shift+[            Å
alt(right)+Shift+'            Ä
alt(right)+Shift+;            Ö

The goal is to allow me to use the US layout but add the possibility to enter Swedish characters while holding the right alt key. This works to a degree, but feels buggy. When attempting to enter the Swedish characters using this custom map, nearly 1 out of every 3 attempts will send input incorrectly. Often, no character is input at all, and if retrying the same character, it is inserted after the cursor.

I've used it this way before on a Windows 10 system, where it worked perfectly. Now I'm on a Windows 7 Enterprise box where the problem occurs.

Update April 7:

This is not the same computer or keyboard as when I successfully used it with Windows 10, so it might not only be a difference between the versions of the operating systems. However, I am using the same hardware with GNU/Linux where I have a flawless configuration with the same key mappings, so I doubt it has to do with key ghosting. Also, I have tried with two very different keyboards, with the same result.

One observation is that the frequency of the misbehavior varies depending on the software used. For instance, in Google Chrome it happens very frequently. I can never type å (trying will even release focus on the input field), but the other characters only fail intermittently. Typing in a terminal or Notepad works better, but not without problems.

It feels like if something else was listening for the right alt key and competes with my layout setting. Of course, this is just a hypothesis.

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  • Is they keyboard you're using now different from when it was working? Many keyboards have hardware limitations that restrict multiple button presses.
    – root
    Apr 5, 2016 at 20:07
  • Also, can you confirm if this problem occurs everywhere you type? For example, does the issue persist in Notepad, web browsers, ect?
    – root
    Apr 5, 2016 at 20:17
  • The frequency of hitting the bug varies depending on the program I'm using. In Chrome and IE it is very frequent. In a terminal or in Notepad it is happening in about 1/5 of my attempts. It is another keyboard and another machine I'm using now than when it worked, but I doubt it is related to hardware. I'm using the same key combinations in GNU/Linux without any issues on the same hardware, and as the problem is intermittent, it could not really be caused by ghosting. Tried with two different keyboards too, with identical behavior.
    – Johan
    Apr 7, 2016 at 12:14
  • This is helpful information, you should edit your original post to include these details.
    – root
    Apr 7, 2016 at 12:49
  • Thank you @root for helping me with this issue! I have updated the original post.
    – Johan
    Apr 7, 2016 at 13:36

1 Answer 1

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This may not exactly be what you're looking to accomplish but I believe the US - International keyboard layout already has the Swedish characters that you need. They're made available through AltGr (i.e. the right Alt key or Ctrl+Alt) shortcuts.

Glyph               Shortcut               Shortcut (No AltGr)

å                   Right Alt+w          Ctrl+Alt+w
ä                   Right Alt+q          Ctrl+Alt+q
ö                   Right Alt+p          Ctrl+Alt+p
Å                   Right Alt+Shift+W   Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W
Ä                   Right Alt+Shift+Q   Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Q
Ö                   Right Alt+Shift+P   Ctrl+Alt+Shift+P

Some Ctrl+Alt shortcuts may trigger other action on certain programs.

For instance Ctrl+Alt+p would open the Print dialog in Notepad.

You can check what characters are available to you using Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator by loading your existing keyboard profile through File → Load Existing Keyboard... and checking the Alt+Ctrl (AltGr) shift state.

Keyboard Layout Creator 1.4 - AltGr shortcuts

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  • Thanks, but as you say that's not what I'm looking for. The keys are not mapped according to my preferences.
    – Johan
    Apr 11, 2016 at 5:55

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