configuring 'special' keyboard keys under win2000
Hey all, First of all, the special keyboard keys are the extra ones that're popping in all new keyboards to perform certain tasks like play a cd, launch IE,. . . etc. Ok here's the situation. I have a keyboard with a bunch of these keys and I never bothered to install the software for it when I was in win98.
Hey all,
First of all, the special keyboard keys are the extra ones that're popping in all new keyboards to perform certain tasks like play a cd, launch IE,...etc.
Ok here's the situation. I have a keyboard with a bunch of these keys and I never bothered to install the software for it when I was in win98. But I was surprised yesterday when I was under win2k and pushed the one marked 'WWW' and got a new IE window.
The problem is that I never configured these keys and I see nothing in win2k that lets me change their function. At the moment only the WWW one works but I'd like to configure the others.
Anyone has any idea? I already checked the accessibility control panel and the keyboard one and nothing was in them about this feature.
Thanks in advance.
First of all, the special keyboard keys are the extra ones that're popping in all new keyboards to perform certain tasks like play a cd, launch IE,...etc.
Ok here's the situation. I have a keyboard with a bunch of these keys and I never bothered to install the software for it when I was in win98. But I was surprised yesterday when I was under win2k and pushed the one marked 'WWW' and got a new IE window.
The problem is that I never configured these keys and I see nothing in win2k that lets me change their function. At the moment only the WWW one works but I'd like to configure the others.
Anyone has any idea? I already checked the accessibility control panel and the keyboard one and nothing was in them about this feature.
Thanks in advance.
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It all depends on whether your particular keyboard has drivers that work in Win2k. I use IMO the best keyboard in the world hehe the IBM Rapid Access keyboard and the specialty keys do not work in Win2k because IBM has not produced specialty drvers for it.
My Logitech Desktop Pro has software that I had to download from Logitech to make it work. Something Logitech calls ITouch configuration. I would assume that the keyboard manufacturer - you don't mention who - would have some software that allows the configuration of such.
Good Luck.
------------------
J. Byron Todd
Computer Consultant
byron@toddcomp.com
Todd Computer Solutions
Good Luck.
------------------
J. Byron Todd
Computer Consultant
byron@toddcomp.com
Todd Computer Solutions
If none of the keys worked in win2k I wouldn't be surprised a bit because I haven't installed a driver for this keyboard.
But one of these keys actually works without any special driver installation. Which leads me to believe that win2k is aware of these keys.
Now I just need some way to configure them.
But one of these keys actually works without any special driver installation. Which leads me to believe that win2k is aware of these keys.
Now I just need some way to configure them.
OK, let's try this again - and this time use the thing on top of your shoulders for more than a hair growing area.
What do you think pressing ANY button on a keyboard does? That's right, it sends a key/control sequence to the computer to be processed. So how are all these fancy-schmancy new keyboards with ten and twenty extra buttons working? Why they send some sort of key/control sequence to the computer!!!! So what do you think happens if Windows already has some predefined key/control sequences and your keyboard has a fancy/schmancy button that just happens to fire off a particular key/control sequence???? That's right! Windows does the predefined action for that key/control sequence. So how do these fancy/schmancy keyboard drivers allow custom configuration of their buttons? That's right, they put a key/control sequence interceptor and don't allow Windows to do it's predefined action, instead doing what you have customly defined!!! WOW!!
So what do you need to do now??? First off, let's try thinking. That means that we might have to use our brain. And common sense would tell us that we need to use some software that "knows" our keyboard. I'm willing to be that the best software to do that would be the company that makes the keyboard!!! I would check to see if they had some software for configuration of your keyboard. And if not, then maybe just maybe someone else has written a key/control sequence interceptor for your keyboard. And if not, well then if you're capable, maybe you could write a key/control sequence interceptor, and allow custom configuration of your own keyboard.
So Windows is not really "aware" of your extra keys - even the WWW one, it just doesn't have any predefined functions for the other key/control sequences your keyboard is sending it.
Did that make more sense?
What do you think pressing ANY button on a keyboard does? That's right, it sends a key/control sequence to the computer to be processed. So how are all these fancy-schmancy new keyboards with ten and twenty extra buttons working? Why they send some sort of key/control sequence to the computer!!!! So what do you think happens if Windows already has some predefined key/control sequences and your keyboard has a fancy/schmancy button that just happens to fire off a particular key/control sequence???? That's right! Windows does the predefined action for that key/control sequence. So how do these fancy/schmancy keyboard drivers allow custom configuration of their buttons? That's right, they put a key/control sequence interceptor and don't allow Windows to do it's predefined action, instead doing what you have customly defined!!! WOW!!
So what do you need to do now??? First off, let's try thinking. That means that we might have to use our brain. And common sense would tell us that we need to use some software that "knows" our keyboard. I'm willing to be that the best software to do that would be the company that makes the keyboard!!! I would check to see if they had some software for configuration of your keyboard. And if not, then maybe just maybe someone else has written a key/control sequence interceptor for your keyboard. And if not, well then if you're capable, maybe you could write a key/control sequence interceptor, and allow custom configuration of your own keyboard.
So Windows is not really "aware" of your extra keys - even the WWW one, it just doesn't have any predefined functions for the other key/control sequences your keyboard is sending it.
Did that make more sense?
I recently had to rebulid my IBM 2163570. I had Windows 2000 installed
instead of reinstalling Windows 98. The problem is...My Rapid Access Keyboard
will not work now. The keyboard itself works fine...it's the rapid keys that
are not working(volume, mute, etc).
Serial number - 2163570
RAK type - KB7993
I no longer have Access Aptiva or Aptiva install on this PC.
I prefer not to use the recovery boot disk.
I had a professional rebuild my PC due to a crash from a virus.
What driver can I download to get it to work? Will it work with Windows 2000
installed?
instead of reinstalling Windows 98. The problem is...My Rapid Access Keyboard
will not work now. The keyboard itself works fine...it's the rapid keys that
are not working(volume, mute, etc).
Serial number - 2163570
RAK type - KB7993
I no longer have Access Aptiva or Aptiva install on this PC.
I prefer not to use the recovery boot disk.
I had a professional rebuild my PC due to a crash from a virus.
What driver can I download to get it to work? Will it work with Windows 2000
installed?
