USB Keyboards

[lalex]

Hello,

I plan to use a programmable USB keyboard emulator and I was wondering if FSUIPC would recognize its output. I am not sure since I do not know FSUIPC's keyoard mechanism - does it read the keycodes by scanning the keyboard directly or does it capture the characters from the keyboard driver and takes it from there? If it works through the keyboard driver, I would gladly purchase it FSUIPC ASAP.

Regards,

Al

[Pete Dowson]

I plan to use a programmable USB keyboard emulator and I was wondering if FSUIPC would recognize its output. I am not sure since I do not know FSUIPC's keyoard mechanism - does it read the keycodes by scanning the keyboard directly or does it capture the characters from the keyboard driver and takes it from there?

If merely recognises standard Windows messages arriving in FS. I.e. "WM_KEYDOWN" and "WM_KEYUP". If these are programmed in FSUIPC it captures them. Otherwise it lets them go through for FS to deal with them. There is no need for any low level stuff in this.

If your device can produce keystrokes that FS sees then FSUIPC will see them too, it is effectively part of FS when installed.

Regards,

Pete

[lalex]

This is perfect.

Thanks for the swift answer Pete.

Now I'm off to purchasing FSUIPC license.

Regards,

Al

[BenSollis]

I can testify that adding an additional USB keyboard works perfectly. I have added, stripped and hacked a second USB keyboard for this very same requirement and all works well in FSUIPC.

The biggest problem, when using keystrokes via FSUIPC is to _always_ ensure that no other matching key combination is being used by FS or any other client software.

For further interest, you might also check out Mike's emulator pages which demonstrate how to wire actual switches into your keyboard so they can used.

regards,

Ben

[lalex]

I can testify that adding an additional USB keyboard works perfectly. I have added, stripped and hacked a second USB keyboard for this very same requirement and all works well in FSUIPC.

The biggest problem, when using keystrokes via FSUIPC is to _always_ ensure that no other matching key combination is being used by FS or any other client software.

For further interest, you might also check out Mike's emulator pages which demonstrate how to wire actual switches into your keyboard so they can used.

Thanks Ben,

I actually plan to use a USB keyboard emulation hardware that would enable me to access up to 256 different inputs assigned to key "macros". FSUIPC is used to access the procedures that MS left out from the keyboard assignment option. And yes, I agree with your point about the "double assignment". Currently I am actually building an Excel sheet that would allow me to plan the assignment and more - including the pricing of the setup based on the type and quantity of specialized switches that will connect to the emulator. It is amazing how expensive these switches can get, and how many of them I would need...

The registered FSUIPC matched my expectations in terms of user firendliness, flexibility and comprehensiveness of the covered FS functions. Now what remains to be seen is the delays between the keypresses and actual FS reaction.

I guess that I will be spending thebetter rest of the week at planning and prototyping, not programming .

Best,

Al

[BenSollis]

Well, what I did was but some relays, capacitors and some "cheap" switches. Wired it all up, and it worked great.

The only major flaw in all this was trying to get CTRL- type switches to work. However I managed to keep what I needed in single keystrokes.

On the subject of reaction time, I noticed none. It worked great.

As for the switches costing alot, I guess it comes down to what you want, or aspire to want. If it is a full blown life-like sim, then money should not be a great problem for you.. Also, in that light, You are probably better off looking down the road to an EPIC system or Hangstrom cards.

To each their own, and best of luck with yours :)

Ben