Fix a hardware keyboard that types the wrong characters on your Windows Mobile device
You plug a keyboard into your handheld, or open the slide-out one built into it. Then the letters come out in the wrong places, your language is missing, or the Ctrl key does nothing. AE Keyboard Mapper is a small utility for Windows Mobile and Pocket PC devices that lets you reassign keys yourself. It works from plain-text configuration files.
Quick facts
- Version: 1.4
- Platforms: Pocket PC 2002, Pocket PC 2003/2003SE, Windows Mobile 5 and 6 (Pocket PC, Phone Edition and Smartphone), and other Windows CE 3.0+ devices with an ARM-compatible CPU
- Price: Free (freeware)
- Author: Alexander Eltsyn
Key features
Localize a keyboard whose driver doesn't support your language
If the OEM keyboard driver doesn't cover your language, you can write a layout that does. The program doesn't replace the driver. It sits on top of it, so it should work with any hardware keyboard the system already supports.
Remap just a few keys, such as AZERTY to QWERTY
You don't have to rebuild a whole layout. You can swap a handful of keys, convert AZERTY to QWERTY, or add the missing Ctrl key behavior.
Keep up to four layouts and switch with a hot key
The mapper supports up to 4 keyboard layouts. It can stay resident and switch the active layout with a hot key you choose. It can also run as an unloadable application tied to a hardware button using the standard Windows Mobile button binding. Layouts can include one or two sets of accented characters.
Edit everything in plain-text config files
All settings live in file configs instead of the registry. That makes them easy to maintain, especially if you install the program to permanent storage. The configs are simple text, so you can edit them on a PC.
Send Unicode characters, key combinations and launch apps
The program can generate Unicode characters. In activated mode it can also send hardware keystrokes with Ctrl, Alt, Shift and Win combinations, and bind external applications to keys. It also has an alternative character set for the Pocket PC ICQ client, which helps non-English speakers.
Who it's for
It suits you if you use a Windows Mobile or Pocket PC device with a built-in or external keyboard whose layout doesn't match what you type. Typical cases are a foreign-language keyboard, a mismatched QWERTY/AZERTY/QWERTZ layout, or a keyboard missing a key you rely on. You'll need to be comfortable editing a text file, because layouts are defined that way.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free to use, and settings are stored in files you can back up
- Flexible layouts, with up to four switchable
- Works with built-in and external keyboards
Cons
- It is not driver-level software, so it works on top of what the system already recognizes
- Running programs from keys and sending Ctrl/Alt/Shift/Win combinations need activated mode
- It targets older Windows Mobile and Windows CE devices with ARM CPUs
- Layouts require editing text configs
FAQs
Does it replace my keyboard driver?
No. It isn't driver-level software. It should work with any hardware keyboard that the system already supports.
Can it type characters my keyboard lacks?
Yes. It can generate Unicode characters, and layouts can include sets of accented characters.
Where are my settings stored?
They are stored in text config files, not in the registry.
Which devices does it run on?
It runs on Pocket PC 2002 through Windows Mobile 6, including Phone Edition and Smartphone variants. It also runs on other Windows CE 3.0+ devices with an ARM-compatible CPU.
System requirements
- Windows Mobile, Pocket PC or Windows CE 3.0 and above device
- ARM-compatible CPU
- A hardware keyboard or keypad supported by the system