1.4.2 adds support for PowerBooks 100-170 with the backquote key.
Programmer’s Key turns the Power On key on the keyboard into a programmer’s key, similar to the programmer’s switch on the side of the Macintosh. For keyboards without a power key (Macintosh Classic, Portable, PowerBooks 100-170), the backquote (`) key is used as the programmer’s key.
To install Programmer’s Key, drag it into the system folder of your startup disk. Programmer’s Key will be loaded any time you start up with that disk. Once it is installed, you can use the following key combinations:
Power On and Option (also Power On, Command, and Option)
Trap Signal: This combination works just like holding the option key
down while pressing the interrupt button on the programmer’s switch.
This invokes the trap signal feature of TMON.
Power On, and Command
Interrupt: This combination works just like pressing the interrupt button
on the programmer’s switch without holding any modifier keys down.
Power On, Command, and Shift
Restart: This combination works just like the Restart command from the
Special menu in the Finder or choosing selector 2 of TMON’s Shut down
function.
Power On, Command, Shift, and Option
Shut Down: This combination works just like the Shut Down command
from the Special menu in the Finder.
Power On, Command, and Control
Reset: This combination works just like pressing the reset button on the
programmer’s switch or choosing selector 0 of TMON’s Shut down
function.
Note that the backquote (`) key is used instead of Power On on keyboards without a power key.
An easy way to help remember the Shut Down and Reset combinations are that the ShutDown Manager functions require the Shift key.
To temporarily disable Programmer’s Key at boot time, hold down the mouse button or the shift key. To permanently disable it, drag it out of the system folder.
Programmer's Key will work with any debugger, including the microdebugger in ROM. Use of the ROM debugger is discouraged since it does not have any built-in mechanisms to guard against potential problems such as interrupting a VBL task or interrupting itself. However, Programmer's Key is no more dangerous than the real programmer's switch.
Programmer’s Key will not Restart or ShutDown if the file system is busy, so if it doesn't seem to be responding, try holding the keys down.
NOTE: There is a problem with the ShutDown key combo; if ShutDown is called while the Power On key is down on a Macintosh II (thereby causing an immediate reboot), the keyboard will not function properly. If this happens, you need to ShutDown, wait a few seconds and turn the power back on. This appears to be hardware problem. The menu bar will flash and there will be a short pause when you use the ShutDown key combination so there is a chance to release the Power On key.
The code to display the icon at boot time for both TMON and Programmer’s Key is called ShowINIT and is in the public domain and available on most online services.
Bug reports and comments about Programmer’s Key should be directed to one of the addresses below. If you find Programmer’s Key useful, please send a postcard to the address below. Please note I cannot respond to requests for updates or other information.
