SoftKBD 1.0
(Soft Keyboard)
Copyright © 1991, 1992  George Leotti



SoftKBD is released as Shareware and as such it is not free. If 
you find this program useful, I request a registration fee of $20. 
In return for your registration fee, I will send you the next 
version of SoftKBD, when ready, as a thank you. If you are an 
organization that wishes to use SoftKBD on more than one computer 
please contact me for registration details.

Please send your registration to:

George Leotti
416 S Elmwood AV
Glenolden PA 19036-2327

See SoftKBD's on-line help to print out a registration form, or, 
Include your name and address, version of SoftKBD you have, and 
disk size, with your registration. I will accept a check, drawn on 
a U.S. bank, or a USPS money order only. Registrations recieved in 
non-US funds will be rejected. Thank you!

I have never and will never give, sell, or trade, a registrants 
name/address to any mailing list!

If you have any comments or suggestions about this program, you 
can write to me at the above address or on CompuServe at 
75616,1724.


I am not a lawyer, but..

I make no claim as to the usability of this program, and am not 
liable for any damages, incidental or consequential arising out of
the use or misuse of this program.


DISTRIBUTORS:

If you find this program worthy of distribution, you have my 
permission (and gratitude) with the following conditions: All 
files included (see below) with this program be kept together, and 
un-modified, either in their original archive or in an archive 
format suited to your library. And that you make your customer 
aware that I receive none of the money they pay you for the copy 
of this program they receive from you. Thank you...

Design Goals

SoftKBD was created in the hope of providing motor impaired 
individuals with an opportunity to use a powerful computing 
environment for personal and professional gain.

Using an on-screen keyboard and a mouse, or mouse like pointing 
device, a user simply "points & clicks" to enter information in 
Microsoft Windows applications.

As a disabled individual I know the very high cost of special 
devices for the handicapped. Therefore, SoftKBD is released as 
Shareware for a $20 registration fee.



SoftKBD Requirements

HARDWARE:

COMPUTER:	An 80286 or higher processor, IBM or Compatible PC, with 
enough RAM (at least 2 MB) to run the Microsoft Windows 
Graphical Environment.
DISPLAY:	An EGA, VGA, or better, graphics adapter and monitor.
MOUSE:	A mouse, or other pointing device, that Windows recognizes. 
A pointing device may include: lightpen, trackball, 
joystick, or any other pointing device that has a 
Windows 3.x compatible device driver.


SOFTWARE:

DOS:		MS-DOS or PC-DOS version 3.1 or above.
WINDOWS: 	Version 3.0 or above.


Files Included In This Release

SOFTKBD.EXE - The Windows executable of SoftKBD.
SOFTKBD.HLP - Help file for SoftKBD.
SOFTKBD.TXT - ASCII format documentation for SoftKBD.



Please Note

This document is not intended to be a Windows tutorial! If you are 
unfamiliar with using Windows, I suggest you use the environment 
and read at least chapters 1 and 2 of the Microsoft Windows User 
Guide.

Installing SoftKBD

Copy the SoftKBD files with the extensions, .EXE, .HLP, and .TXT 
to your Windows, or any other, directory on your hard drive.

Start Windows if you are not already running it. From within the 
Program Manager activate the Program Group you would like 
SoftKBD's icon installed in.

Select the Program Manager File menu, then choose New. In the New 
Program Object dialog box, select Program Item, then press OK.

In The Program Item Properties dialog box, type SoftKBD for the 
Description field. Press Tab and type the full path and program 
name in the Command Line field. (Example: If you copied SoftKBD to 
your TOOLS directory on drive C:, you would enter 
C:\TOOLS\SOFTKBD.EXE) Choose OK.

Running SoftKBD

Double click the SoftKBD icon to run SoftKBD.

Windows 3.0 Users:

If you desire, Windows allows you to specify programs to run 
automatically every time Windows is started. In order to make 
SoftKBD run when Windows starts, you must modify a file, called 
WIN.INI, in your Windows directory. This procedure is simple and 
outlined below.

Run the Notepad program that came with Windows. Select Open from 
the File menu and, if necessary switch to the Windows directory. 
Type WIN.INI in the Filename field, then press OK.

Near the beginning of the WIN.INI file you should see a section 
titled, "[windows]". Within this section there should be a line 
that begins with: "run=".

To add SoftKBD to the "run=" line, simply type SOFTKBD after 
"run=" (on the same line). If there are other program names on 
this line, be sure to include a space between SoftKBD and any 
other program names.

If you installed SoftKBD in a directory that isn't on your path 
you must give a full file specification on the "run=" line. 
Example: If you installed SoftKBD in a directory named TOOLS on 
drive C: you would add C:\TOOLS\SOFTKBD.EXE to the "run=" line of 
WIN.INI.

The above will place SoftKBD on your screen where it was the last 
time you ran it, or in its default position if you never ran 
SoftKBD. If you prefer SoftKBD to start as an icon, follow the 
above directions but add SoftKBD to the "load=" line in WIN.INI.

Windows 3.1 Users:

If you want SoftKBD to run each time you start Windows, add 
SoftKBD in your StartUp Group. If you want SoftKBD placed on-
screen where it was last time you used it, be sure the Run 
Minimized box is unchecked. If you want SoftKBD run as an icon, 
make sure the Run Minimized box is checked.

Using SoftKBD

Once SoftKBD is running, switch back to Program Manager and start 
the Windows application you want to use SoftKBD with.

You may have to size the application's window so you can see both 
SoftKBD's display area and the application's display area.

To use SoftKBD to "type" information into your application, simply 
point at the appropriate key and press (click) your mouse button.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The application you want to type information into must be the 
active application. In Windows the active application has its 
title bar highlighted (usually in blue). See the Windows User 
Manual for more information.


Shift, Ctrl, and Alt:
To use the Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key in combination with another 
key, click the Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key, then click the key you 
want to combine. Example: in order to type "Sam" into your 
application, click on Shift, then click on S, click on A, then 
click on M. You will see "Sam" entered in your application.


Quick Shift:
A fast way to shift a character (alphabetic keys only) is to 
double-click the left button on the character you want 
capitalized. Example: To enter "Sam" in your application, double-
click S, then click A, and finally M.


Quick Space:
A fast way to send a space to your application, (with a two button 
mouse only), is to click the right button. Your cursor must be 
positioned on one of SoftKBD's keys for this to work properly; the 
key does not have to be the Space Bar.


Quick Enter:
A fast way to send a carriage return, or Enter, to your 
application, (with a two button mouse only), is to double-click 
the right button. Your cursor must be positioned on one of 
SoftKBD's keys for this to work properly; the key does not have to 
be the Enter key.


Accessing Menus With Alt:
With this version of SoftKBD you can not open a menu using the on-
screen keyboard.

This should not be a problem for you as it is generally quicker 
for you to use your mouse to access and select items from the 
menus in Windows applications. You may use SoftKBD to enter 
information in dialog boxes. See Dialog Boxes, below, for details.


Shift, Ctrl, and Alt Combinations:
Shift, Ctrl, and Alt cannot be combined with each other and 
another character with this version of SoftKBD. You can't send 
something like Shift+Ctrl+Y to your application using SoftKBD's 
keyboard.

These "shift" combinations are usually used to quickly access a 
feature found on a menu in various Windows applications.

If you find it quicker to send a shift combination to an 
application, you may using the Ctrl, Shift, and Alt options on 
SoftKBD's menu bar.

These work like the CapsLock and NumLock keys on a keyboard. That 
is, they lock the Ctrl, Shift, or Alt key. If these items are 
gray, they are unlocked or up. If they are black, they are locked 
or down.

To send a Shift+Ctrl+Y to an application you click Shift and Ctrl 
on the menu bar to lock the Shift & Ctrl, then click Y. After you 
click the Y, you must again click Shift & Ctrl to unlock these 
keys. Otherwise, whatever you click next will be sent as a 
Shift+Ctrl combination.


High ANSI & ASCII:
To enter characters, such as "¢", not found on your keyboard, you 
use the Alt lock from the menu bar and type the numeric code on 
the keyboard. See your Windows manual for charts of the ANSI & 
ASCII character sets and instructions. Please remember to "unlock" 
Alt after you enter the code.


Dialog Boxes, List Boxes, Edit Fields, Etc.
SoftKBD can be used to navigate Dialog and List Boxes, and type 
information in Edit Fields (e.g. file names, etc.). ALT key 
combinations can be used within Dialog Boxes to "press" buttons. 
Please note that ALT key combinations may not work with certain 
dialogs. As above, it is generally faster to point & click within 
the dialog.

I have found difficulties with entering information in some dialog 
boxes with some Windows applications.

For example: With Microsoft Word for Windows (WFW) Version 1.1a, 
SoftKBD won't normally send a character to a dialog.

On SoftKBD's menu bar you will see Dlg1 and Dlg2. These should be 
used only with dialog boxes you encounter difficulties with. These 
options change the way in which SoftKBD interacts with an 
application and should only be used with "problem" 
programs/dialogs.

To work with WFW dialogs, simply click Dlg2 and then use SoftKBD's 
keys as you normally would. When you finish with the dialog, click 
Dlg2 to turn this feature off.

Another problem program is QuickC for Windows (QCW). I've found 
two dialogs, Find and Find & Replace, that won't work with 
SoftKBD. Use Dlg1 to use these dialogs.

I'm sure other Windows applications may present problem dialogs 
for SoftKBD. For these you will have to try either Dlg1 or Dlg2 to 
determine which works. If neither work, try them together. If you 
encounter trouble sending keystrokes to any other part of a 
Windows application, try using the Dlg options.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
After using a "Dlg" option turn it off! These options change the 
way SoftKBD interacts with an application. If left on you may lose 
SoftKBD's double click feature or will lose the caret (aka, 
insertion point, cursor, edit point, etc.) in your application.

I am trying to correct this problem, and hope to have solved for 
the next version of SoftKBD.

Moving & Sizing SoftKBD:
By default SoftKBD places itself at the top of your screen. You 
may, if you wish, place the keyboard display anywhere on the 
screen. And resize it to fit your needs. 

SoftKBD will save the size and position of its window in 
SOFTKBD.INI each time you quit the program. The next time you run 
SoftKBD, it will place itself at the same location and size 
itself.

Carefully consider the size you choose to make SoftKBD. There is a 
trade-off between how much of your application you see and how 
much of SoftKBD you can access without scrolling.

By default SoftKBD sizes itself so you will not have to scroll it 
to access any part of the keyboard. When you size SoftKBD's window 
smaller, you will have to use scroll bars to access "hidden" parts 
of the keyboard.

To return SoftKBD to it's default size, select Default Size from 
the Control Menu.


Key Size, Font, and Color Control:
From SoftKBD's Option menu you can modify the size and spacing of 
the keys, which font to use, and the colors of the characters on 
keys. Choose Help in the dialogs for more instructions.

Please Note: This version of SoftKBD does not utilize the new 
fonts in Windows 3.1.


User Notes:

Cursor Woes:
Certain Windows applications, Windows Write and Microsoft Word for 
Windows to name two, hide the mouse cursor while "typing" with 
SoftKBD or a regular keyboard. This is not much of a problem as 
any movement of your mouse will restore the cursor.


Windows Real & 386 Enhanced Modes Only:
SoftKBD was designed to work only in Windows Real and 386 Enhanced 
modes.


386 Enhanced Mode and DOS:
SoftKBD will work with DOS applications running in a window in 
Windows 386 Enhanced mode, but you will experience the following 
two problems that may limit its usefulness:

1. The Num Lock and Caps Lock status, when clicked in SoftKBD's 
display, may not be the same between SoftKBD and the status 
indicators on your keyboard. This will cause you difficulties.

2. The separate direction keys do not work properly with DOS in 
this version of SoftKBD.

In the future I hope to fix these problems to allow SoftKBD to 
work with most DOS applications to provide complete access to more 
software.

WINDOWS 3.0 USERS:
In order to use SoftKBD's direction keys with a DOS program 
running in a window, the Num Lock key must be turned off on your 
COMPUTER's keyboard BEFORE SoftKBD and the DOS program are run! 
Also you must avoid using SoftKBD's Caps and Num Lock keys. This 
may or may not enable you to use SoftKBD with a DOS program.

WINDOWS 3.1 USERS:
Problem 1, mentioned above, does not occur in this version of 
Windows. In order to use SoftKBD's direction keys with a DOS 
program running in a window, you may turn off the Num Lock key 
before OR after your DOS window is running. However, it will take 
your keyboard status indicator one "normal" keystroke to "catch 
up" to the status displayed on SoftKBD. The same applies to the 
Caps Lock key.

Windows 3.0 & 3.1 Users:
You must use the above directions with the Num Lock key or you 
will get numbers instead of the movement you desire.

Missing Keys:
You will notice that the Pause/Break key is missing from SoftKBD's 
display. I do not think this key is used much in Windows 
applications.


SoftKBD, by George J. Leotti

Page -8-