Command: keyb

  KEYB is a localization BIOS extension for DOS.
  KEYB can be considered as a keyboard driver which intercepts the
  keyboard management BIOS routines in order to adapt non-US keyboards
  to the system, and provides other facilities.
  (NOTE: KEYB is not a proper device driver, and is not loaded with 
  DEVICE= in CONFIG.SYS; you run it as a resident program instead).
  Required data is read from a keyboard layout data file, a KL file.
  A keyboard layout is identified by two labels, a string label, which is
  mandatory (usually a two letter string, such as GR, FR or SP), and an
  optional numeric identifier to distinguish different variants.

Syntax:

  KEYB  layoutName[,[CP][,filename]]  [/ID:nnn]  [/E] [/9] [/I] [/Dx]
                  [/V] [/L=m] [/NOHI] [/B] [/S]
  KEYB [/U]
  KEYB /?

Options:

  Parameterless KEYB will show information on the currently loaded KEYB.
  LayoutName    String identifier.
  /ID:nnn       Specifies the numeric identifier nnn.
  CP            Codepage in which you want KEYB to start (if omitted,
                DISPLAY.SYS and the system are checked).
  filename      The KL file that contains the information for the given
                layout. If it is omitted, then KEYBOARD.SYS is tried,
                otherwise LayoutName.KL
  /E            Specifies that the keyboard is an AT enhanced keyboard
                (this switch is incompatible with /9).
  /9            Specifies that int9h management services must be
                activated (this switch is incompatible with /E).
  /I            Forces the installation over an already existing
                keyboard driver.
  /Dx           Sets the decimal separator character to x.
  /U            Unloads a KEYB previously loaded in memory.
  /V            Verbose: shows extra information.
  /L=m          Forces the usage of submapping m, provided that it is
                compatible with current codepage.
  /NOHI         Avoids KEYB to load data into Upper memory, by loading
                it below 640Kb.
  /B            Disables sound alerts (Beep).
  /S            Safemode: does not allow un-closed keyboard layout
                collections and blocks strings and other critical
                commands.
  /?            Shows the help.

Comments:

  You can program FreeDOS so that keyboard is  configured  at boot time
  by means of AUTOEXEC.BAT.
  Append the command line into your AUTOEXEC.BAT to do this.
  You can create your own customized layout files by using the compiler
  tool KC.
  Alternatively, you can use a standard already made KL data file from
  the KL file package. (See references below).
  KEYB comes with the packet KEYB200.
  FD-KEYB is compatible with the EXITCODES (ERRORLEVEL) of MS-KEYB.
  However, as a large number of possible error causes is considered, an
  alternative numeration of errors is shown on screen at load time.

  ExitCode  KEYB ErrorCode  Error description
  ========================================================================    0        0             Successful execution
                            
                         INVALID LANGUAGE, CODE PAGE OR INCORRECT SYNTAX
    1        3             Missing keyboard identifier layoutName.
    1       11             Invalid modifier or switch.
    1       14             Specified file does not contain information
                           for this layout/id.
    1       21             Required submapping does not match with
                           current codepage: you are using /L=m but the
                           requested submapping does not correspond
                           with current CP.

                         BAD OR MISSING KEYBOARD DEFINITION FILE
    2        4             Specified file could not be opened.
    2       13             Invalid file, or file corrupt.
    2       19             Incompatible version of keyboard descriptor
                           (the compilation file or KL file are of an
                           incompatible version).
    2       20             Invalid checksum for data block: the
                           compilation file is corrupt.
    3       10             The keyboard table could not be created.
    4       16             Error in communication with the CON device.
    5       17             The codepage has not been prepared.
    6       12             Codepage not found in keyboard definition
                           file. 

                         INCOMPATIBLE KEYB OR VERSION FOUND
    7        1             Different version of KEYB installed.
    7        2             Incompatible keyboard driver installed.
    7       18             Incompatible version of DR-KEYB installed.

  Not present in MS-KEYB:

                         RESIDENT PART OF KEYB COULD NOT BE REMOVED
    8        5             The resident part of KEYB could not be
                           removed.
    8        8             KEYB was NOT installed.

                         UNEXPECTED PROBLEM: VISIT THE KEYB SITE FOR A
                         NEWER VERSION OR CONTACT THE AUTHOR
    9        6             Internal failure: Global memory space
                           too small
    9        7             KEYB (still) requires an AT/286 or better.
    9        9             Overloading is (still) not supported.
    9       15             KL file too large ((still) 3KB maximum).
  ========================================================================

Examples:

  KEYB SP,858        Loads KEYB with the layout for the Spanish
                     distribution and codepage 858
  KEYB GR,,GR.KL /E  Loads the German keyboard layout for KEYB, 
                     explicitely informing KEYB that we are using an
                     enhanced keyboard.
                     Use this if KEYB cannot identify the presence of
                     an enhanced keyboard.

Command: keyb

Syntax:

Options:

Comments:

Examples:

See also: