# Default Spanish Layout First Thoughts **URL:** \ **Category:** Model 01 Layouts\ **Created:** [March 7, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212 "2018-03-07T02:27:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elsatch](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/elsatch/32/1030_2.png) [@elsatch](https://community.keyboard.io/u/elsatch)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/1 "2018-03-07T02:27:31Z")
Hi everyone, This my first post in this forum. I received my Model01 a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been training on [Keybr.com](http://Keybr.com) 15 minutes a day. I’ve improved from 12 wpm to 50 wpm. I’ve been using Model01 connected to a Win10 computer using default OS layout for Spanish (Spain). These are my initial thoughts after two weeks: - The modifier key for the apostrophe is a real pain. In Spanish maybe 1 on 4 words needs a special character like áéíóú. You have to press this modifier and then press the vocal. This key is pressed with the pinky and the shape of key itself is not very friendly. (My initial thought is to move it to the “any” key) - I’ve tried lots of combinations but I feel I cannot trigger some characters like []{} (Upon reviewing the layout by @jordihs I’m wondering they might be on the other half). - The symbol are on the right hand side is a miss and miss area. Some of the key printing is on the right spot. Some other are completely random. I’ve to type every “-” three or four times before hitting the right key. I’d love to share my current mapping with other people interested and propose new ideas for the Spanish (Spain) users. Best, César ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 8:55am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/2 "2018-03-07T08:55:23Z")
Hola César! Keep in mind that my layout is just an idea that needs to be implemented using the firmware modifications that you make by altering the source using the Arduino IDE. It is not the default layout at all. I am a programmer and thought it might be interesting to have these frequently used keys for programming in a handy location. I think that you have that problem because in the layout by default there is no alt-gr key (both alt keys trigger left-alt by default). To get alt-gr you must add it to the layout explicitly. Then you would be able to print these symbols, although I think the location for each one will not be exactly the most convenient. The } in spanish is mapped to altgr+ç which may even be absent completely, I’m not sure. I’m just guessing because I still don’t have my keyboard yet, hopefully it will arrive on april or may. By all means, do share your layout, it would help your fellow spaniards get ideas on how to map things. I would not remap ´ to the any key by the way. I would send you way off the home row any time you have an accented vocal. Maybe you should try hitting the default key from a different angle… or place it elsewhere but not so far from the home row. Un saludo Jordi ---
**Author:** ![elsatch](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/elsatch/32/1030_2.png) [@elsatch](https://community.keyboard.io/u/elsatch)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 9:34am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/3 "2018-03-07T09:34:20Z")
In the default mapping the AltGr key is mapped to the Butterfly button. I realized it as I was looking to remap it to that key 😉 I need to check out the plugins and figure out the best way to input accented vocals. I assume there might be other custom ways to add it, using macros, chords or novel input methods. I’m wondering if fn+vocal could be something feasible. Let’s explore it and thanks for your input! César ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 9:37am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/4 "2018-03-07T09:37:11Z")
I thought about fn+vocal, but I discarded that because it would limit my ability to create a sound second layer for coding. Might work for you though. ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 12:06pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/5 "2018-03-07T12:06:32Z")
By the way, off topic question, since you are from Spain: How much did you pay in import tax? ---
**Author:** ![elsatch](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/elsatch/32/1030_2.png) [@elsatch](https://community.keyboard.io/u/elsatch)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/6 "2018-03-07T15:09:45Z")
Import taxes were 35-40 EUR aprox. They were handled by UPS and I had to make a cash payment upon delivery. ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/7 "2018-03-07T16:01:00Z")
Thank you very much! ---
**Author:** ![andrewg](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/andrewg/32/43_2.png) [@andrewg](https://community.keyboard.io/u/andrewg)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 9:39am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/8 "2018-03-08T09:39:37Z")
Hi, @elsatch I’d be interested in your opinion of the `merlin3` layout in [https://github.com/andrewgdotcom/Model01-Firmware](https://github.com/andrewgdotcom/Model01-Firmware) - this is a joint attempt to optimise the model01 firmware layout for European Spanish OS keymap. European Spanish is one of the most difficult layouts to work around, I have found… ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 10:05am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/9 "2018-03-08T10:05:00Z")
I’m guessing that to figure out that, I need to look at an american english layout image side by side with the EU spanish layout so that I can ‘translate’ variable names like KEY\_QUOTE to their actual meaning here (in the example, the ´ accent). Would you like to get a pull request with added comments that clarify this? ---
**Author:** ![andrewg](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/andrewg/32/43_2.png) [@andrewg](https://community.keyboard.io/u/andrewg)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 10:44am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/10 "2018-03-08T10:44:26Z")
Problem with adding language-specific comments is that the layouts are designed for multiple languages and so it would get very large if I included them all. The USB HID standard made a fundamental mistake when it labelled the scancodes with their US-QWERTY interpretations instead of some language-independent labels. As an alternative, you could try the visualiser in [https://github.com/andrewgdotcom/keyboardio-xkb](https://github.com/andrewgdotcom/keyboardio-xkb) . I can run off a batch for you if you can’t run it on your own machine. ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 10:47am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/11 "2018-03-08T10:47:23Z")
I just meant adding comments for the specific aliases-abg-orphans-merlin3.h file, not for the whole thing. Other people might want to add their own language comments to other specific files… Or am I misunderstanding here? ---
**Author:** ![andrewg](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/andrewg/32/43_2.png) [@andrewg](https://community.keyboard.io/u/andrewg)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 10:53am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/12 "2018-03-08T10:53:04Z")
`merlin3` should work (reasonably) for eu spanish, swiss french/german, and canadian french, so even that might get too large. You’re right, there should be a table somewhere for what the key meanings are in each language/layout combination, but I’m not sure the .h file is the right place for it. Tell you what, give me until lunchtime today and I’ll throw together a mapping table for each of the orphans files. Shouldn’t take me too long… ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 10:56am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/13 "2018-03-08T10:56:09Z")
That should be very helpful, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![andrewg](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/andrewg/32/43_2.png) [@andrewg](https://community.keyboard.io/u/andrewg)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 12:30pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/14 "2018-03-08T12:30:31Z")
How’s this? [https://github.com/andrewgdotcom/Model01-Firmware/blob/master/aliases-abg-orphans-merlin3.md](https://github.com/andrewgdotcom/Model01-Firmware/blob/master/aliases-abg-orphans-merlin3.md) ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/15 "2018-03-08T14:28:12Z")
It’s great, Andrew. Makes it so much easier to understand. Thanks a lot. ---
**Author:** ![elsatch](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/elsatch/32/1030_2.png) [@elsatch](https://community.keyboard.io/u/elsatch)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/16 "2018-03-20T02:12:09Z")
Thanks for the suggestion @andrewg. I’ve had a couple of busy weeks. I’ll try your layouts and report feedback as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![smantik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@smantik](https://community.keyboard.io/u/smantik)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/17 "2019-03-16T16:45:20Z")
Hi, Jordi! I’m from Spain and I would like to have a keyboardio. Do you have a spanish keyboard layout? Are your keys printed with spanish characters and can you buy something like that? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![jordihs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/jordihs/32/757_2.png) [@jordihs](https://community.keyboard.io/u/jordihs)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/18 "2019-03-18T20:19:56Z")
Hi! I have my layout in Spanish but it is custom designed for writing code. If you code yourself then it might be useful for you. You can see it here: [http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/150d746e66ce08c6f4deea8e77a8620f](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/150d746e66ce08c6f4deea8e77a8620f) The blue keys are the function layer and the red ones are the numlock layer. The thumb keys are mapped for tapping once and you get brackets etc. But if you hold and press other key they work as normal shift, ctrl and alt. The keys are not printed in Spanish and it is not possible to get them in Spanish. Other keys will be available soon but not in our language unfortunately. If you like my layout I will be happy to share the code to flash it. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![smantik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@smantik](https://community.keyboard.io/u/smantik)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/19 "2019-03-18T20:37:00Z")
It seems to be a really nice first step for me! I think I can use it for learning with keyboardio and later I’ll try to make some changes if necessary. I would like that you share the code with me! Thanks a lot, Jordi. ---
**Author:** ![elsatch](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.keyboard.io/elsatch/32/1030_2.png) [@elsatch](https://community.keyboard.io/u/elsatch)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://community.keyboard.io/t/default-spanish-layout-first-thoughts/1212/20 "2019-03-18T20:58:18Z")
Oh, it’s been such a long time since we started this thread! I have not been able to get used to the keyboard layout. I tried as I was preparing a long text and typing felt quite uphill. And right now, I’m into the writing again. I’m planning to sell my keyboardio, so I can’t contribute much to this topic at the moment ☹