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Changing Keyboard Layout

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3.13/5 (12 votes)
29 Jun 2010CDDL 71.7K   4.7K   9   17
Programmatically switch keyboard layout in C#

Introduction

In general, developers want to set the layout of keyboard prior to application localized language. In this demonstration, I will develop a simple Windows application with custom control in type of text box. So, we can make the default input language of this text box as property.

Using the Code

The code is separated into two parts, one of them deals with keyboard layout and the other is a client which tests this.

  1. For better performance, get the machine installed language as follows:
    C#
    public static InputLanguage GetInputLanguageByName(string inputName) 
    { 
        foreach (InputLanguage lang in InputLanguage.InstalledInputLanguages) 
        { 
            if (lang.Culture.EnglishName.ToLower().StartsWith(inputName)) 
                return lang; 
        } 
        return null; 
    } 
  2. Set your preferred language at run time:
    C#
    public void SetKeyboardLayout(InputLanguage layout) 
    { 
    InputLanguage.CurrentInputLanguage = layout; 
    } 

Remember the last used language before leaving the control if you intend to put editing controls with a different language in the same Windows Form.

Points of Interest

In the previous version of changing keyboard layout in this applicatoin, the code below was used.

The disadvantage of this is that importing external DLLs in the applications slows down the applications on Windows 7.

C#
[DllImport("user32.dll")] 
private static extern long GetKeyboardLayoutName(System.Text.StringBuilder pwszKLID); 
[DllImport("user32.dll")] 
private static extern long LoadKeyboardLayout(string pwszKLID, uint Flags);

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL)


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Comments and Discussions

 
GeneralMy vote of 1 Pin
yoke14-Sep-12 14:01
yoke14-Sep-12 14:01 
GeneralMy vote of 3 Pin
Burak Tunçbilek11-Aug-12 3:54
Burak Tunçbilek11-Aug-12 3:54 
QuestionFull code that is missing in article Pin
Angelic Care4-Feb-12 13:28
Angelic Care4-Feb-12 13:28 
AnswerRe: Full code that is missing in article Pin
Amer Bakeer12-Jul-14 11:25
Amer Bakeer12-Jul-14 11:25 
QuestionWell worth 5! Pin
JohnStodden24-Jan-12 1:56
JohnStodden24-Jan-12 1:56 
QuestionMy vote of 5 Pin
Member 76951445-Jul-11 22:38
Member 76951445-Jul-11 22:38 
GeneralMy vote of 4 Pin
z4rk15-Jul-10 22:49
z4rk15-Jul-10 22:49 
GeneralRe: My vote of 4 Pin
Abdelmawgoud M. Meabed6-Jul-11 0:45
Abdelmawgoud M. Meabed6-Jul-11 0:45 
GeneralMy vote of 2 Pin
Michael B. Hansen30-Jun-10 2:59
Michael B. Hansen30-Jun-10 2:59 
GeneralMy vote of 1 Pin
karabax29-Jun-10 14:10
karabax29-Jun-10 14:10 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
Member 475607928-Jun-10 19:49
Member 475607928-Jun-10 19:49 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
Abdelmawgoud M. Meabed28-Jun-10 19:05
Abdelmawgoud M. Meabed28-Jun-10 19:05 
GeneralMy vote of 1 Pin
Emilio Garavaglia28-Jun-10 1:28
Emilio Garavaglia28-Jun-10 1:28 
GeneralRe: My vote of 1 Pin
Johnny J.28-Jun-10 21:05
professionalJohnny J.28-Jun-10 21:05 
GeneralRe: My vote of 1 Pin
Emilio Garavaglia28-Jun-10 21:30
Emilio Garavaglia28-Jun-10 21:30 
GeneralNot an article. Pin
R. Giskard Reventlov28-Jun-10 0:54
R. Giskard Reventlov28-Jun-10 0:54 
GeneralRe: Not an article. Pin
Johnny J.28-Jun-10 21:09
professionalJohnny J.28-Jun-10 21:09 

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