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I've got an update to this Cool Solution that I wrote in 2006 that explained how to change the keyboard mapping in the ZENworks Imaging Environment. Novell has now released ZENworks Configuration Management and ZENworks 7 Sp1 IR1 (and several previous Hotpatches). The Loadkeys command that we used in the previous article has now changed.

Here's a new section where I explain the new method of doing it.

For ZENworks 10 Configuration Management

PROBLEM: The Keyboard Layout in the ZENworks Imaging Environment defaults to a US layout. However, not everyone in the world uses a US Keyboard layout and this can cause problems when trying to type the correct command line at the bash prompt.

SOLUTION: Use the loadkeys utility to change the keyboard mapping file being used.

The loadkeys utility is hidden away in the /lbin folder. It's very straightforward to use:

loadkeys uk

will change the keyboard layout to UK format.

If this is not the layout that you want to use - have a look in /kbd/keymaps/ as this is where the keymap files are stored.

Now running the loadkeys command every time you boot to the bash prompt might be fun for you, but I'm lazy so I wanted to automate the change.

To do this you will need to update the /tftp/boot/settings.txt

Add the appropriate command to the bottom of this file:

loadkeys <keyboard map file name>

where the keyboard map file name is one of the following:

br-abnt2.map
cz-us-qwertz.map
de-lat1-nd.map
de-latin1.map
dk.map
es.map
fi.map
fr-latin1.map
gr.map
hu.map
it.map
jp106.map
nl.map
no-latin1.map
Pl02.map
pt-latin1.map
ru1.map
sk-qwerty.map
sv-latin1.map
uk.map
us.map

When you next PXE-boot your machine, you should have the appropriate keyboard layout -- and you don't need to edit or update your initrd files to get it to work. :-)

For ZENworks 6.5 SP2 or ZENworks 7 Imaging Environment

PROBLEM: The Keyboard Layout in the ZENworks Imaging Environment defaults to a US layout. However, not everyone in the world uses a US Keyboard layout and this can cause problems when trying to type the correct command line at the bash prompt.

SOLUTION: Use the loadkeys utility to change the keyboard mapping file being used.

EXAMPLE: I've wondered how to swap the keyboard layout for some time as we have several customers around the world.

The loadkeys utility is hidden away in the /lbin folder. It's very straightforward to use:
/lbin/loadkeys uk
will change the keyboard layout to UK format.

If this is not the layout that you want to use - have a look in /kbd/keymaps/ as this is where the keymap files are stored.

Now running the loadkeys command every time you boot to the bash prompt might be fun for you, but I'm lazy so I wanted to automate the change.

To do this you will need to update the /tftp/boot/settings.txt

Add the appropriate command to the bottom of this file:

/lbin/loadkeys <keyboard map file name>

where the keyboard map file name is one of the following:

br-abnt2.map
cz-us-qwertz.map
de-lat1-nd.map
de-latin1.map
dk.map
es.map
fi.map
fr-latin1.map
gr.map
hu.map
it.map
jp106.map
nl.map
no-latin1.map
Pl02.map
pt-latin1.map
ru1.map
sk-qwerty.map
sv-latin1.map
uk.map
us.map

When you next PXE-boot your machine, you should have the appropriate keyboard layout -- and you don't need to edit or update your initrd files to get it to work. :-)

If you have any questions you may contact Jamie at jamie_glendinning_TAKETHISOUT@TAKETHISOUTTOOengl.co.uk

Disclaimer: As with everything else at Cool Solutions, this content is definitely not supported by Novell (so don't even think of calling Support if you try something and it blows up).

It was contributed by a community member and is published "as is." It seems to have worked for at least one person, and might work for you. But please be sure to test, test, test before you do anything drastic with it.