Windows Keyboard Layout/Language Setting Question

[moerl]

I'm running a fairly heavily customized Windows system based on an unattended setup disc created with the popular Windows pre-installation customization tool nLite. I removed a ton of languages I would never use, but it seems I accidentally removed the component of Windows that allows me to switch between different language keyboard layouts as well. I sometimes type in German, for emails, IM's etc... and now I don't have the UMLAUTS anymore . Is there any third party tool that allows for foreign language keyboard layouts and foreign language character input? Or is there way to fix the Windows component after it was ripped out with something like nLite? Reinstalling Windows just because of this is out of the question at this point.. :|

TIA

[lanux128]

you can try either AllChars or AutoHotkey. both works for me... 

AllChars provides a quick, easy-to-remember way of creating accents like é Ü ç î æ and special characters like ƒ ² ‰ © £ ± ß ° 1/2 ¿ « » ™ „ in most Windows programs.

-AllChars

A sample script from AHK:
Yet another American keyboard remapper for German Umlauts

[moerl]

The last link in your post seems to hold the best solution. AllChars is simple enough, but I don't like the fact that it requires you to press some modifier button first to then be able to get at the Umlaut. Imagine how much that would slow typing speed if you're typing in German... it's not a very good solution. The AHK solution respects this problem by making the Umlauts the primary output of the original buttons, though making the actual buttons from the American keyboard still vailable by double-pressing of that button. Pretty elegant solution, I must say . I've never used AHK though.. so I suppose there's going to be some figuring out to do..

[lanux128]

...I've never used AHK though.. so I suppose there's going to be some figuring out to do..

-moerl (March 30, 2006, 02:05 PM)

i'm glad that AHK solves your problem... If you hadn't already done so, you can go over to AHK's forum for more ready-made scripts plus info on using AHK...