Anyone know of a hack that shows when ALT on Keyboard is on?

warder · #1 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 03:13 PM

Like, u know in the Palm OS, u can see when you're going to press a special character cos the BIG DOT is displayed on the screen. Any equivalent for WM5?

ppc6700freak · #2 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 09:54 PM

To my knowledge there is no hack that enables any kind of Alt / Caps lock indicator. I have done some extensive research on this matter and it appears that that the Alt and Caps function is done at the hardware layer. Anyone please chime in here if you have any thing to confirm or disprove my research.

This is the biggest thing that pisses me off about this device! How hard would it have been to add a pair led's to the keyboard area that indicate status or even better hook to the OS and notify it of the status.

naigaboy · #3 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 10:12 PM

I saw a registry hack for that and saved it on my computer at work, didnt get a chance to try it. will try a search for it right now and update if it actually works.

naigaboy · #4 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 10:50 PM

Ok heres the registry tweak for it,

HKCU\ControlPanel\Keybd

Key: EnableIndicator (dWord)
Value: 1 = enabled
0 = disabled

but it wont work because we dont have CapNotify.lnk in our \Windows\StartUp\ folder ?
and that should point to:
32#"\Windows\CapNotify.exe

We do not have capnotify.exe in windows as far as I know. If we can get that, then it should be possible. Its in the HTC wizard : cingular 8125

**luv2chill** · #5 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 11:04 PM

No believe me it won't work even with capnotify.exe, which was made for the Wizard. The Wizard and Apache keyboards use different key codes for their keys so that app won't work for us. I think the best case is to get a developer to code an app for this function on Apache.

ppc6700freak · #6 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luv2chill

No believe me it won't work even with capnotify.exe, which was made for the Wizard. The Wizard and Apache keyboards use different key codes for their keys so that app won't work for us. I think the best case is to get a developer to code an app for this function on Apache.

luv2chill, I have had two different developers tell me there is no hope. The guy who wrote PQzII, and a dude at my work who programs in c++. They tell me "the keyboard does not send ANY key code to the os when the alt or caps key is pressed". The dude at my work is a EE he is a Software and Hardware engineer. He believes there is a PLD responsible for converting the keys to different key codes. I hope they are wrong.

Elbimster · #7 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 10:55 AM

Well, at least the 6800 will have indicator lights for caps and alt (or at least, that's what the verizon pics show)

warder · #8 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 11:43 AM

Whoa.... thought this post was entirely dead.....

Well, yes, it is SUCH a pain to figure out if the Caps Lock or Alt is on.... but guess u have to live with the experimentation while typing. Pain pain pain!

I don't think I hate my 6700 as much now that I've upgraded to 3.3, but this is probably the remnant of that hatred I used to have

3.3 ROCKS!

**luv2chill** · #9 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppc6700freak

luv2chill, I have had two different developers tell me there is no hope. The guy who wrote PQzII, and a dude at my work who programs in c++. They tell me "the keyboard does not send ANY key code to the os when the alt or caps key is pressed". The dude at my work is a EE he is a Software and Hardware engineer. He believes there is a PLD responsible for converting the keys to different key codes. I hope they are wrong.

When did Tom (of PQzII) tell you that? Because I used his PQz Check app to prove that the caps and alt keys do send key codes. Caps sends:

DOWN 0xF2 OFF
UP 0xF2 OFF

When I press Alt I get:

DOWN 0xF1 OFF
UP 0xF1 OFF

Whoever was telling you that no key codes are sent must have been thinking of the Universal, which indeed does not.

I PM'ed tom_hiro255 on xda-dev about this a few weeks ago but never heard a response--I assumed he wasn't interested in developing yet another version of PQz for Apache users (like he did for the Wizard).

But his own app shows that key codes are sent when those two buttons are pressed.

You should go prove it to your coworker and humiliate him into writing the software to do this (it should be a cinch for a C++ developer--in fact I believe the capnotify.exe was written in C++).

ppc6700freak · #10 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 10:41 PM

luv2chill, Tom is the one who broke the news to me.

I sent him an e-mail to see if he could modify PQzII to work with the apache.

I have attached it here for you to review. In the thread he tells me there is no key code sent. I did not dig any further...

Message inserted below. I have changed the TO: and From: to protect the innocent

Have you ever seen HTC Hermes? Hermes shows CAPS/SHIFT indicator beside SIP icon officially.
I hope HTC would be released new keyboard driver (or ROM) in the future.
Because Hermes and Apache use similar keyboard driver.

Cheers,

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: ppc6700freak
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 2:53 AM
To: PQzII Author
Subject: RE: HTC Apache and PQzII

So in your opinion, is there any hope of anyone besides HTC creating an application to indicate the status of the Caps and Alt keys?

I do want to thank you for your time.

-----Original Message-----
From: PQzII Author
Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 1:46 PM
To: ppc6700freak
Subject: RE: HTC Apache and PQzII

Hi Chris,

I tested HTC Apache and found no chance to indicate CAPS/SHIFT key.
HTC Apache's keyboard driver does not output any key code when push CAPS/SHIFT key as like HTC Hermes.

So, you can check it using PQz_CHECK.exe.
http://www.nicque.com/pqz/
PQz_CHECK (Keycode Checker)

Exit PQzII before using PQz_CHECK.exe.
It will show key codes which push the key board.

Cheers,

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: ppc6700freak
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 1:44 AM
To: PQzII Author
Subject: RE: HTC Apache and PQzII

Is there anything I can do to help you with this project?

Thanks In Advance.

-----Original Message-----
From: PQzII Author
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 8:16 AM
To: ppc6700freak
Subject: RE: HTC Apache and PQzII

Hi Chris,

Thank you for email.

So, I don't have HTC Apache. I can't test PQzII on the device now.
But fortunately my friend has it. So, I will check it and let you know if I can handle it.

Cheers,

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: ppc6700freak
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 11:55 AM
To: PQzII Author
Subject: HTC Apache and PQzII

Hello from Jacksonville, FL United States.

I heard about you program PQzII on pdaphonehome.com; WOW you have created a GREAT program!

I was wondering if you had any plans on making a build for the HTC Apache that the Caps indicator, and Alt indicator worked on?

I have downloaded the Wizard version but the indicators do not seem to work.

The version is PQzII Ver 0.0.7-4 for Wiz

Thanks.