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I have a friend that does printing and may be able to do overlays on a vinyl medium with adhesive back.
Would ppl be willing to pay 5 to 10 usd for something like this? I believe cutting would still be with your own exacto at the peril of your own digits?
To that end does anyone have an Adobe vector graphic file or something similar where I could get some preliminary work done?
Would it be more desired to have as many overlay copies on a sheet as possible for a slightly higher cost? Would ppl want a couple different colors on a sheet?
Thanks,
Norm
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Norman, dobar den,
Quote:
does anyone have an Adobe vector graphic file or something similar where I could get some preliminary work done?
The layouts are bmp- or png-files so far. I have no plans changing that.
Walter
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Norman, I was just guessing looking at your name you may live in former Yougoslavia ... Sorry :-)
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Ah, Thanks for the clarification.
My ancestors lived in Poland but I'm not a speaker. :-( But I would have picked up dzień dobry.
I'm in USA. I'm working on an SVG overlay version in Inkscape. Will probably be a few days.
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What font(s) did you use creating your images?
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The golden, blue, green, and dark red characters are all homegrown graphics, edited pixel by pixel for optimum legibility. At least the golden, blue, and green letters are identical. For the white print, however, I used Arial as a starter though not everywhere. An the white print is the most blurred now, so maybe I'll go over that when I've got time.
HTH (probably not much)
Walter
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Hi all,
Please find an updated layout in the repository, build 704. Optimized with respect to legibility of the white labels. Digit keys are (almost) Arial. Now, that's it IMO if we don't change any keys anymore d:-)
Walter
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Well, I shouldn't write "that's it" anymore :-? Anyway, I changed some pixels to make the layout looking more HP-ish. Please see build 722 in the repository.
Walter
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Quote: Would it be more desired to have as many overlay copies on a sheet as possible for a slightly higher cost? Would ppl want a couple different colors on a sheet?
I'm certainly going to make more than one WP-34S so a couple on a sheet would be good for me.
I don't see much point in different colours. We've red, green, yellow, blue and white labels. It will be difficult to find decent, well contrasting backgrounds to all of these -- black or dark grey seems like the only choices.
I'd like a single sheet that covered the entire front front, not just the keyboard area.
Also, something to cover the key fronts and tops would be required. In fact, this is likely more important than a keyboard overlay -- it isn't all that difficult to make a decent overlay, it is harder to make key covers. I've done this by cutting separate pieces for each key which fiddly and time consuming.
- Pauli
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I am in contact with a company which produces overlays and keyboard re-purposing labels. They are currently pricing out the job. It may prove to be expensive (relatively), but would also likely require siginificant volume. Will update here when I get more info from them.
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Quote:
Also, something to cover the key fronts and tops would be required. In fact, this is likely more important than a keyboard overlay -- it isn't all that difficult to make a decent overlay, it is harder to make key covers. I've done this by cutting separate pieces for each key which fiddly and time consuming.
Again, IMHO it's not required to have something separate. Just get some wear-resistant foil and make 3 cuts instead of 4 for each key (please see here). KISS :-)
Walter
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Which means either the tab isn't stuck to the key or you will be stretching the joint to the real overlay on every keystroke. Neither is good long term.
As an interim measure and for development, is is fine.
- Pauli
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If you'd watch the key movements carefully you may see that the relative dislocation of "tab" and key top is next to zero in a keystroke. I'm not going to make a drawing 50:1, however. I'd simply try it :-)
Walter
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Press a key, watch the gap widen at the bottom. That is more than enough to wreck a single piece overlap given time :-) I don't want to have to resurface the keyboard ever.
The pivot point of the key is below the keyboard surface so this is unavoidable.
Anyway, the overlay you suggest can be modified by removing the key covers and putting them on separately.
- Pauli
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How about Walter's idea, which I think makes the left, top and right cuts around each key and sticks the whole overlay on the keyboard, then after application, the bottom key-cut could be made to finish the job. Avoids having to attempt to stick on all the individual key covers separately. Hope this makes sense.
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Pauli, I wrote:
Quote: If you'd watch the key movements carefully you may see that the relative dislocation of "tab" and key top is next to zero in a keystroke.
You responded: Quote:
Press a key, watch the gap widen at the bottom. That is more than enough to wreck a single piece overlap given time
I don't see any contradiction d8-)
Walter
Ceterum censeo: nuntiata esse diligenter legenda.
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I have AI files for the HP keyboard layout. I can provide 1:1 keyboard lines/outlines for someone to make a perfectly sized overlay. Contact if desired.
TW
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Would that also include the dimensions of the angled and top faces of the keys?
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Nope, don't have that information readily accessible.
TW
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I'd be willing to buy at least 2. I think colors should be consistent with the authors' design so they match what's in the manual.
Dave
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I would be more than happy to shell out some cash for this and $5-$10 sounds very reasonable. While working on OpenRPN I studied human optics and interface design extensively, and if you're interested I would be happy to provide you with color schemes and font designs that have been optimized for legibility.
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Hugh,
I remember your considerations of that time, and I think I've implemented them to some extent. Nevertheless, if you have any concise statements covering said topic, please drop me a mail or publish the link here. TIA
Walter
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