AZERTY

The keyboard azerty is a type of keyboard used in certain countries Francophone S. It holds its name of the provision of the six first letters of the first line of alphabetical keys. It is distinguished from the various alternatives of keyboards Qwerty and Qwertz used in the majority of the countries whose language is written with the Latin alphabet. It succeeded the keyboard ZHJAYSCPG.

General information on the types of keyboards azerty

Introduction

The Azerty keyboard is a type of keyboard, specifically studied to avoid the risks of blocking of the typewriters mechanical.

This provision of the keyboard, which goes back to the 19th century, is an adaptation for the French language of the provision “ Qwerty ” (for the English language) conceived for the first Typewriter produced massively by the arms manufacturer Remington.

On these first typewriters, the stems of the close keys frequently wedged one the other. The provision “ Qwerty ” was thus conceived so that the letters most frequently contiguous in the words of the English language are most isolated possible on the keyboard, which limits the risks of blocking of the stems.

Provision AZERTY is also used in the Belgian keyboard (although the majority of the nonalphabetical signs are with different positions), and undoubtedly also inspired the Lithuanian keyboard, which is a ĄŽERTY.

Like the pianists, the typists improve their dexterity by making ranges , often on blind keyboards to prevent them from looking at it, indeed to be fast the attention must be related to the sheet (today the screen) and not the keyboard.

Several details are to be noted:

the Touche Ctrl has an identical effect (fast actions) that it is used on the left or on the right keyboard,
it is the same for the key Maj (Majuscule S and/or fast alternatives of actions),
the Touche Alt gr. (on the right of the bar spaces, on keyboards PC) allows to type the character being in bottom on the right of a key comprising three characters.
the Touche Alt (on the left of the bar spaces) is used mainly as shortened in the Logiciel S for orders of actions on the window S, and also of tool for striking of the characters thanks to their ASCII Code, on the systems Windows and Linux. On Macintosh, this key, located on both sides bar of space, makes it possible to obtain the symbol € engraved on the key comprising the sign $. It also makes it possible to quickly obtain very useful characters like œ, æ, © or ¿ in combination with the keys " o" , " a" , " c" or "? " for example.

Dead keys

A dead key is a key which does not post anything with the screen but modifies the appearance of the next character which will be typed with the keyboard. They are mainly used to accentuate (or diacritiser) a Voyelle.

circumflexe accent

One obtains a circumflex accent while pressing on the key ^ (in the majority of the provisions azerty, it is located on the right P) then on the vowel to accentuate (except there).

Dieresis

One obtains a dieresis while pressing on the key ¨ (in the majority of the provisions azerty, it is obtained by the combination shift+^) then on the vowel to accentuate (except there of capital).

Grave accent

One obtains the grave accent while pressing on the key `(in the French provision azerty, it is located on the right key " ù" on the Macintosh keyboard, while it is obtained by the combination Alt Gr+è on the keyboards of the type PC, in the Belgian provision azerty, it is obtained by the combination Alt Gr+µ; the key " µ" key " is located on the right; ù" on the Belgian keyboards azerty) then on the vowel to be accentuated (except there).

Acute accent

Diacritic of current French (on the E of State, for example) is available under Windows only (for the French provision azerty) by using the Alt key + a code, to see low. On a keyboard AZERTY Macintosh, in addition to the letter " é" already presents, the acute accent is obtained via the combination of key alt+maj+" &" , in the Belgian provision azerty (for the keyboards for PC), it is obtained by the combination Alt Gr+ù. It is then enough to add the desired vowel (except there of capital).

The capital key ⇧

As opposed to what its name indicates, it is not only used to write the capital letters. Its English name is adapted more: shift means “ indeed; décaler ”. Its use on the typewriters mechanical was, indeed, to shift the carriage to obtain the second series of characters located on the top of the stems, making possible the use of the capital letters. Figures, “;”, “?” and other characters were thus added, with the detriment of the capital letters E, E, C and With. Its other use was to unbolt the key verr maj, role specific to the French keyboard under Windows 95 (inherited the typewriters) which it has " perdu" with Windows XP (but which one can reactivate: it is enough to pass by the general and linguistic Options).

The Alt key

The Alt key makes it possible to obtain the Caractères by using to them Code. There is necessary for that to remain supported on Alt and to type the code on the Pavé Numérique.

For example (at least under Windows), one obtains:

œ: Alt + 0156,
Œ: Alt + 0140,
With: Alt + 0192,
C: Alt + 0199,
E: Alt + 0201,
E: Alt + 0235,
Ø: Alt + 0216,
ø: alt + 0248,
á: Alt + 0225,
í: Alt + 0237,
ú: Alt + 0225,
®: alt + 0174,
ã: alt + 0227,
ñ: alt + 0241,
€: alt + 0128, (directly accessible with " AltGr" +" e")
I: alt + 0207,
etc… the complete listing is available in the utility " Count of the caractères" belonging to Windows (to start/carry out charmap)

Remanent key: the original behavior of the key verr maj ⇪

the key verr maj locked the carriage of the typewriters in high position, operation which one found in the keyboards azerty before Windows XP; rather than “ courses lock ” (courses comes from " capitals"), its true English name is thus “ shift lock ”. When it was supported, one did not have as solution to enter a character of the first line that to unbolt it using the Touche maj.

Since Windows XP, its effect is cancelled if the key maj at the same time is used and it is unbolted while réappuyant above. This change (reversible but activated by defect, to see higher) is resulting from the behavior of the key “ courses lock ” of the keyboards qwerty under the ms preceding Windows. That therefore did not transform it into a true key “ verr maj ” since it continues to affect all the keys. It thus does not make it possible to entirely in capital letters write a text without adaptation: four characters; : ! for example are obtained then by also combining them with the key maj to reverse the effect of the key verr maj ⇪ already supported.

L4EFFET OF KEY VERR MAJ D2J0 APPUY2E §§§ The keyboards qwerty entirely in capital letters allow the writing of a text in an easier way since the key verr maj acts only on the alphabetical characters. Moreover, keyboards AZERTY Macintosh and GNU/Linux (at least certain distributions) are also different since the key ⇪ acts only on the alphabetical characters: there is not no need to modify its striking to obtain a point or a comma when the key verr maj is supported: The EFFECT OF ALREADY SUPPORTED KEY VERR MAJ (UNDER MACINTOSH AND GNU/LINUX) That has, on the other hand, the disadvantage of complicating the striking of figures if the keyboard does not have numeric keypad (required to maintain the Maj key inserted).

It does not have, moreover, an effect on the keys < and ².

Differences of the provisions of the keyboards azerty

In France

AZERTY with GNU/Linux/system X Window

In the interface with windows X, the order

setxkbmap Fr

the keyboard converts into keyboard azerty.

Under X, the interface keyboard is entirely configurable, one can thus change as it is wished the assignment of the various keys, for example to assign a specific combination AltGr + touches for œ, Œ, æ, Æ,…, ½, etc

Except X, in mode comforts, it acts of the order

loadkeys Fr

key 102

The key on the left of the key W on the physical keyboard azerty , which contains the two symbols < > do not exist on old physical keyboards Qwerty. By consequence, the virtual keyboard azerty created with setxbmap Fr or loadkeys Fr on a physical keyboard qwerty did not make it possible to type the two symbols < > The reprogramming of certain combinations of keys, by using xmodmap in the environment of windows X, or loadkeys in mode comforts, is possible to fill this gap.

Approximate placement of keys AZERTY

without the Maj key

² &é" '(- è_çà) =

azert yuiop^$*

qsdfg hjklmù

wxcvb N;:!

The key ^ must be typed twice continuation, once then followed by a space to appear alone or can be followed by a vowel to obtain

êîôû

as indicated in top.

with the Maj key or Shift

~12345 67890°+

AZERT YUIOP¨£

QSDFG HJKLM%Μ

WXCVB NR?. /§

The key ¨ must be typed twice continuation (with Maj or Shift), or once and followed by a space to appear alone, or can be followed by a vowel to obtain

äëïöü

as indicated in top.

with the key Alt gr.

¬ ¹ ~# { |`\ ^@}

æ “€¶ŧ ←↓→øþ ¤

@ßðđŋ ħjĸłµ

ł” ¢ “” N · This is very different from what one obtains under Windows.

With the help of reconfiguration (see the files in XBASE/lib/X11/xkb/symbols/pc with XBASE = /usr/X11R6 or other), one can for example obtain this:

´ ½ ~ # { | `\ ^ @} æ Z € ® ™ ý U I œ ρ ^ ¤ * Q ß þ 2D G H J K L - ù Ω X © v B N ¸…: ! “(nonbreaking space)

locking of the capital letters under linux

The key is often named " Verr. Maj." , or " Capes. Lock" in English, or differently comprises the drawing of a Cadenas.

² &É" '(- È_ÇÀ) =*

AZERTYUIOP $

QSDFGHJKLMÙ

WXCVBN;:! Notice that it is possible to obtain capital ÉÈÇÀÙ more easily than under Windows.

Provision of the French keyboard under Macintosh

@&é" '(§è! that) -

azertyuiop^$

qsdfghjklmù `

Provision of the French keyboard under Macintosh (with the key " majuscule")

#1234567890°_

AZERTYUIOP¨*

QSDFGHJKLMù£

>WXCVBN?. /+

Provision of the French keyboard under Microsoft Windows

General information

As regards the remanent keys and died keys, to refer to the chapter 1 of this article.

Lacks

Whereas a key is dedicated to a letter (the “ ù ”) which is used only in one word (the word “ où ”) and this as of the invention of keyboard AZERTY, the œ in is completely absent. He is however integral part of our language and finds himself in many words:

node, heart, eye are not written nor decide like coexistence and Christmas!

æ as in “Lætitia” or “ ex æquo ”
the Nonbreaking space allowing to avoid having quotation marks all only in end or at the beginning of line.
French quotation marks opening and closing: “ ”
the capital letters E, C, Œ… (for example Oedipus and not Oedipus) are not available on the typewriters nor with the Operating system previously mentioned.

It is nevertheless possible to fill these lacks by installing the pilot of French keyboard enriched by Denis Liégeois, findable on this page:

It should be noted that some data-processing software mitigates sometimes some of these lacks. The nonbreaking space is obtained at the time of a support on the key then with a word processing like OOo Writer , and + + with Microsoft Word.

In addition to these lacks, French keyboard AZERTY comprises some strangenesses, which seem not to have disappeared from the new operating system Microsoft Windows Vista:

the combination shift+ ² does not give any character.
the presence of two ^ (one touches dead, the other not - under the ç9).
When for a ¦ is asked one obtains one |.

Differences between the provisions Belgian and French of the keyboards azerty

The Belgian keyboards azerty allow the stressing of the vowels without passing by the encoding via the Alt key + code, it thanks to the presence of keys died for each accent: ^ ¨ ´ `(these two last are obtained by the combination of Alt gr. + ù and µ respectively)

Let us review the list of the different keys, left on the right, and from top to bottom (each line of the keyboard will be separated by a blank line in the list below) :

By combining the keys shift and ² one obtains ³;
the symbol | is obtained by combination of Alt gr. + & even touches that the 1 ;
the symbol @ is obtained by combination of Alt gr. + E even touches that the 2 ;
the key ' (or 4) does not comprise a third symbol as it is the case for the French provision;
the key ( (or 5) does not comprise a third symbol as it is the case for the French provision;
key 6 comprises the following symbols: § 6 with shift and ^ with Alt gr. - but with the difference in the symbol ^ present on the right of the key p, this one is not a key semi-dead, it thus does not allow the stressing
the key E (or 7) does not comprise a third symbol as it is the case for the French provision;
the key ! (or 8) does not comprise a third symbol as it is the case for the French provision;
the symbol { is obtained by combination of Alt gr. + C even touches that the 9 ;
the symbol } is obtained by combination of Alt gr. + with even touches that the 0 ;
the key ) (or °) does not comprise a third symbol as it is the case for the French provision;
the key on the right of ) comprises the following symbols: - _ with shift and does not comprise a third symbol as it is the case for the French provision;

the alphabetical keys do not comprise a code Alt GR., except for the E which makes it possible to obtain the symbol of the euro: €;
the symbol is obtained by combination of Alt gr. + ^ {{exp|even touches that the ¨}} (semi-dead located on the right key p touches); * the key on the right of ^ comprises the following symbols: $ * with shift and] with Alt gr. ;

the key on the right of m comprises the following symbols: ù % with shift and semi-dead ´ touches it with Alt gr. allowing to type the acute accent on the accentuated vowels;

the key on the right of ù comprises the following symbols: µ £ with shift and touches it semi-dead ` with Alt gr. allowing to type the grave accent on the accentuated vowels;

\ is obtained by the combination Alt gr. + <;

the key on the right of : comprises the following symbols: = + with shift and semi-dead ~ touches it with Alt gr. , the latter makes it possible to type the symbol tilde in combination with the key spaces, or to place the tilde on letter N => ñ like NR => Ñ).

By key semi-dead, it should be understood sometimes that a pressure of the key makes it possible to directly obtain the wished symbol, but that at least one of the symbols present on the key will not appear that after the pressure of another key, it is about the symbols ^ and ¨ (of the key located on the right of p, but which is not a key died as on the French provision, owing to the fact that the symbol is also present there) , ´ Alt gr. ù , ` Alt gr. µ, located on the right ù , and ~ Alt gr. =, located on the right: , to obtain the symbol alone, it is necessary to press on space, if not one presses on a vowel to obtain the wished accent, the ~ allows to write the letter Spanish ñ (like Ñ).
The other keys are identical, although traditionally the name of the special keys is printed in English on those, owing to the fact that the Belgium is a bilingual country (French-Dutch), not to say officially trilingual (with German in the cantons of the east ).
To note that the key on the right of the 0 of the numeric keypad corresponds either to the point or with the comma (for this purpose, it exists two distinct pilots keyboard under Windows).

Touch µ ( micro )

Why the French keyboard have does a key µ?

The marketing director of the product Personal computer in France, Marcel Boulogne, refused to give an favorable opinion to the launching of the product as long as the keyboard would not include/understand of them not only the blank keys (^ and ¨), but also the key µ. Its idea was that the PC would replace the typewriters quickly and that he did not want to see reproducing the universal complaint not to be able to indicate certain measuring units: microsecond (µs), microfarad (µF), micrometer (µm). The solution usually adopted to write custom, uF, and U appeared unacceptable do-it-yourself to him. It climbed its request at the end of a true arm wrestling, and in the final analysis had win: the µ was included in the page of codes of the PC, and related to its keyboard.

However a place was to be selected for this key, and thus a character deferred in inconvenient Alt-Ctrl (device used before the addition of the AltGr key). It was the “\” completely unutilised in DOS 1 which seemed too little used to deserve a place in the forefront. It was alas the character chosen by Microsoft to indicate the separators of repertories in DOS 2, which admitted the hierarchies of repertories.

Note: On the Belgian provision azerty, the symbol µ is obtained by a simple pressure of the key located on the right of the key ù.

See too

the Attn Key (known as of " Attention") call the menu of assistance on AS/400 (= GO ASSIST on a line of often prohibited order to the basic users)
the Syst key calls the small system on AS/400 (Syst Req)

Clavier Dvorak
Correspondance enters the keyboard qwerty and the keyboard azerty
QWERTZ
QWERTY and accents

External bonds

typewriters on the site of the public records
To accentuate the capital letters
the page of Microsoft on the provisions of keyboards/keyboard layouts (functions only with Internet Explorer and Opera 9)

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