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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: blakespot on Tue, 09 August 2011, 15:00:05

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: blakespot on Tue, 09 August 2011, 15:00:05

I just got my Realforce 87U Tenkeyless -- exquisite keyboard. It has a shadow numpad in the main keyboard that is apparently activated with NumLock. I am using this board on a Mac, and Macs have no NumLock, and pressing it does nothing.

Is there a way to let it do it's thing so the kbd firmware will let the shadow numpad come to life?

Thanks.


bp

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: noodles256 on Tue, 09 August 2011, 15:42:40

there is no numlock for for macs. My meka g1 doesn't need numlock to use the numpad

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: blakespot on Tue, 09 August 2011, 19:19:14

Am I correct in the belief that the Num Lock key is the method of activating the embedded numeric keypad in the Realforce 87U?

Has anyone out there got this working on the Mac?



bp

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: FourOhFour on Tue, 09 August 2011, 21:58:06

I'm betting all you need to do is send the signal to the keyboard that turns on the numlock light. I'm not finding anything pre-compiled, but there is this: http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#samplecode/HID_LED_test_tool/Introduction/Intro.html

Maybe someone who knows their way around xcode can work that into a small app that toggles the numlock light when clear (numlock) is pressed.

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: woody on Wed, 10 August 2011, 04:22:25

Quote from: FourOhFour;396229

I'm betting all you need to do is send the signal to the keyboard that turns on the numlock light.

I guess the same thing - upon pressing NumLock the keyboard sends NumLock event to PC, but to actually light the LED *and* switch layout it expects the "light the LED" command from PC.

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: blakespot on Wed, 17 August 2011, 09:28:50

Ok, I took a few minutes and crudely generated two terminal commands from the suggested code, one which turns on the LED (and thus activates the embedded numpad) and one that turns it off. Given my lack of understanding of the USB keyboard id's in this code, it may not work if you have several HIDs hanging off your Mac. So, your mileage may vary and use at your own risk.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2122133/realforce87u_numpad_os_x.zip
http://blakespot.com/files/realforce87u_numpad_os_x.zip (http://blakespot.com/files/realforce87u_numpad_os_x.zip)


Edit 1/13/18: Changed file location.

bp

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: theferenc on Wed, 17 August 2011, 19:15:45

That's weird, since my macbook pro has a numlock, so I know the OS knows how to deal with it.

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: FourOhFour on Wed, 17 August 2011, 19:28:49

I don't think the OS ever sees the numlock key on the laptops with embedded numpads.

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: blakespot on Thu, 18 August 2011, 09:05:02

Apparently some OS X apps (certain spreadsheets, etc.) read the Num Lock on their own. Not sure if it lights up.

My Matias Tactile Pro has a Num Lock / Clear key that, when pressed, acts like the Clear key on the Apple keyboard. It will clear out the values in the calculator apps in OS X, for instance.



bp

Title: Realforce 87U - NumLock on Mac OS X?
Post by: Mazora on Thu, 18 August 2011, 10:57:02

Is the numpad accessible by pressing the Left_Alt key?