begin rule

---

Summary

The begin rules define the entry point groups for the keyboard.

Syntax

begin [entrypoint] > use(startGroup)

Parameters

entrypoint

Unicode, NewContext, or PostKeystroke, or ANSI (deprecated). If omitted, assumes ANSI.

startGroup

The group that will be called.

Description

The begin rule tells Keyman which groups should be entry points to the keyboard.

Each entry point has a particular purpose:

Unicode

the entry point for a keystroke in a Unicode-aware application. This is the most common entry point for a keyboard. The startGroup can be a using keys group, a readonly group or a context-only group.

NewContext

the entry point into the keyboard when the user enters a new text field, or moves the input cursor into another part of the current text field. This does not imply that there is no context available, but that the context has changed. This is used most commonly to select a starting layer for a touch layout. The startGroup must be a readonly group. NewContext is currently supported only in Web Core platforms - web, iOS and Android.

PostKeystroke

the entry point into a keyboard after keystroke and/or model input event has completed. While some of the same functionality can be replicated by including it in the begin Unicode processing, this entry point is called after both model input (e.g. selecting a word from the banner), and after nextlayer processing from the touch layout, giving the keyboard a chance to adjust the layer and other variable stores. The startGroup must be a readonly group. PostKeystroke is currently supported only in Web Core platforms - web, iOS and Android.

ANSI (deprecated)

Old Keyman keyboards may include this entry point for a keystroke in a non-Unicode-aware application. This mode is deprecated, and only supported on the Windows platform. If entrypoint is omitted, the ANSI option is assumed, which matches the legacy Keyman 4.0 and older begin rule. In this context, ANSI means the current legacy system codepage for the computer.

A begin rule can be included for each entry point in a single keyboard file.

The right hand side of the begin rule may contain only a use() statement.

The begin rule is the only rule that is not part of a group, and is required for every keyboard.

Examples

Example: using begin in a Unicode keyboard

begin Unicode > use(main)

group(main) using keys

Example: using begin NewContext and begin PostKeystroke

See Casing Support for a more comprehensive example.

begin NewContext > use(new)
begin PostKeystroke > use(post)

group(new) readonly

group(post) readonly

Platforms

The begin statement can be used in keyboards on all platforms. In version 15, not all platforms support all entry points.

Entrypoint	Windows	macOS	Linux	Desktop web	Mobile web	iOS	Android
Unicode	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
NewContext	✘	✘	✘	✔	✔	✔	✔
PostKeystroke	✘	✘	✘	✔	✔	✔	✔
ANSI	✔	✘	✘	✘	✘	✘	✘

Version history

• This line originated in SIL-CC, and a simplified version was used in Keyman for consistency. The ANSI/Unicode distinction was introduced in Keyman 5.
• Version 15.0: NewContext and PostKeystroke support introduced.

See also

• Keyman language overview
• Using groups
• group() statement