1. Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
- Posted by Dan B Moyer <DANMOYER at PRODIGY.NET>
Aug 28, 2000
-
Last edited Aug 29, 2000
I'm starting to re-do a kid's "keybanger" program I started but didn't
finish a while back, & I just realized that there are "special" keys on
newer keyboards that activate WINDOWS stuff, (like the start menu, simulated
right mouse click), which I *can't* have happening for a kid banging away on
the keyboard (not just mine, but any who might use the program);
so does anyone know how can I DISABLE those keys from functioning????
(I already made the LOCKABLE keys "disabled" by recurrently resetting them
with a poke, but I don't have any info about those "special" windows keys.)
Dan Moyer
2. Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
- Posted by wolfgang fritz <wolfritz at king.igs.net>
Aug 28, 2000
-
Last edited Aug 29, 2000
... ummmm
maybe someone could ask Mr. David Cuny if this might be a job for
returnValue() ?
... that's assuming this is a win32lib program.
> I'm starting to re-do a kid's "keybanger" program I started but didn't
> finish a while back, & I just realized that there are "special" keys on
> newer keyboards that activate WINDOWS stuff, (like the start menu,
simulated
> right mouse click), which I *can't* have happening for a kid banging away
on
> the keyboard (not just mine, but any who might use the program);
> so does anyone know how can I DISABLE those keys from functioning????
3. Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
- Posted by Kat <gertie at PELL.NET>
Aug 28, 2000
-
Last edited Aug 29, 2000
On 28 Aug 2000, at 23:37, wolfgang fritz wrote:
> ... ummmm
> maybe someone could ask Mr. David Cuny if this might be a job for
> returnValue() ?
> ... that's assuming this is a win32lib program.
>
> > I'm starting to re-do a kid's "keybanger" program I started but didn't
> > finish a while back, & I just realized that there are "special" keys on
> > newer keyboards that activate WINDOWS stuff, (like the start menu,
> simulated
> > right mouse click), which I *can't* have happening for a kid banging away
> on
> > the keyboard (not just mine, but any who might use the program);
> > so does anyone know how can I DISABLE those keys from functioning????
I haven't tried this in windoze, but you might try running ansi.sys with those
keys
remapped to the space key or some other harmless key.
Kat
4. Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
- Posted by Dan B Moyer <DANMOYER at PRODIGY.NET>
Aug 28, 2000
-
Last edited Aug 29, 2000
Kat,
Ok, since I'm not trying to do it in Windows, I'm interested; but how would
I use ansi.sys? In case it relates, I don't know the scan codes for those
keys, as they don't seem to go through the "get_keys()" routine.
Dan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kat" <gertie at PELL.NET>
To: <EUPHORIA at LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2000 9:32 PM
Subject: Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
> On 28 Aug 2000, at 23:37, wolfgang fritz wrote:
>
> > ... ummmm
> > maybe someone could ask Mr. David Cuny if this might be a job for
> > returnValue() ?
> > ... that's assuming this is a win32lib program.
> >
> > > I'm starting to re-do a kid's "keybanger" program I started but didn't
> > > finish a while back, & I just realized that there are "special" keys
on
> > > newer keyboards that activate WINDOWS stuff, (like the start menu,
> > simulated
> > > right mouse click), which I *can't* have happening for a kid banging
away
> > on
> > > the keyboard (not just mine, but any who might use the program);
> > > so does anyone know how can I DISABLE those keys from functioning????
>
> I haven't tried this in windoze, but you might try running ansi.sys with
those keys
> remapped to the space key or some other harmless key.
>
> Kat
5. Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
Umm,, something is banging on the back of my head, telling me that windows traps
these with a special handler. I don't remember how, and can't seem to find data
on it.
To find help on ansi.sys, in a dos window type "help ansi". I can send you more
info,
but it's all dos-based, pre-win3.x.
Another thought, can you trap int10 (09h), the bios keybd handler, which gets
the input
before dos gets it? Or int16h? Remember, DOS is just a series of functions
overlaying
the bios, which does the real work for dos. Using the hardware/bios interrupts
may not
work the same on all computers, most noteably semi-proprietary systems like
Osbourne, HP, Bell, etc., or all pre-pentium-class boxes, such as XT's or any
386
puter.
Kat
On 28 Aug 2000, at 21:51, Dan B Moyer wrote:
> Kat,
>
> Ok, since I'm not trying to do it in Windows, I'm interested; but how would
> I use ansi.sys? In case it relates, I don't know the scan codes for those
> keys, as they don't seem to go through the "get_keys()" routine.
>
> Dan
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kat" <gertie at PELL.NET>
> To: <EUPHORIA at LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
> Sent: Monday, August 28, 2000 9:32 PM
> Subject: Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
>
>
> > On 28 Aug 2000, at 23:37, wolfgang fritz wrote:
> >
> > > ... ummmm
> > > maybe someone could ask Mr. David Cuny if this might be a job for
> > > returnValue() ?
> > > ... that's assuming this is a win32lib program.
> > >
> > > > I'm starting to re-do a kid's "keybanger" program I started but didn't
> > > > finish a while back, & I just realized that there are "special" keys
> on
> > > > newer keyboards that activate WINDOWS stuff, (like the start menu,
> > > simulated
> > > > right mouse click), which I *can't* have happening for a kid banging
> away
> > > on
> > > > the keyboard (not just mine, but any who might use the program);
> > > > so does anyone know how can I DISABLE those keys from functioning????
> >
> > I haven't tried this in windoze, but you might try running ansi.sys with
> those keys
> > remapped to the space key or some other harmless key.
> >
> > Kat
>
6. Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
- Posted by Dan B Moyer <DANMOYER at PRODIGY.NET>
Aug 29, 2000
-
Last edited Aug 30, 2000
On Tuesday, August 29, 2000 9:46 AM Kat said:
> Umm,, something is banging on the back of my head, telling me that windows
traps
> these with a special handler. I don't remember how, and can't seem to find
data on it.
>
Dan says: sounds likely to me, too.
> To find help on ansi.sys, in a dos window type "help ansi". I can send you
more info,
> but it's all dos-based, pre-win3.x.
Dan says: I haven't ever been able to get "help" like that on Win98, but I
will look on an older Win3.x system which does. But would I be able to
utilize it *programaitically*, so the app user wouldn't have to do anything?
>
> Another thought, can you trap int10 (09h), the bios keybd handler, which
gets the input
> before dos gets it? Or int16h? Remember, DOS is just a series of functions
overlaying
> the bios, which does the real work for dos. Using the hardware/bios
interrupts may not
> work the same on all computers, most noteably semi-proprietary systems
like
> Osbourne, HP, Bell, etc., or all pre-pentium-class boxes, such as XT's or
any 386
> puter.
Dan says: rather not do that if I can avoid it, (poking to re-set lockable
keys is near my limit), and if there *is* a special handler for the special
windows keys, as I would agree is likely, then 09h & 16h probably (?)
wouldn't deal with them; plus, it's unappealing to make it not likely to
work with other machines.
Maybe I'll try asking MicroSoft (guffaw!)
Thanks.
>
> Kat
>
> On 28 Aug 2000, at 21:51, Dan B Moyer wrote:
>
> > Kat,
> >
> > Ok, since I'm not trying to do it in Windows, I'm interested; but how
would
> > I use ansi.sys? In case it relates, I don't know the scan codes for
those
> > keys, as they don't seem to go through the "get_keys()" routine.
> >
> > Dan
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Kat" <gertie at PELL.NET>
> > To: <EUPHORIA at LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
> > Sent: Monday, August 28, 2000 9:32 PM
> > Subject: Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
> >
> >
> > > On 28 Aug 2000, at 23:37, wolfgang fritz wrote:
> > >
> > > > ... ummmm
> > > > maybe someone could ask Mr. David Cuny if this might be a job for
> > > > returnValue() ?
> > > > ... that's assuming this is a win32lib program.
> > > >
> > > > > I'm starting to re-do a kid's "keybanger" program I started but
didn't
> > > > > finish a while back, & I just realized that there are "special"
keys
> > on
> > > > > newer keyboards that activate WINDOWS stuff, (like the start menu,
> > > > simulated
> > > > > right mouse click), which I *can't* have happening for a kid
banging
> > away
> > > > on
> > > > > the keyboard (not just mine, but any who might use the program);
> > > > > so does anyone know how can I DISABLE those keys from
functioning????
> > >
> > > I haven't tried this in windoze, but you might try running ansi.sys
with
> > those keys
> > > remapped to the space key or some other harmless key.
> > >
> > > Kat
> >
7. Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
- Posted by Dan B Moyer <DANMOYER at PRODIGY.NET>
Aug 29, 2000
-
Last edited Aug 30, 2000
Well,
I came up with a relatively simple, marginally acceptable solution to
"disabling" the special Windows keys on some keyboards: JUST REBOOT IN DOS
MODE! Kinda obvious in retrospect. :)
Not such a good solution for a kids program, but it's the best I have come
up with. Would much rather have a (solid) programmatic solution, though.
Dan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan B Moyer" <DANMOYER at prodigy.net>
To: "Euphoria Mail List" <EUPHORIA at LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2000 8:02 PM
Subject: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
> I'm starting to re-do a kid's "keybanger" program I started but didn't
> finish a while back, & I just realized that there are "special" keys on
> newer keyboards that activate WINDOWS stuff, (like the start menu,
simulated
> right mouse click), which I *can't* have happening for a kid banging away
on
> the keyboard (not just mine, but any who might use the program);
>
> so does anyone know how can I DISABLE those keys from functioning????
>
> (I already made the LOCKABLE keys "disabled" by recurrently resetting them
> with a poke, but I don't have any info about those "special" windows
keys.)
>
> Dan Moyer
>
8. Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
Hi everybody!
(Sorry to butt at this late date with a comment on a 2-week old subject, but
I've been piling up unread messages for a while. Don't do it!)
----- Original Message -----
From: Dan B Moyer <DANMOYER at PRODIGY.NET>
To: <EUPHORIA at LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 12:04 AM
Subject: Re: Eu2.1: how disable special WINDOWS keys?
> On Tuesday, August 29, 2000 9:46 AM Kat said:
>
> > To find help on ansi.sys, in a dos window type "help ansi". I can send
you
> more info,
> > but it's all dos-based, pre-win3.x.
>
> Dan says: I haven't ever been able to get "help" like that on Win98, but
I
> will look on an older Win3.x system which does. But would I be able to
> utilize it *programaitically*, so the app user wouldn't have to do
anything?
Windows 98 (actually, Windows 95+) comes with two programs: Winhelp.exe and
Winhlp32.exe, located in the Windows dir (e.g. c:\windows). The first one is
the Winhelp 3 engine (.hlp files), the second is for Winhelp 4 (both .hlp
and .chm files). When you click on a help file, or call it from another
program, you are actually invoking one of those programs.
Both can be called from the (Win32) command line (as in Start > Run ...). If
you don't specify any file, they will open standard 'file open' boxes. If
you indicate a file (nothing else needed, just "winhelp32 whatisthis.chm" or
equivalent), it will open the file. The same can be done from a program.
Note: it may be safer to specify the whole path for the file; it had trouble
finding files in directories obviously in the PATH=, but not when I said
"winhelp c:\windows\filename...".
Also note: The inverse works fine. If you call "somefile.hlp" or
"someother.chm", Windows will correctly locate the proper .exe and run it
(locates the .cnt file ok).
I downloaded the Micro$oft Help Workshop (for Winhelp - i.e. Win95- help
files) and the HTML Help Workshop (for Winhelp4 -Win98- .chm files). Don't
remember the installation file sizes, but the installed packages run to 1.6
and 4 MB. Both come with excellent and very complete docs (!), including
authoring guides which may get you up and compiling your own very
professional help files in no time at all. The setup procedures work OK,
just remember to install the Help Workshop before the HTML Help Workshop,
since it will overwrite the hh.* files with later versions (well, you can
always run sfc.exe).
Very much like Microsoft. They will drive you crazy trying to make you buy
expensive bloatware you don't really need, all the while hiding their really
good products under the rug. Oh, sorry, the Workshops are free ...
Gerardo E. Brandariz
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