Asset Layout Installer for Windows

Released Dec. 22, 2006
Click here to download

Installation (and uninstallation) instructions

Step 1:
After you unzip asset-layout.zip, double-click on Asset.msi. The Asset Layout will be installed immediately, but NOT activated.

Step 2:
To replace Caps Lock with backspace, you must run "Caps to backspace.reg". The change will take effect when you restart your computer (but don't do that yet!)

You must use the Control Panel to activate the layout. Microsoft keeps changing how the Control Panel works, so there are separate instructions for Windows 2000 and XP.

Windows XP instructions

Step 3:
Open the "Regional and Language options" (if your Control Panel has a blue background instead of a white one, you'll have to open "Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options" before you get to "Regional and Language options"). Open the "Languages" tab, then click "Details".

Step 4:
Click "Add". Under "Input Language", select "English (United States)". Under "Keyboard Layout/IME", select "Asset". Click OK. "Asset" now appears in the list of "Installed Services".

Step 5:
Under "Default input language", choose "English - United States (Asset)".

By the way, on this "Settings" tab there is a "Key settings" button which leads to yet another box that controls the key combination that will switch between Asset and your original layout. Normally the combo is set to "Left Alt + Shift". REMEMBER THIS COMBINATION, because in certain situations (e.g. on the Welcome screen), pressing this pair of keys (at once) is the only way to switch between layouts. Unfortunately, Windows will not give you any indication when the layout changes, except of course that the keys put out different letters. Also, unfortunately, the key layout is a "per-application setting", which means if you change the active layout in one application, it will not change in the others. In my opinion this is very confusing and a bad decision by Microsoft.

Click OK repeatedly until the Control Panel stuff is closed.

Step 6:
Asset will not work until you restart your computer. So if you want, put some stickers on your keyboard keys and write new labels. Then restart your computer.

How to disable Asset (permanently)

To restore Caps Lock, run the file "Clear Remapping.reg", which came with this package.

Then, open the "Regional and Language options" control panel again. Open the "Languages" tab, then click "Details". Select Asset from the list of "Installed Services", then click "Remove". Click OK repeatedly until the Control Panel stuff is closed. You should restart your computer to ensure that the changes take effect.

Windows 2000 instructions

Step 3:
Open the "Keyboard" control panel, then open the "Input Locales" tab.

Step 4:
Click "Add". Under "Input locale", select "English (United States)". Under "Keyboard Layout/IME", select "Asset". Click OK. "Asset" now appears in the list of "Installed input locales".

Step 5:
Click Asset in the list, then click "Set as Default".

By the way, on this "Input locales" tab there is a list which shows the "Hot key" for "Switch between input locales"; this key combination is normally "Left Alt + Shift". REMEMBER THIS COMBINATION, because in certain situations (e.g. when Windows asks you for your user password), pressing this pair of keys (at once) is the only way to switch between layouts. Unfortunately, Windows will not give you any indication when the layout changes, except of course that the keys put out different letters. Also, unfortunately, the key layout is a "per-application setting", which means if you change the active layout in one application, it will not change in the others. In my opinion this is very confusing and a bad decision by Microsoft.

Click OK repeatedly until the Control Panel stuff is closed.

Step 6:
Asset will not work until you restart your computer. So if you want, put some stickers on your keyboard keys and write new labels. Then restart your computer. You can also activate it with Left Alt + Shift, but in that case, as I tried to explain, you'll have to enable Asset in each program separately.

How to disable Asset (permanently)

To restore Caps Lock, run the file "Clear Remapping.reg", which came with this package.

Then, open the "Keyboard" control panel again, and open the "Input Locales" tab. Select Asset from the list of "Installed input locales", then click "Remove". Click OK repeatedly until the Control Panel stuff is closed. You should restart your computer to ensure that the changes take effect.

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