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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: AndrewZorn on Tue, 14 December 2010, 14:56:33

Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Tue, 14 December 2010, 14:56:33
I have been using the HHKB too long to go back to reaching that far for Control.

I thought I found the best solution the other day... registry remapping... but just found its flaw today.  It won't work with successive presses of the key being modified.  Example: Ctrl+A,X will select all the text then TYPE the letter x.

Autohotkey is pretty bad, and won't work with a lot of games.

Fortunately I don't mind if I lose Caps Lock functionality altogether.  Leaving Ctrl as Ctrl means the HHKB will work properly, too.

I'd like to be able to use all these other keyboards.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: Lanx on Tue, 14 December 2010, 15:00:26
i'm sure you probably already thought about it, direct hardware soldering is an option too. which other keyboards besides HHKB? cherries? then that's actually quite easy imo, dremel out the traces (or use exacto sharp knife) on caps lock and just solder 2 wires from ctrl to capslock. This is of course saying that, caps lock won't ever be used.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: 8_INCH_FLOPPY on Tue, 14 December 2010, 15:06:17
Isn't there some way of remapping keys at the lowest level on a computer, so you don't have to use any extra software; it will work from bios to web browser and you never have to think about it again?
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: woody on Tue, 14 December 2010, 15:28:29
Some Japanese things bear simplicity and conservativeness which I like. Especially their standard optioning - Type A, Type B, Type C. Easy. Not kidding at all - I've seen this in industry, in cars, in games, and I like it.
If PFU hire me for their firmware, I'll fix that for you.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Tue, 14 December 2010, 15:31:51
I won't hard-mod all my boards for it.
I think flash-based stuff is few and far between.

Guess I'm out of luck.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: RoboKrikit on Tue, 14 December 2010, 15:46:10
Quote from: AndrewZorn;263054
I thought I found the best solution the other day... registry remapping... but just found its flaw today.  It won't work with successive presses of the key being modified.  Example: Ctrl+A,X will select all the text then TYPE the letter x.


You mean holding down the Ctrl key, then typing a, x?  I've been using registry remapping for the Ctrl key for years in various Windows OSes and never had this happen.  For me it works the same as a regular Ctrl key in anything besides games.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Tue, 14 December 2010, 15:52:46
It works fine in games for me...

But yes, that's what I mean.  I'll try another keyboard to see if it's just something weird with this Cherry, and try a restart too.

But yes, [hold down Ctrl] A, X [release Ctrl] would not select all and cut, but select all then type an x.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: elbowglue on Tue, 14 December 2010, 15:53:00
Andrew, what keyboard are you experiencing this problem with?  Are you going via a USB to PS2 adapter?  Some of these adapters will forget you are holding down the control key if they are problem adapters.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: WhiteRice on Tue, 14 December 2010, 16:02:20
reg remapping w/ sharp keys works fine for me. Even with successive input.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Tue, 14 December 2010, 16:02:44
Quote from: elbowglue;263103
Andrew, what keyboard are you experiencing this problem with?  Are you going via a USB to PS2 adapter?  Some of these adapters will forget you are holding down the control key if they are problem adapters.
Well, that might just be the problem then.  MX11900 with the adapter given to me with an M13 purchased here.

EDIT using the 'real' Control key works perfectly, this behavior is only with Caps Lock.  So I guess I need to test this whole thing with a USB board before I say anything more.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: laden3 on Tue, 14 December 2010, 16:54:12
or buy a Ducky 9000 or 9008 har har har (you need to switch the caps lock-> control everytime you reboot, so, it's not really that convenient -_-)
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: theferenc on Tue, 14 December 2010, 17:15:08
I use that registry remapping thing all the time in windows, and never have a problem. I'm betting on the adapter being the issue, as I do this all the time, with many different keyboards, with no problems whatsoever.

Just to ask: are you doing it by hand, or are you using something like keytweak to generate the mapping? Basically, what registry key are modifying, if you are doing it by hand?

In fact, that's part of what attracted me to the HHKB, honestly.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: elbowglue on Tue, 14 December 2010, 17:42:21
Yeah you probably have a faulty ps2 to USB adapter.  Try this with your faulty setup:
go here to check what keys are currently registered:
http://random.xem.us/rollover.html

then do this:
W (hold it down)
A (tap A)
D (tap D)
(keep holding W down)

Some of the faulty adapters will forget you are holding W down after tapping A and D
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Tue, 14 December 2010, 17:57:56
But to these recent suggestions... what about the way the 'normal' Control works fine?
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: elbowglue on Tue, 14 December 2010, 18:05:04
Its cause your ps2 to usb adapter allows appropriate control behavior but not capslock behavior.  Otherwise the faulty product would have been stopped in it's production phase before it got into the wild.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: didjamatic on Tue, 14 December 2010, 19:22:19
Filco USB + Sharpkeys on Win7.... works perfectly with capslock remappped to control, same behavior as regular control key.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Tue, 14 December 2010, 19:37:25
Quote from: ripster;263189
Whoah AZ - you don't have a Blue Cube?
I know.

For a while I had trouble finding them, then trouble justifying them, and I've been through phases where I think I don't need 9 keyboards for one computer.

Having this huge revelation that Cherry Black is amazing makes me rethink everything again.  No wonder everyone wants Cherry Red.  Might have to rip apart the Black Widow when it arrives so I can swap the springs into the MX11900 (or would the other way around make more sense?).
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: theferenc on Tue, 14 December 2010, 19:42:12
The other way might make a bit more sense, in that the BW is native USB. So this wouldn't be a problem anymore.

On a random note, I really should pick up a couple of those Blue Cubes.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: theferenc on Thu, 16 December 2010, 10:41:05
Interesting note: this same thing is happening to me. I'm betting it's the adapter: I'm currently using a Dynex model from Best Buy until my blue cubes arrive, and if I change keys, or pause between key presses, it loses my remapped caps lock.

Also of note: it transposes letters, and loses keypresses sometimes. But it still works better than no adapter.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: Hofy on Thu, 16 December 2010, 11:41:07
Quote from: elbowglue;263167
Yeah you probably have a faulty ps2 to USB adapter.  Try this with your faulty setup:
go here to check what keys are currently registered:
http://random.xem.us/rollover.html

then do this:
W (hold it down)
A (tap A)
D (tap D)
(keep holding W down)

Some of the faulty adapters will forget you are holding W down after tapping A and D


Nice site to have bookmarked.  Thanks.
Title: Caps Lock -> Control method?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Thu, 16 December 2010, 12:49:46
I want to use my Cherry Black board so much now, but cannot!