Your keyboard driver is active, but your active font in Word or Photoshop is set to Arial or Times New Roman.
– Always type consonant first , then the vowel sign key. Example for "கே" (kē):
Download the DCI_TML_Ismail.ttf file from a trusted Tamil font repository. Right-click the font file and select .
: The font features clean, classic curves that render beautifully in high-resolution print layouts. Common Troubleshooting Issue 1: Text turns into random English letters
Press to start typing in English and see the output in Tamil. 2. General Keyboard Mapping dci tml ismail tamil font keyboard layout
Have specific questions about mapping a rare character (like ஃ - Aytham) in DCI TML Ismail? Check the font’s internal character map using Windows Character Map (charmap.exe) by selecting the DCI TML Ismail font and looking at the "Private Use Area" (usually U+E000 to U+F8FF).
I can provide the exact step-by-step software configuration based on your needs.
: Pressing a key on your keyboard sends an ASCII code to the computer. The DCI TML Ismail font intercepts this code and displays a Tamil shape instead of an English letter.
Because this font does not natively use standard Windows or macOS Tamil Unicode inputs, you need specific tools to use it seamlessly. Step 1: Install the Font Your keyboard driver is active, but your active
: The layout mapped primary Tamil consonants (like க், ச், ட்) and vowels (அ, ஆ, இ) to specific keys that made sense to professional typists of the time.
Base characters like க், ச், த்.
The "TML" in the name stands for , and "DCI" refers to the developer (often associated with Dot Com Infoway or similar early tech pioneers in Tamil Nadu). For years, this font was the backbone of:
The active font in your application has reverted to Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Right-click the font file and select
Keystrokes are assigned to letters like based on historical typewriter layout logic.
Unlike modern Unicode fonts where keys correspond directly to standard Tamil letters (like the Government-approved Tamil 99 layout), . This means it does not use a built-in standardized phonetic keyboard layout.
: Requires typing the left-side modifier first, then the consonant, then the right-side modifier. How to Install and Use the Layout
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the keyboard layout and how to use it. ⌨️ DCI TML Ismail Keyboard Map
Row 2 (Q to P) Q : க W : ச E : த R : ந T : ப Y : ம U : ய I : ர O : ல P : வ [ : ள ] : ற \ : ன