Juan Ibiapina

Juan Ibiapina

Software Engineer

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Mac ABC Extended layout on NixOS

June 4, 2025 • 2 min read
So I can type many languages without switching layouts in both NixOS and macOS

I previously discovered I can now type ţ on macOS, but now I want to have my Linux layout match macOS ABC Extended so I can type with the same dead keys on both systems.

I already use the xkb_variant mac. It matches some of the dead keys like e, i, n and u which are great for Portuguese (é, â) and German (ü, ß):

input "type:keyboard" {
  xkb_model pc104
  xkb_layout us
  xkb_variant mac
  # lv3:lalt_switch makes the left Alt key a third-level chooser key (keyd remaps Start to be Alt)
  xkb_options "lv3:lalt_switch"
  repeat_delay 250
  repeat_rate 40
}

But as it turns out, option+c in this variant outputs ç, not a dead ,.

Let’s fix it because who can live without ţ? ţac-pac!!

First we need a new layout that inherits from my current one us(mac) and simply overrides the one key we need, c (AB03).

default partial default alphanumeric_keys
xkb_symbols "extended-sequoia" {
  include "us(mac)"

  name[Group1]= "layout matching ABC extended on macos Sequoia";

  key <AB03> { [ c, C,  dead_cedilla, dead_cedilla ] };
};

Then we install it in NixOS with a configuration option:

services.xserver = {
  enable = true;

  xkb = {
    model = "pc104";
    layout = "abc";
    variant = "extended-sequoia";
    options = "terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp,lv3:lwin_switch";
    extraLayouts = {
      "abc" = {
        description = "ABC layout similar to macOS";
        languages = [ "eng" ];
        symbolsFile = ./symbols/abc.xkb;
      };
    };
  };
};

And in Sway config:

input "type:keyboard" {
  xkb_model pc104
  xkb_layout abc
  xkb_variant extended-sequoia
  # lv3:lalt_switch makes the left Alt key a third-level chooser key (keyd remaps Start to be Alt)
  xkb_options "lv3:lalt_switch"
  repeat_delay 250
  repeat_rate 40
}

There we go! Şåa-ţi c∫a m∫a f∫acåur∫am! OH NO. Some more fixes for macron and breve in Romanian:

default partial default alphanumeric_keys
xkb_symbols "extended-sequoia" {
  include "us(mac)"

  name[Group1]= "layout matching ABC extended on macos Sequoia";

  key <AC01> { [ a, A,  dead_macron , dead_macron  ] };

  key <AB03> { [ c, C,  dead_cedilla, dead_cedilla ] };
  key <AB05> { [ b, B,  dead_breve  , dead_breve   ] };
};

And now I have a place where I can fix any differences between keys on macOS and NixOS.

The final (and eventually probably updated) version can be found in my dotfiles

References