x keys by Macroworks

[SKYWARRIOR]

Hi,
I have aquired a keyboard of usb programable keys which can be programmed to send numbers or macros. How can I best get this to work with FSUIPC and SFX on Vista 64 bit system please.

Regards

David

[SKYWARRIOR]

Hi, no response so far but I have enclosed a link to X keys site for developers and whilst I have contacted them ( no reply to solve the problem yet though) I am sure this is an easy solution for the right person. I was reading an article in PC pilot no 58 about making a CDu and the system seems to be similar. A keyboard with a USB plug and buttons and (HID?) codes or signals.

There is an interface missing and I cannot figure out what it is.

Any help welcome please. David

http://www.xkeys.com/developer/hidusb.php

[Polmer]

David,

X-keys is a keyboard/ mouse emulator.
FSUIPC has a option to program both buttons and keyboard input sources.
Use the keyboard input option to control FSX via X-Keys.

To use X-Keys, you have wire your buttons in a matrix and Diodes are required.
Then, you must program the board so that it knows what Key to display depending on what switch you hit.

Hope this makes sense.



~Polmer

[SKYWARRIOR]

David,

X-keys is a keyboard/ mouse emulator.
FSUIPC has a option to program both buttons and keyboard input sources.
Use the keyboard input option to control FSX via X-Keys.

To use X-Keys, you have wire your buttons in a matrix and Diodes are required.
Then, you must program the board so that it knows what Key to display depending on what switch you hit.

Hope this makes sense.



~Polmer

Polmer, thank you for your interest, I have tried programming X key with known keyboard commands from the FSX Settings menu. The system does not see them through FSUIPC when I select keypresses to program in the FSUIPC window. The weir thing is it sees the typed words letters and numbers in Wordpad and Notepad. Also I cannot type Shift C it does not accept shift.
I might be on a hiding to nothing here but I really would like to get this to work as it is less confusing to look at than the standard keyboard.

Thanks David

[SKYWARRIOR]

David,

X-keys is a keyboard/ mouse emulator.
FSUIPC has a option to program both buttons and keyboard input sources.
Use the keyboard input option to control FSX via X-Keys.

To use X-Keys, you have wire your buttons in a matrix and Diodes are required.
Then, you must program the board so that it knows what Key to display depending on what switch you hit.

Hope this makes sense.



~Polmer

Polmer, it would appear you have knowledge of this keyboard. When you say diodes are required is this then an electronic adventure. For example C&H instruments and panel which I use in my small system are USB connected. Do these operate in the same manner as the X keyboard with a diode in circuit?

Thanks for your help and interest by the way as this at first seemed a great answer to a simple keyboard , unconfused by non useable keys as per a normal one.

David

[Polmer]

David,

What I mean is that you cant just simple wire the switches directly to the
Card. You have to place a diode in each circuit so that you dont get phantom keys.

"The 128 switch points in the matrix are connected by wiring one side of eight switches to one of the 16 column pins. The other side of each switch is then wired, through a diode, to one of the 8 rows and the wiring is repeated for each of the 16 columns. Using standard signal diodes (1N4148 or equivalent) will isolate each switch so no phantom keys will appear if more than 3 keys are pressed."


Here is the link to the manual;

http://www.piengineering.com/techdoc....matrixman.pdf


Polmer

[SKYWARRIOR]

David,

What I mean is that you cant just simple wire the switches directly to the
Card. You have to place a diode in each circuit so that you dont get phantom keys.

"The 128 switch points in the matrix are connected by wiring one side of eight switches to one of the 16 column pins. The other side of each switch is then wired, through a diode, to one of the 8 rows and the wiring is repeated for each of the 16 columns. Using standard signal diodes (1N4148 or equivalent) will isolate each switch so no phantom keys will appear if more than 3 keys are pressed."


Here is the link to the manual;

http://www.piengineering.com/techdoc....matrixman.pdf


Polmer

Polmer: the enclosed asks my question. Many thanks David

[Polmer]

If I understand this correctly, you have your switch programmed and it does show a key being pressed when you have notepad up and running, but FSUIC does not recognize the key press?

If this is true, you may want to go the Pete Dowson,s FSUIPC forum as he may lead you to a solution.

http://forums.simflight.com/viewforum.php?f=54

Polmer

[SKYWARRIOR]

Polmer,
he basically said if wordpad and notepad can see it the program it as it is all there to be done. Zadly this does not seem to be the case. I will find out why even if I never end up using it as I know it does not seem to work as described. Maybe its not meant to work for me!

Regards

David

I do apprecaite your interest anyway Thank you

[Peter Dowson]

Polmer,
he basically said if wordpad and notepad can see it the program it as it is all there to be done.

Actually, if you read my replies to you more carefully, I said that if FS could see the keys then FSUIPC would also. That's the only requirement. FSUIPC hooks into FS's detection of the keypresses, the KEYDOWN and KEYUP messages it receives from Windows. If FS can't see them, FSUIPC never will, FSUIPC is effectively part of FS when installed.

If Wordpad and Notepad can see them, but not FS and FSUIPC, then it sounds likely that the software it is using is sending WM_CHAR messages, not the actual KEYDOWN and KEYUP messages whch a true keyboard would send. That would also explain the inability to use Shift, Control etc.

Regards

Pete