Belgium macbook keyboard layout missing important keys

Hi,

I've ordered a macbook under the assumption that it would have a full keyboard, like all the other laptops and keyboard have in this country.

But there seem to be a few important keys missing like:
[ ] | and /

Could someone explain how to get these keys working, maybe with a combo like apple-key or fn-key

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Sep 22, 2006 6:21 AM

Reply
8 replies

Sep 22, 2006 6:39 AM in response to Kris.h

But there seem to be a few important keys missing like: [ ] | and /


Now that's strange. I have a Belgian keyboard (qwerty) MacBook and do have those keys, around the right hand shift key.
My F6 key bears the text "num vergr" which indicates that it's a Flemish keyboard allright.
I suggest you contact apple or your dealer for more information. Perhaps it's rather easy to exchange keys. I've never tried though.


MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.7) waiting for RSD fix

Sep 22, 2006 9:55 AM in response to Kris.h

I believe you need to use the Option (alt) Key/Shift and the key at the top that has the ) on it to make the ] and the 5 key to make the [

If you go to System Preferences->International->Input Menu and select Belgian and also check the box at the bottom to "Show Input Menu in menu bar" you'll get a little Belgian flag and click on it and select Show Keyboard Viewer and it'll pop up a little keyboard and you can see which thing does what.

Sep 22, 2006 10:26 AM in response to Joel C.

fn ( = (
shift ( = 5
apple ( = {

The keyboard viewer doesn't entirely match the keyboard layout on the laptop (1 key is different), all the options when hitting apple, and/or shift and/or fn etc don't show [ ] \ nor |

I called apple support, got a dutchman on the line, prolly never saw a real azerty notebook in his life before telling me they keys should be on there 😀
Also told me the little trick of the virtual keyboard, but tried that, wasn't helpfull.

This is incredible, I ask you again, compare:
http://users.telenet.be/depot/screenshots/mb%20azerty.jpg
to
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/AZERTYkeyboardlayout.JPG

The last one is how our keyboards, our laptops (all of the manufacturers like: acer, asus, ibm, dell, etc look like, except for function keys and off course optional keypad)

I can't believe apple is selling laptops like that here ..., or why the layout is so different.

Sep 22, 2006 10:41 AM in response to Joel C.

no, we can get { and } that way, wich are not pictured on the keyboard, but they work.

I just got an update that shift - alt - ( works and gives [ same for ) 😀

It's not my laptop, but a friends, getting mine next week, and was starting to get worried.

Down to \ and |, man man, these apple azerty could be a little more industry compliant.

ok new update, here it goes:
[ -> shift + alt + (
] -> shift + alt + )
| -> shift + alt + L
\ -> shift + alt + /

hope more belgians are helped out with this, in the apple store in antwerp they were talking about ascii codes and I was like **** 😀 hope that clears things up.

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Belgium macbook keyboard layout missing important keys

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