Additional keycap sets will be available on https://shop.keyboard.io/ once the pre-order batches are shipped, and keycaps are in stock. Shouldn’t take too long now, but they’re not available to order yet.
I understand that this is not possible to cover all possible languages and layouts, but when one offers German keycaps one should also offer the corresponding layout in Chrysalis to choose. That layout must work with the keyboard layout in the operating system set to German (which assumes an ISO-keyboard btw.) of course. That is what someone in Germany will expect and was part of my frustration that it was told the keyboard would work “out of the box”, which it does not for someone in Germany using the German layout in the OS. There are keys missing, which need to be mapped manually. Every buyer in Germany has to go through this process, instead of being able to load the German keymap and just start using the keyboard and later optionally customize to his wishes or needs.
Btw, the description on the homepage that the keycaps would be for German and other countries in Central Europe is wrong. It is for Germany only (possible Austria as well I guess). But already Switzerland has different ones. Let alone non-german speaking countries.
I created the missing German layout (see attachment), which fits to the keycaps and should be included in Chrysalis. It is displayed and used correctly, when both in Chrysalis and the operating system the German (qwertz) layout is chosen.
I tested on Windows and have not tested on Mac OS and Linux, but it should be the same there too.
When other Germans want to check the layout that would be nice. After agreeing on the layout being fine I will write the documentation (in German) to help Germans getting started with the keyboard, without needing to customize the layout, before being able to access all keys!
I am likely too late to the party, but I think the alternative key selection for the missing keys of a 102-key keyboard is chosen wisely in most cases. There is one choice I do not find good. I think the # and + key should change the position. There is no wrong or wright for both keys and neither position is more logic, but when the + key is on the right side it is besides the - key, which means one can easily zoom in and out with Ctrl and the - and + key. When the + is on the left side that is much more cumbersome. IMO there is no “cost” or disadvantage, so if the keycaps are not made yet I would strongly suggest to change those two keys!
Ah, for the layout to be as beginner friendly as possible I also included the ESC key in the standard position and made the G-key on hold an ALT-key. This allows one-handed Alt-Tab, for example when browsing and using the mouse in the right hand. I know that this is already a customization different from the standard layout, but I think it would a) make sense to make it easier to get started with the keyboard and b) is a nice simple example how to customize the keyboard. Of course that needs to be shortly explained in the docs as well.
The attached file needs to be renamed (remove the extension .txt), because the system does not allow to upload a file with the .json extension.
qwertz.json.txt (68.2 KB)
(We need a German QWERTZ layout for the Model 100 · Issue #1054 · keyboardio/Chrysalis · GitHub is the ticket tracking getting this layout into Chrysalis. I’ve just added a link to @rpnfan’s layout there as well)