Information

Fast selection

Easily select keys based on specific properties.

All Select all the keys and guidelines.

Guidelines
All Selects all the guidelines.
Lines Selects the lines only.
Circles Selects the circles only.

Same keys (Based on the first key selected)
All Selects all the keys.
Type Selects the keys of the same type. (Scan code, Virtual key code, etc.)
Image up Selects the keys using the same image when the key is released.
Image down Selects the keys using the same image when the key is pressed.
Pictogram Selects the keys using the same image as glyph.
Font Selects the keys using the same text property.

Invert selection After using one of the Same key button, pressing this button select the keys which are different from the first key selected.

Keyboard

Id is the keyboard identification. This is parameters used to drive the keyboard using Window messages.
This value should be unique among all your templates.
When creating a new template, a random value is affected. Pressing the button generate a new random value.

Keyboard Size. Keys placed outside the keyboard boundings are not displayed.

Default key size is the default width and height when adding a new button. You can change these values at will, they are not meaningfull afterward.

Size

See also the Key menu to learn how to easily insert a full row or column in the layout.

Mirror

Mirror positions and angles.

Horizontal + position and Vertical + position Invert the sign of the guideline angles and set the position of the keys and guidelines relative to a different edge of the keyboard.
This is especially usefull when designing a two thumbs keyboard. Create the first part (eg. left). When completed, use Fast select to select all keys and press Horizontal + position to mirror to the right edge of the keyboard.

Note that only positions are mirrored. Images are not. A drawing tool is still needed for this job.

Image Up/Down

Images when keys are in up or down position or light on or off.
Available images are those defined in the Default images section.

Background color

The background color is used when no image is selected.
Bevel gives the 3D effect. It can be a positive or negative value.
When no image is selected and the bevel equals zero, the key is transparent.
Available colors are those defined in the Default colors section.

Pictogram

This is the image which describes the function of the button.

Transparent creates the alpha channel from the image color as explained here. This property should not be ticked when using a 32bits png image. The alpha channel would be recreated with less accuracy.
This parameter is ignored when using 1bit or 8bits grayscale images.

Stretch adjust the size of the image to the inner bounds of the key (the inside margins area).

See Before starting, Images for more information.

Font

Caption

Text displayed on the key. Some key types such as Scancode keys automatically display a default text. Defining this property overrides it.

When a text is needed, always fill Default or the key may be blank in certain languages. Then add specific language text.

Press to edit a multiline text.

See also Before starting, localization.

Data

This defines the action associated with the key. The page depends on the key type.
The example beside shows the Scancode key property page.

See Key types for a complete list of available types and their properties page.

After click

Select wether after clicking the key, the keyboard must remains visible, be closed or be closed with its parent keyboard as well.
This is usually used on Menu like keyboards.