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1992-08-07
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Help for the KeyChange module
=============================
KeyChange provides two facilities related to the keyboard; it makes the
numeric keypad keys act like the function keys, and it lets you get extra
codes from the keyboard for use with so-called "hot-key" utilities.
The former is useful because (at least for right-handed people) the keypad
is likely to be easier to use than the function keys, and the need to use
the keypad for entering numbers is likely to be fairly limited. You can
also switch back to the normal mode if necessary.
The second function allows background utilities to respond to keypresses
without having them intercepted by a foreground application. You can,
however, only use it with utilities which allow you to choose freely which
keypresses you want to use, as the KeyChange module generates codes which
are not normally available.
A detailed description of the functions offered by the module can be found
in the Manual file which should accompany this one. This file describes how
to load and control the module, and details the files you should have.
Please note that this code is not guaranteed to work with other than the
standard UK keyboard, as supplied with A300 and A400 machines. In particular,
it will obviously not work on an A4!
Installing KeyChange.
---------------------
The simplest way of installing KeyChange is to double-click on its icon.
This will immediately enable you to use the numeric keypad keys as function
keys, with the following mapping:
+------+------+------+------+
| | | | |
| N.L. | F10 | F11 | F12 |
| | | | |
+------+------+------+------+
| | | | |
| F7 | F8 | F9 | Inst |
| | | | |
+------+------+------+------+
| | | | |
| F4 | F5 | F6 | F14 |
| | | | |
+------+------+------+------+
| | | | |
| F1 | F2 | F3 | E |
| | | | n |
+------+------+------+ t |
| | | e |
| Print | F15 | r |
| | | |
+-------------+------+------+
These keys should be treated identically to the normal function keys by
most programs (even outside the desktop), although it is possible that some
programs may read the state of the keyboard directly, which will prevent
this from working. Note that the keys F14 and F15 have no equivalent on a
standard keyboard. "Inst" means the Insert key. Enter is treated normally.
Pressing Num Lock returns the keypad to its usual operation, with a beep for
confirmation, and pressing it again returns to the function-key mode.
If you type "*RMKill InternationalKeyboard" at the command line you will
be able to use the "extended function keys" by pressing one of the Alt keys
with a function key (either a normal one or one on the keypad). You will
not, however, be able to use the Alt keys to type "special" characters
(accented characters etc.). If you want to do this permanently, type
"*Unplug InternationalKeyboard" instead; to recover the previous setup type
"*RMReInit InternationalKeyboard".
Alternatively, type "*KeyChange C" at the command line (see below),
and you can then use the right-hand Ctrl key instead of Alt; the key will
retain its normal function except with keys F1 to F9 and Print, and all of
the keypad keys in function key mode.
It is also possible to use the keypad to get these extra codes; see the
Manual file for details.
Use of these options requires a hot-key utility which understands the
extra codes; see the Manual file for details. Alternatively, if KeyChange
has been supplied with such a utility, see the documentation provided with
it.
The KeyChange Command.
----------------------
The module provides a single command, *KeyChange, which controls which of
the three operating modes are enabled. (To enter a command, press F12). The
modes are:
Keypad (P) - makes the numeric keypad keys act as function keys.
Extended codes (E) - allows extra hot-key codes to be generated.
Right-Ctrl (C) - Allows the right-hand Ctrl key to generate the extra codes.
The modes can be enabled by following the *KeyChange command with one of the
letters P, E or C, and disabled using ~P, ~E and ~C. Examples:
*KeyChange P
*KeyChange PC~E
*KeyChange C ~P
As you can see, the order of the parameters doesn't matter, and you can
separate them with spaces if you like (but you can't have a space after ~).
The *KeyChange command with no arguments prints the current status.
The default status when the module is loaded is ~P E ~C. However, you can
change this if you load the module from a !Boot file (or any Obey file),
for example:
*RMLoad <path>.KeyChange E C ~P
where <path> should be replaced by the full name of the directory in which
the KeyChange module resides (shown in the title bar of the Filer window).
Finally, the *KeyChange command can also be followed by a number from 1
to 4, which selects the keypad mode. See the Manual file for details.
File list.
----------
The full set of files is as follows:
!Help - this file.
Manual - a full description of the functions provided by KeyChange.
License - the conditions under which the software may be distributed.
KeyChange - the module itself.
KeySrc - the module source code.
KeyCodes - a technical description of how the keyboard drivers function.
ProgInfo - an explanation of how the program works.