[comp.sys.apple] Technical Questions

lmb7421@ultb.UUCP (L.M. Barstow) (04/15/89)

Could any technical gurus out there help with the following questions?

a) how do you turn the Lights (capsLock, NumLock, ScrollLock) on an
extended keyboard on/off from a GS?

b) how do you access the data from the keyboard (keycodes) directly?
   Also, how do you insert keystrokes into the buffer?

c) is there any way to connect a GS to a System 38 through a twin-axial
company?

Thanks in advance,

-- 
Les Barstow     LMB7421@RITVAX.BITNET
...rutgers!rochester!ritcv!ultb!lmb7421.UUCP
"I know you think you know what you thought I said, but
you don't realize that what you thought I said was not what I meant"

REWING@TRINCC.BITNET (04/17/89)

To maybe attack a few of these questions:

Programming the num-lock, caps lock and scroll lock lights of an extended
keyboard is an is an art of black magic, even on the Macintosh.  Its
documented deep in a technote somewhere, but even then, its not easy.
It can probaly be done from a GS, but I wouldn't know how.  Yes, the
keyboard can be read "directly", through ADB, if you really want to.
Inserting that keystroke into the buffer yourself is strange.  Why
manually do something the IIgs already does?

As far as the last request goes, you're in luck.  A company called KMW
makes a twin-axial protocol converter that's compatible with just about
anything that uses a serial port.  All the software on your computer has
to do is talk VT-100, which is a no-brainer.  We have sveral of the suckers
in our Charlotte, NC distribution center, where they talk to our brand
new, incredible disgusting IBM AS/400.

--Rick Ewing
  Apple Atlanta

mattd@Apple.COM (Matt Deatherage) (04/17/89)

In article <8904161831.aa01745@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> REWING@TRINCC.BITNET writes:
>
>Programming the num-lock, caps lock and scroll lock lights of an extended
>keyboard is an is an art of black magic, even on the Macintosh.  Its
>documented deep in a technote somewhere, but even then, its not easy.
>It can probaly be done from a GS, but I wouldn't know how.

It's not in an Apple II Tech Note, that's for sure.

Glenn Baxter (formerly of Apple II DTS) wrote a small CDA that did this
using the ADB toolset, and it's present on AppleLink Personal Edition.

>--Rick Ewing
>  Apple Atlanta

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farrier@Apple.COM (Cary Farrier) (04/17/89)

In article <688@ultb.UUCP> lmb7421@ultb.UUCP (L.M. Barstow (674SPS)) writes:
>Could any technical gurus out there help with the following questions?
>
>b) how do you access the data from the keyboard (keycodes) directly?
>   Also, how do you insert keystrokes into the buffer?

	You can move the ADB keyboard to another device number, then
	set up your own completion routine to handle the key events.  You
	will then get the down and up transition of each key.  You then
	post each event with a SendInfo call to the ADB tool set using
	the keyCode command.  This is all documented in chapter 3 of Volume
	1 of the tool box references.  If you would like some example code,
	then email me with your address and I will get it to you.

>-- 
>Les Barstow     LMB7421@RITVAX.BITNET
>...rutgers!rochester!ritcv!ultb!lmb7421.UUCP
>"I know you think you know what you thought I said, but
>you don't realize that what you thought I said was not what I meant"


Cary Farrier

-- 
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farrier@Apple.COM (Cary Farrier) (04/17/89)

In article <8904161831.aa01745@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> REWING@TRINCC.BITNET writes:
>To maybe attack a few of these questions:
>
>Inserting that keystroke into the buffer yourself is strange.  Why
>manually do something the IIgs already does?
>
	I wrote a journaling program that took over the keyboard and
	recorded the keystrokes, then re-inserted them into the system.
	When you played it back, it would again re-insert the keystrokes
	into the system.  It would also come in useful for alternate 
	input devices (for the physically imparied, for example): if a person
	could not manipulate a normal keyboard then perhaps they could
	manipulate a special one, which would require special system software
	to support it.

>--Rick Ewing
>  Apple Atlanta

Cary Farrier

-- 
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| This message does in no way reflect the views or opinions of   |
| any organization.  In fact, they illustrate just how           |
| disorganized things really are.                                |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

erast1@cisunx.UUCP (Evan Ron Aussenberg) (04/18/89)

In article <8904161831.aa01745@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> REWING@TRINCC.BITNET writes:
>To maybe attack a few of these questions:
>
>Programming the num-lock, caps lock and scroll lock lights of an extended
>keyboard is an is an art of black magic, even on the Macintosh.  Its
>documented deep in a technote somewhere, but even then, its not easy.
>It can probaly be done from a GS, but I wouldn't know how.

>--Rick Ewing
>  Apple Atlanta


A day or so ago I saw a GS perm. init on GEnie that is suppose to make
the lights work on the Apple Keyboard.  I don't have the extended
keyboard so I didn't download the file.  If someone downloads it, let
use know how it works!

	Evan Ron Aussenberg / erast1@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu

labc-3dc@web-3c.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) (04/19/89)

In article <17575@cisunx.UUCP> erast1@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Evan Ron Aussenberg) writes:
>A day or so ago I saw a GS perm. init on GEnie that is suppose to make
>the lights work on the Apple Keyboard.  I don't have the extended
>keyboard so I didn't download the file.  If someone downloads it, let
>use know how it works!

Or better yet, post it to the net.  I can get at an extended keyboard (for
the next few weeks anyway), and it would be interesting to try...

>	Evan Ron Aussenberg / erast1@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu

-- 
fadden@cory.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden)
...!ucbvax!cory!fadden
labc-3dc@widow.berkeley.edu