Shaw JAFL keyboard layout (MacOS only)

Shavian.info has developed a MacOS keyboard layout called Shaw JAFL, short for ‘Just another “fabulous” layout’. Shaw JAFL:

• has been optimised using carpalx to minimise typing effort

• fits within the three rows of keys commonly used for Latin alphabet layouts (i.e. the numerals remain where they normally are)

• places less common letters in the SHIFT layer, and

• uses dead key combinations to access compound letters.

This keyboard is presently only available for MacOS. Microsoft Windows does not permit the use of dead keys outside the basic Unicode layer and so this keyboard cannot be adapted for Windows. I have not yet succeeded in adapting it to Linux.

To install the keyboard layout:

1. Download and install SIL’s Ukelele app.
   

2. Download and unzip the Shaw JAFL bundle file.

3. Open the Shaw JAFL bundle file in Ukelele.

4. In Ukulele go to File > Show Organiser and install Shaw JAFL either for all users or for the current user (depending on your preference).

5. Now go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Edit

6. Click ‘+’, then go down to ‘Others’ at the end of the list.

7. Select Shaw JAFL to install it.

To uninstall the keyboard layout at any point:

1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Edit and select Shaw JAFL and press ‘-’ 

2. In Ukulele go to File > Show Organiser and install Shaw JAFL and uninstall the file.

How to use Shaw JAFL

The base and SHIFT layers of Shaw JAFL are fairly self-explanatory. Common letters are easier to type and common combinations of letters have been optimised.

Base layer

Shift layer

The keys outlined in orange indicate that these are used to access to compound letters (𐑸, 𐑹, 𐑺, 𐑻, 𐑼, 𐑽, & 𐑿). To type the compound letters, simply type:

• 𐑩 then 𐑮 for 𐑼

• 𐑦 then 𐑩 then 𐑮 for 𐑽

• 𐑦 then 𐑩 for 𐑾

• 𐑳 then 𐑮 for 𐑻

• 𐑱 then 𐑮 for 𐑺

• 𐑭 then 𐑮 for 𐑸

• 𐑷 then 𐑮 for 𐑹

• 𐑘 then 𐑵 for 𐑿

To prevent a compound letter being former (e.g. to type 𐑩𐑮 or 𐑦𐑩) type 𐑩 then SHIFT+𐑮, 𐑦 then SHIFT+𐑩, etc. The 𐑘𐑵 combination does not occur natively in Shavian but may be accessed by inserting a space between the letters 𐑘 and 𐑵 and then deleting it.

Finally, the blank key on the SHIFT layer where SHIFT+X is on the QWERTY layout inserts a ‘variation selector’ used to access the Shavian extended letters for the Inter Alia font (it will only work for this font), see the Inter Alia Github repository for more explanation.