Question toggle "shift/alt/ctrl"

[khold]

Hi!

Let me start by saying what an amazing application this is! I have a neurological illness which finally made my fingers stop working. I tough it was the end for my computer days but your app has made it possible for me to continue by chopping an existing mouse and pull out the actual buttons to bigger pads.(problematic to explain) pic here.

To my question then:
I'm using win7x64 and the virtual keyboard in it to type.
When I press for example SHIFT it stays pressed and switches layout so I see all the extra functions I can use and releases when I press another key. Same for CTRL/ALT etc.

I haven't been able to produce the same in x-mouse except assigning a button to a simulated keystrokes but it only works as long as I hold that button down and I'm having trouble pressing 2 buttons at the same time.

Is there a funtion to make those keys act "sticky" until a new key is used?

/cheers

[phil]

Sorry, I'm not 100% sure what you are asking for here, but I will do my best to answer - Feel free to correct me where I'm assuming things incorrectly

Are you talking about the layer modifier keys (to switch between layers in XMBC when a button is pressed) or something completely different? If you are, then there are other ways to switch layers in XMBC (using global hot keys or assigning a mouse button to cycle through the layers for example.

If that is not what you mean, then maybe you want to make a mouse button "sticky"? XMBC has the option to make your mouse buttons "sticky" - were the button is "pressed" (down) the first time you click it, and "released" (up) on second click. This feature is in the drop-down for the button configuration but is somewhat confusingly named, its called left/right/middle "click-drag (sticky)". Its only available on the first 3 buttons (not 4th and 5th right now but I could extend it to those buttons as well I guess.

Thanks,
Phil

[MainTrane]

@Phil, I'm pretty sure he wants a new SimKey feature that treats modifier keys exactly like caps lock, i.e. locked down when the button is pressed, then press again to send the key up state.

Using the (Sticky) SimKey method when assigning a button to a modifier should work, but doesn't currently allow using strictly the modifier as a (Sticky) key ** at least not i the latest beta ** .

[phil]

OK - makes sense
The current simulated keystrokes sticky key feature is to repeat the key sequence rather than keep it held down.
I can add a new option, to hold down the sequence if that is what is required (not sure if I can do it for the next version though!)

KHold, can you confimr this is what you mean?

Thanks,
Phil

[khold]

OK - makes sense
The current simulated keystrokes sticky key feature is to repeat the key sequence rather than keep it held down.
I can add a new option, to hold down the sequence if that is what is required (not sure if I can do it for the next version though!)

I think I know what you mean

I found a video on youtube showing you exacly what feature I'm trying to request. He clicks on the modifier SHIFT key but I wanna assign a mouse button to do that but have the same behaviour.
Skip to 0:55 you'll see SHIFT in action notice how the keyboard highlights new options SHIFT offers and how it stays down until he clicked another key which is very neat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLXBGfz8 ... re=related

Hope you understood me else say and i'll try again.

[MainTrane]

khold, the ability to use the 4 modifier keys (WIN, SHIFT, CTRL, ALT) in Sticky Keys mode is a built in feature of Windows. To access Sticky Keys mode simply press one of the shift keys on your keyboard 5x consecutively. You can also enable it (and many other features) manually in the control panel, under Ease of Access Center > make the keyboard easier to use.

A currently available method:
If you own a Logitech mouse that uses the gaming Setpoint software (orange color), then you can map buttons to any of the 4 modifiers and they will 100% obey standard keyboard usage, including the ease of access keyboard modes. There are only 3 mice sold by Logitech which use this software; the G9, G500 & G700. I'm sure there are other mice out there with software that sends keystrokes identically to keyboards but I do not have first hand experience with any other such mice or their software. Hopefully more users will post about rare mice that do 100% keyboard simulation.

As far as XMBC is concerned, it doesn't currently have this ability. Phil would need to either:

• Tweak an existing or add a new simulated keystroke method so that XMBC can exactly simulate keyboard keystrokes, you would then simply map a button to a modifier and enable Windows' Sticky Keys mode to get what you're looking for.
• Create a special 'Key Lock' method that is identical to Windows' Sticky Keys mode, you would then choose that method when mapping a modifier key in XMBC.

I have no idea which one would be easier to code, but i would imagine the 'exact keyboard simulation method' would be easier to maintain.

[khold]

Hi mate!

yes I'm aware of the Sticky keys in windows but it dosen't work in x-mouse as you said and I have to press it five times to activate and deactivate it.

I work with alot of programs and windows at the same time. I have different uses for my buttons depending on which program/window is active which makes the built-in stickykey a nightmare because I don't use sticky keys in all of my applications.

About the Logitech mouses i'll check it out, It'll work as long as the buttons ain't software but a hardclick.

Anyways I hope this feature can be implemented

/Cheers

[MainTrane]

Sounds like it's option B for you then .  Like Phil stated, there will need to be an extra SimKey method, similar to the 'Key Lock' described earlier.

I work with alot of programs and windows at the same time. I have different uses for my buttons depending on which program/window is active which makes the built-in stickykey a nightmare because I don't use sticky keys in all of my applications.

Thanks for clearing that up.  I thought it was a feature you wanted to have active at all times, which turning it on through the control panel would accomplish.

Yesterday, I couldn't load the image from your original post.  The Logitech mouse suggesting wasn't the best solution . 

[phil]

If anything, the option will be the second of maintrane's list:

Create a special 'Key Lock' method that is identical to Windows' Sticky Keys mode, you would then choose that method when mapping a modifier key in XMBC.

But its a fairly big job internally because right now it only manges the sticky state of 3 buttons (left/right/middle) and not keys. Adding a new simulated key option to make the key sticky will require a few changes at quite a low level.

I'm well on the way to a new release (potentially v2.0) and I'm not sure I will find time to put more new features in before that release, but maybe afterwards

Thanks,
Phil

[khold]

No worries Phil! Atleast you're looking at it which is good enough

Looking forward to the new version!

[MainTrane]

He's done one better
COMING SOON: you're requested feature will be in the next beta release (not in the current 1.53.9 beta).

[phil]

Yes indeed I have been busy
I have just released an updated beta (1.53.11) which you can find in the beta post at the top of the forum. In it, I have added a new simulated keystroke send method, "Sticky (held down...)".

This should hold the key(s) down on the first mouse button press and release them on the second button press.

I hope this is what you wanted, let me know how you get on.

Thanks,
Phil

[khold]

Hi m8!

I feel like an annoying bug atm

It's almost spot on what I needed except I wanted the sticky feature to "let go of the hold down effect" once I click a new random key. Now it works like a permanent sticky key until I press it again.

Awesome work anyways on the new beta. I also had to disable "profile switching on mouse move" since it assumed my virtual keyboard was a program thus not using the settings for the app I typed in. No biggie though

[phil]

When you say "release when you press a new random key" do you mean mouse button or keyboard key?
XMBC does not pay much attention to keyboard keys so that would be a big difference. But to reset sticky on any other mouse button wont be so difficult (and someone else has commented that it should work that way generally too).

I didnt want to change the functionality any more in the beta before release, only fix any remaining bugs - but an acception might be applicable here, but only if your talking about mouse buttons not keyboard keys!

Thanks,
Phil

[khold]

Sorry for not being clear.

I'm not sure how to explain how I use my setup.

Essentially I click on my onscreen keyboard in win7. But I assign the modifier keys (SHIFT/CTRL/ALT) to my mouses extra buttons so i dont have to click on shift+7 to get "/".
Cause of my disadvantage I can't hold one mouse button down while clicking on another that's why I need the sticky feature.

I never use my actual keyboard except for when my computer freezes(ctrl+alt+delete=win)
So to your question I think it's all mouse buttons I use not keyboard

Does that shed some light?