Versions:
awase is a Windows keyboard remapper developed by cuzic that enables NICOLA thumb-shift Japanese input and simultaneous-keystroke remapping beyond the standard NICOLA layout. Categorized as a keyboard input and remapping utility, it is designed for users who type Japanese using thumb-shift layouts and need reliable simultaneous keypress detection at the system level. The software intercepts physical key events at a low level, detects simultaneous key presses using NICOLA-compliant timing arbitration based on d1/d2 comparison, and sends the resulting romaji to the IME for conversion into Japanese text. The current release is version 1.10.0, which is presently the only published version. Its detection engine offers five decision modes—wait, speculative, two-phase, adaptive-timing, and n-gram predictive—allowing the arbitration behavior to be tuned for different typing styles, while n-gram adaptive thresholding derived from a Wikipedia Japanese corpus improves detection accuracy. awase is compatible with Yamabuki-format (.yab) keyboard layout files, making it suitable for users migrating from existing thumb-shift configurations, and it supports a broad range of applications, including Win32, UWP, and TSF-native programs such as Chrome, VS Code, and WezTerm. Reliability is addressed through multi-layered fault tolerance that includes hook health monitoring, sleep and resume recovery, IME detection fallback, and automatic TSF cold-start recovery. Internally, awase employs an asynchronous, message-loop-based executor architecture in which blocking APIs are isolated on separate threads, keeping input processing responsive. Practical use cases include everyday Japanese text entry with thumb-shift layouts, low-latency typing in modern editors and terminals, and maintaining consistent input behavior across heterogeneous Windows applications. Additional conveniences include automatic focus detection that disables conversion outside text fields, preventing unintended remapping, and system tray integration that provides quick access to layout switching, settings, and enable or disable toggling, making awase a focused, configurable solution for NICOLA-style input on Windows.
Tags: