KeyMatic Version 1.0 Copyright (C) 1989 Brad Dawson 4328 E. LaPuente Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85044 I. General Information How would you like to speed up your keyboard by as much as 300%. If so, KeyMatic is for you! Most computers set the typematic rate and delay for the keyboard at boot time. By convention, (based on the first computers) the keyboard typematic rate is normally set to only 10 characters per second. The default of 10 characters per second is too slow for most users. Therefore, many of the new word processors have the ability to speed the keyboard up, so the user can move the cursor around much faster. However, the keyboard is speeded up only when you are using that particular word processor. That is fine if word processing is the only thing you do. But what about the other programs you use. You may have a fast computer but still have to wait for the cursor to move along at only 10 characters per second. In the DOS world there are utilities that can speed up the keyboard very similar to what KeyMatic does for OS/2. However, Keymatic is the first keyboard speed up program available for OS/2. KeyMatic speeds up your keyboard for all OS/2 programs. II. Technical Information A. Typematic Rate and Delay The typematic rate is the number of times per second the keyboard generates a character if a key is held dow. The typematic delay is the amount of time that passes between the instant a key is held down and the instant the keyboard begins to read the character. B. Typematic Action Under normal operation, the keyboard responds to pressed keys by scanning the key matrix and sending their scan codes to the 8042 controller chip. All keys on the keyboard are typematic and automatically repeat the scan code until the key is released. When a key is held down beyond the time established for the typematic delay, the keyboard sends the "make" scan code until the key is released at which time it sends the "break" code. The typematic rate is the number of "make" scan codes the keyboard sends per second during typematic transmission. When more than one key is held down, the keyboard repeats only the last key held down. After the keyboard has started typematic transmission, releasing the repeated key stops the typematic transmission even if other keys are still held down. The keyboard controller provides N-Key rollover which can decode the most recent key held down regardless of the number of keys held down. C: How Keymatic does it A command is sent to the keyboard, followed by a byte that changes the typematic rate and delay. Bits 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0 determine the rate parameter. Bits 6 and 5 determine the typematic delay. Delay = [(Bits 5 & 6) + 1] * 250 ms Rate = (8 + (Bits 2, 1, and 0) X (Bits 4 & 3) (2) X .00417 III. KeyMatic Features * Allows setting the typematic rate to 30, 20, 15, 10, or 5 characters per second. * Allows setting the typematic delay time to 250 or 500 milliseonds. * Sets both the typematic rate and delay for all OS/2 protected modes. These include the Presentation Manager Mode, the OS/2 full-screen mode, and the OS/2 windowed mode. * Takes advantage of OS/2 specific functions. Therefore, it will work only in OS/2. It will not run in DOS. * Can be run from the OS/2 full-screen command prompt, the OS/2 windowed command prompt, the File System, the Task Manager, from any group in the Start Programs Manager, or from the Presentation Manager. * Can be called to set maximum speed without entering the Presentation Manager mode. * Made in the good old USA. IV. Using KeyMatic A. From the OS/2 Start Programs Menu Make a directory on C: drive called KEYMATIC. Copy the KEYMATIC.EXE program to this sub-directory. Make active the OS/2 Start Programs menu. Select the Add entry in the Program pull-down menu in Start Programs. A window will appear. Enter KeyMatic for the program title, and C:\KEYMATIC\KEYMATIC.EXE for the path and filename. You can use the Enter or Tab key to skip to the next field and Shift-Tab to back up a field. Finally, click on the Add pushbutton. Start Programs will place the new entry in the window. Double clicking on the KEYMATIC entry will start the program. B. In Automatic Mode Create a file called STARTUP.CMD in the root directory of your boot drive. In the STARTUP.CMD file put the following line: C:\KEYMATIC\KEYMATIC FASTKEYS The above line assumes you have copied KeyMatic to drive C: under the sub- directory KEYMATIC. If you have placed it somewhere else, be sure to include the correct drive and path. The string FASTKEYS following KEYMATIC informs the Keymatic program to set the typematic rate to maximum and the delay to minimum. In this case, Keymatic will do this automatically for you and will not execute the Presentation Manager Program to get user input for the rates and delay. C. From a Command Prompt using Automatic Mode At an OS/2 full-screen or windowed prompt type in KEYMATIC FASTKEYS if you have a path set up for KeyMatic. If you don't have a path set up, type in the full path including the drive. D. Under User Control To select the typematic rate and delay you wish, execute KeyMatic without the FASTKEYS command. KeyMatic will then use the Presentation Manager functions to allow you to make choices. For example, using the OS/2 File System and a mouse, just double click on KEYMATIC.EXE and use its menu system to set the typematic rate and delay. Thank you for using KeyMatic. If you use the program, you are expected to register. This program is SHAREWARE and NOT FREE. You have been allowed to test drive the software BEFORE BUYING it. Please send what you feel is fair to: Brad Dawson 4328 E. LaPuente Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85044