Default Shruti Gujarati Keyboard LayoutA default Gujarati keyboard layout, simply called Gujarati, is included in Windows. This layout seems to be have been created by the Depart of Engineering (DOE) of India. This keyboard is great if the keyboard keys are labeled with Gujarati characters instead of English. You have to learn the layout if you want to use this layout. However, if you use an English keyboard, then you may want to use my Gujarati Phonetic keyboard layout instead. These keyboard layouts work with any Unicode fonts. The synthesis of the keyboard layout and Unicode fonts makes typing in Gujarati far more easier than with other types of fonts. The challenge one faces typing in Gujarati is the variety of conjuncts that can be formed with "half" consonants and "full" consonants. There are too many characters to be mapped on a standard keyboard. Hence, the non-Unicode fonts make use of extended character code pages to map these extra characters. The dilemma is having to use character codes to type in these characters, making typing Gujarati a very slow process. Default Gujarati Keyboard Layout Key Maps The solution to this is the Gujarati keyboard layout used for Unicode Gujarati fonts. Images 1 and 2 below show the default Gujarati keyboard layout included with Windows. This layout is for any Unicode font, not just Shruti font which comes preinstalled with Windows. I will explain how this keyboard layout makes typing Gujarati easy. Image 1: Default Gujarati Keyboard Layout - Normal State Image 2: Default Gujarati Keyboard Layout - Shift State The Versatile Virama and Forming Conjuncts With Unicode fonts, typing a combination of characters results in automatic character substitution (and punctuation positioning) if they have a conjunct form. It's an "intelligent" system that processes your input as you type and makes the appropriate substitution. These substitutions are programmed in lookup tables within the font itself. Here's an example: When ર is the second consonant. For complex conjuncts. it's apparent which one is pronounced first. સમરર. કક્રયમ. ઈરયમર requires two viramas. ડ. Whether ર precedes or follows other consonants. The િ્ symbol is called the virama. Table 1 shows the common conjuncts and their component consonants. The anusvara is always typed after the other punctuations. The following is an example of punctuation order: . if any. while દ + ર is દ્ ર. ડ્ ર.Typing NISHCHAY (નનશય) in Gujarati using a non-Unicode font would require using a character table to look up શ and then typing in its code. One only needs to know which consonants form the conjunct. All these keys are mapped on a regular keyboard. ઢ. It enables us to combine the sha and cha to make the shcha. and ઢ્ ર. and દ. When two punctuations are encountered. the font itself looks up the combination of શ and ચ to make the substitution automatically. with a Unicode font. then the accents. ઠ. Punctuations In the example of નનશય. The following consonants have a different form of conjunct with ર: છ. When half of ર is the first consonant. Components Conjunct ત +ર દ +દ દ +ધ શ +વ શ +ન શ +ચ ત્ર દ દ શ શ શ Table 1: Common Conjuncts and their Components English Components tra dda ddha shva shna shcha દ +ર દ +વ દ +ય શ +ર સ +ત +ર દ +મ Conjunct English દ્ ર દ દ્ ય શ્ર સત્ર દ dra dva dya shra stra dma The order of entry depends on the pronunciation. Usually. Conjuncts with ર The ર. જ. ટ્ ર. ટ. However. note the placement of the reph. also follows the same rule. The base is always typed first. although a special case because it's half form is a punctuation-like character. we have both forms of ર. we see no more than 2 true punctuations. The one that is pronounced first will be typed first. despite that we typed ર first. it's a slant: બ્રહમમમડ. it is call a reph and looks like a swoosh: અરરણ. ઈરયમર = ઈ ર િ્ ષ િ્ ય િમ ર્રમરરનમ = ર િ્ ર િમ ર િ્ ર ન િમ In ઈરયમર. one would type: ન નિ શ િ્ ચ ય = નનશય When typing this combination. note that નિ followed ન although its placement precedes ન. ઠ્ ર. excluding the reph. In most cases. In ર્રમરરનમ. the correct form is substituted automatically when the virama is used in between. we follow the same rule. The method work for all conjuncts. These X + ર conjuncts are formed with a caret-like character on the bottom: છ્ ર. the ANUSVARA is the second punctuation. જ્ર. This is the sequence for all punctuations. 9. 2. 0). G as ગ. If you obtain something undesired. Hence.અ ર િ્ ધ િમ િુ = અધરમિુ અ ર િ્ ધ િુ િમ = અધુરમ but Typing the anusvara before the U vowel give us a malformed word. 4. . 7. One has to use Ctrl+Shift keys to access Gujarati numerals. 6. The placement of consonants is not phonetic in the default keyboard layout. We have an inherent sense to think of K as ક. However. The default Gujarati keyboard layout has the following disadvantages. P as ર. the layout of the keys in this default keyboard layout is impractical for the English keyboard. Disadvantages of Default Layout As you can see. 3. As long as the developer of the font has created thorough substitution tables. the concept of typing in Gujarati are sound and easy. and so forth. it would make sense to remap the default layout. you will obtain the desired result. 5. 8. The numerals in the default layout are actually Hindu-Arabic numerals in English (1. It has to be placed after the U vowel. This is awkward when one is typing Gujarati. it could have been an error in the tables.