Typing Unicode Telugu using other keyboard layouts

There are many keyboard layouts and transliteration schemes to Type in Telugu. Many of users who type Telugu on computers use proprietary encodings and keyboard layouts like Modular, Apple, and Roma. If they have a way to type in Telugu in Unicode using the layout they are familiar with, it would boost the usage of Telugu on the Web specifically and on computers generally. This post explores the problem of keyboard layouts and introduces some Keyboard Layout Creators.

Lot of people who work with/write/publish Telugu on computers (ignoring Telugu bloggers and Wikipedians) use applications like Anu Script Manager (Anu Fonts), Shree-Lipi, iLEAP, etc. (Through out this post, I’ll refer to them as ‘these applications’.) These applications are good for printing purposes, but not for producing content for the Web. They are not good because they produce non-Unicode text. Non-Unicode text is bad on the web because–

  1. user must have the font that supports particular encoding/mapping (the mappings that these applications use are different)
  2. search engines do not understand it (because of the point 1 above, most people put the content as images, as against text)

Most people stuck with these applications and non-Unicode text because there was no other alternative until support for Unicode is available in Operating Systems and other software applications. Even the people who realize the benefits of Unicode are in a difficult position to move to Unicode. Reason one is their process gets disturbed. They need to use new set of tools.

Most of these applications support multiple keyboard layouts (including Inscript Keyboard Layout, which is the default keyboard layout that comes with Windows and Linux operating systems). However, most users of these applications are used to other layouts than Inscript. If any of these users want to use Unicode, they need to type using a different layout. If they frequently switch back and forth between Unicode and non-Unicode texts, remembering two layouts is very confusing. And, in those cases, they most likely decide abandon using Unicode.

It would be helpful if they can type in Unicode using the keyboard layout they are familiar with. And, the good news is that it is possible to make your own keyboard layout. There are at least a handful of options:

Modular layout is the famous layout on non-Unicode Telugu generation applications. Using the MSKLC, I created Telugu Modular Keyboard Layout for Windows. By using this, you can type in Telugu wherever you can type in English.

Here are the instructions on how to use it:

  1. Download the Modular Telugu Keyboard Layout.
  2. Unzip the downloaded zip file.
  3. Execute the Setup.exe file in te_mdlr folder
  4. After the installation is complete, you can switch to the Modular Keyboard Layout by pressing Left Alt + Shift. Pressing again the same keyboard shortcut brings you back to the English.
  5. If you want to see an indication of which layout is in use, you can enable Language Bar in Windows.

I hope people would take forward this initiative and create all the keyboard layouts that are in use for Telugu and more number of people start using Telugu on the web and computers.

Update: I also created Apple Telugu Keyboard Layout for Windows.

17 Responses to Typing Unicode Telugu using other keyboard layouts

  1. Thanks for the info! Linux lo support bavundi.. found SCIM very useful.. this post just came handy when I’m working in windows..

    Gopal.Koduri | 11:31 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  2. I have Anu Script Manager 7.0. But I am not able to type doublings (vatgthulu). Could you please help.
    Sudhir Jangam

    Sudhir Jangam | 5:09 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  3. @Sudhir Jangam

    In joinings, you should give the vowel after, instead of before, the linking character ‘&’.

    Veeven | 7:26 pm on the 18th of November, 2007

  4. Sir
    In win xp with the inscript keyboard there is a problem in forcing “pollu”. For example if I have to type “wordlo type chesanu” I want ‘word’ with pollu. But the software combines the ‘lo’ with it, unless I give space. How to overcome this problem?

    I S Rao | 10:17 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  5. @I S Rao

    In Inscript layout, Ctrl + Shift + 2 inserts the zero width non-joiner character. So for your problem, after typing ‘word’ press Ctrl + Shift + 2, then type ‘lo’.

    However this may not work when you type in browser. Try in Notepad or Word.

    Veeven | 3:55 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  6. @veeven

    Thanks for the solution. It worked.

    I S Rao | 8:25 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  7. i have joined ur group.i just love telugu as a
    language. what are there to explore?

    sudha koushik | 9:53 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  8. I am composing Telugu Keyboard in MSKLC. But MSKLC is not supporting two Unicodes for Dead Key compose. Please solve my problem, how to compose tow different unicodes in Dead Key. Thank you.

    Praveen

    Praveen Kumar | 2:34 pm on the 18th of November, 2007

  9. Sir,

    I want to use Anu Script with “ROMA” key board lay out. Have you any suggestions for me. I am using Office 2007, but the ANU SCRIPT V.7 is not justifying my typed documents.

    Mohd. Shareef | 1:35 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  10. Mohd. Shareef, I do not know the answer myself because I do not use Anu Script Manager. You can ask for help in Computer Era Chat.

    Veeven | 8:21 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  11. Praveen, sorry to be late on this.

    But, what Telugu letters are actually the problem for you in getting in MSKLC? Also, what keyboard layout you are trying to make?

    I think we need to make few compromises with MSKLC.

    Veeven | 8:26 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  12. I have used Anu 7 for typing in MS Word 2007. The following are my observations:

    1. The new fonts added in Anu 7 after Anu 6 are only giving results, the old fonts, i.e available in Anu 6, like Anupama, Bapu, Ramana, Pallavi, Priyanka etc are not giving result, but the new fonts like Aradhana, amrutha, Rachana and the all other new ones are giving correct results.

    2. There is no much significant difference found between left alignment and justify, very little difference.

    Ch. Sivarama Prasad | 9:03 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  13. hellow Sir, I want Anuscript telugu applekey board in xp so where website free down load anuscript please send me.

    A.Srinivas | 3:23 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  14. A.Srinivas, see this: http://crossroads.koodali.org/2007/12/25/apple-keyboard-layout/

    Veeven | 3:31 am on the 18th of November, 2007

  15. hello friends, apple keyboard is Best. but initially it is tough to learn, later on it is very easy. I’m using apple keyboard from last 6 months.

    raj | 1:48 pm on the 18th of November, 2007

  16. Hi Veeven,

    I have Anu Graphic Software that works well in Windows 98, but it not run in XP, please help me.

    abc | 2:23 pm on the 18th of November, 2007

  17. abc, I think the new version should work on XP. However, I never used Anu software. You can probably ask in Computer Era forums.

    Veeven | 6:56 pm on the 18th of November, 2007

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