C.C.S.L. Cheshire Computer Services Limited 7 Mainwaring Road Over Peover Knutsford Cheshire WA16 8TR WINKEYS From C.C.S.L. WinKeys is a general Windows utility to provide programmable function keys for any application that is running in an MS Windows environment . It is simple to use , very flexible and very easy to configure . The utility is Windows based not DOS based . Ten sets of 12 function keys are available providing 120 programmable function keys . In defining each key the user can decide which Windows application the key is to be configured for as part of the key definition process . For example in the most extreme case the user could define 120 keys each providing a single function key for 120 different applications . This is of course is not a practical application and it is obviously more realistic that the user would define say 12 or 24 or perhaps even more keys for one single application . Each of the available 120 keys can have up to 442 characters assigned to it . These can be as a series of commands to an application with variable delays between each command or can be as one continuous string . This can prove extremely useful in the event where log on to a system requires a series of commands . These can be programmed onto a single key and hence by a single key depression the user can complete a complicated log on procedure onto a host computer or network . A timer function is available that will provide automatic sending of data from any defined function keys at pre-defined intervals . The timer uses the PC clock and any times set are relative to the current time as displayed by the PC clock . For example if the PC clock currently showed 09.30 and you wanted a certain key string to be sent to an application at 11.30 then you would have to set up a two hour timer . The procedures for setting up function keys and timers will now be explained in detail . Before embarking on set up procedures a list of how functional keys ( i.e. keys that perform specific functions such as ENTER ) is essential . KEY REPRESENTED AS :- Backspace {BACKSPACE} or {BS} or {BKS} Break {BREAK} Caps Lock {CAPSLOCK} Clear {CLEAR} Del {DELETE} or {DEL} Delay {DELAY xxxx} NOTE xxxxx = Delay in seconds e.g. 60 = 1 minute Down Arrow {DOWN} End {END} Enter {ENTER} or ~ Escape {ESCAPE} or {ESC} Help {HELP} Home {HOME} Insert {INSERT} Left Arrow {LEFT} Num Lock {NUMLOCK} Page Down {PGDN} Page Up {PGUP} Right Arrow {RIGHT} Scroll Lock {SCROLLLOCK} Tab {TAB} Up Arrow {UP} F1 {F1} F2 {F2} F3 {F3} F4 {F4} F5 {F5] F6 {F6] F7 {F7} F8 {F8} F9 {F9} F10 {F10} F11 {F11} F12 {F12} F13 {F13} F14 {F14} F15 {F15} F16 {F16} To specify keys with combinations of Alt , Shift and Control precede the regular key code with one or more of the following codes as appropriate . KEY REPRESENTED AS :- Shift + Control ^ Alt % For example to program the Alt F4 key sequence on to a programmable function key the sequence %{F4} would have to be included in the string . to program the ShiftZZ key sequence +Z+Z would have to be included in the string REPEATING CHARACTERS To send include multiple entries of a single key character in the programmable function key the following mechanism is used E.G. to send the Right Arrow key 15 times include the following string {RIGHT 15} to send hhhhhhhhhh {h 10} TO INSERT A DELAY IN A CHARACTER STRING E.G. to insert a 5 second delay {DELAY 5} HOW TO LOAD WINKEYS WinKeys should be loaded using the Windows setup utility and it will reside in its own program group . * On your PC run Windows * Insert the floppy disk in drive A * From the Program Manager window choose file from the top Menu Bar * Type in a:\seup and press the return key WinKeys will install and will prompt you for any simple actions that are necessary . double click on the WINKEYS icon and the programmable function keys will be displayed at the bottom of the screen . You will note that a block of 12 function keys . Although not displayed on the key they are numbered 1 to 6 on the top row from left to right , and 7 to 12 on the bottom row from left to right . Underneath them there are 10 small circles numbered 1 to 10 . Each circle is a switch to a different set of function keys . Hence there are a total of 120 programmable function keys . At the right hand side of the function keys there is a config button , This is the button that you must click on to set up the function keys . * Click on the config button . You will be presented with a window titled KEY MAINTENANCE showing the following options *EDIT Click on the edit button to edit one of the function keys . * KEY LEVEL This is the set of keys that you wish to program and this level corresponds to the 10 buttons under the 12 keys . You should select the key level by clicking on the up/down arrow boxes at the side of the option . You must select a level in the range 1 to 10 . *NUMBER This is the number of the key you wish to program . Remember the top row of keys are 1 to 6 and the bottom row 7 to 12 starting from left to right for each row . *TITLE This is the title that you wish to appear on the function key . This title will be displayed on the function key itself . *WINDOW The window option perhaps the most complex to interpret . As previously explained the WinKeys utilities a Windows utility and expects the function keys to be associated with a Windows application running in a Window . You will see that when you select a Windows application to run the Window containing the application has a title bar at the top of the window . This title bar is the complete name of the application windows and this is the exact name that should be placed in the WinKeys KEY MAINTENANCE Window option . For example if you wanted to create some function keys for the MS Windows Write word processor . When you fist select the Write Word Processor icon you will see that the title bar at the top of the screen shows Write - (Untitled) ,note that either side of the hyphen there is a space , this title must be put into the WinKeys KEY MAINTENANCE Window option box and it must be exact i.e. it must include upper and lower care and spaces . This now tells WinKeys to associate this key in this set to associate itself with this particular Windows Application . Note that once you have created the Word file and saved it under a new name then if you recall the file and the Title bar no longer displays Write - (Untitled) then the keys that you configured will not be relevant to the new file as they are associated with Write - (Untitled) . This is perhaps a poor example but it does illustrate the requirements and the principles involved . *TEXT TO SEND This option field is the text string that you want to program onto the function key and can consist of up to 442 characters including delay sequences. A list of all the special function sequences has been provided previously in this document . *UPDATE When you have entered the sequence of characters on the desired key in the desired key set and have CHECKED IT the click on the UPDATE button . This will save the key string against the specified key . *OK When you have finished specifying your keys click on the OK button and you will return to your Windows application screen with the WinKeys displayed at the bottom of the screen . NOTE IF YOU CLICK ON THE QUIT BUTTON THEN YOU WILL SHUT DOWN THE WINKEYS UTILITY COMPLETELY AND WILL HAVE TO RE-SELECT IT FROM THE WINKEYS PROGRAM GROUP UNDER THE WINDOWS PROGRAM MANAGER . *ATTACHING A TIMER TO A KEY You will have noticed that there is a button marked SPECIAL on the KEY MAINTENANCE panel . This button is to select the Timer Function . The Timer Function allows you to attach a timer to any of the function keys that will call the text string attached to the key to be activated after a predetermined time . You should note that the timer allows you to select a time , relative to the current time of day as displayed by your PC , when the desired key text string will be automatically sent to the Windows Application specified to the key . This can be very useful in the event that you may wish to kick off a process on a host every hour without having to log on and do it manually . As long as the Windows application that allows access to the host is active ( it may be minimized as an icon) then the key string will be passed to the Windows application for the application to do with it what it will ( in our example sent off commands to a host computer to start a process ) . On clicking on the SPECIAL button the following window will be displayed . *LEVEL The LEVEL option is as previously explained in the range 1 to 10 and corresponds to one of the 10 buttons at the bottom of the WinKeys as displayed on the screen *KEY The KEY option is to select the specific key in the key set or level and is in the range 1 to 12 as previously explained . NOTE THAT THE COMBINATION OF LEVEL AND KEY DEFINE A PRECISE KEY TO WHICH YOU WISH TO ATTACH A TIMER. *INTERVAL The interval option is used to select the number of seconds relative to the PC time of day clock after which it is desired to automatically send the character string attached to the key defined in the LEVEL and KEY options to the Windows Application . For example if you set the INTERVAL to 3600 then this would represent one hour and the key sequence will be sent every hour relative to the current time . As you can see you cannot specify a time but you can specify a time interval relevant to the PC clock . *ALWAYS ON TOP This option allows you to ensure that the WinKeys are always visible and are not covered up by application windows i.e. THE WINKEYS ARE ALWAYS ON TOP of any other window. *OK Click on the OK button when you have completed your selections this will return you to the KEY MAINTENANCE window from here click on the OK button . You are now back to the Windows application window with the WinKeys at the bottom .