ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 …eeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng)/ProfitPress-MegaCDROM2.B6I/UTILITY/KEYBOARD/INT9FIX2.ZIP/KEYFIX.DOC

Text File | 1992-03-22 | 5.0 KB | 107 lines

     I used to have a lot of problems with the keyboard on my DTK 386
SX20 computer: arrow keys would print out as numbers, function keys
would not work properly, everything I typed in would come out
capitalized, etc.  My problems were solved when I came across the
following article.  Although it focuses on PC-KWIK Power Pak and
WordPerfect, the problems it discusses, and the solutions it suggests,
seem to go well beyond these two programs.  In particular, even non-
WordPerfect users may wish to try out the WP files discussed below.
These utilities may solve problems with programs besides WordPerfect,
and they come with additional documentation on the causes and cures of
keyboard problems.  I hope other users find this information as helpful
as I did!
     Richard Williams, University of Notre Dame
     INTERNET:  [e-mail]

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(The following is copied verbatim from Multisoft Corporation's PC-Kwik
Power Report, Volume 3, Number 1, Winter 1992, page 9.)

"Sticking Shift Key" Reports

     Some of our Power Pak users have reported incorrect keyboard data
when using enhanced (101-key) keyboards.  There are two manifestations
of this problem:

     1.    Every key on the keyboard is suddenly in a shifted state, as
if a shift key was locked down.  This state can usually be cleared by
pressing and releasing the LEFT shift key.

     2.    When using either the standard arrow keys or the numeric
keypad arrow keys, the corresponding number from the numeric keypad is
sometimes inserted, as if the shift key or the "Num Lock" key had also
been pressed.  Pressing the arrow keys results in the corresponding
number:  the "down arrow" is entered as a 2, the "up arrow" as an 8,
and so on.

     This is especially annoying if numbers are unknowingly placed in a
spreadsheet or other file, when you intended to simply move the cursor
between cells.
     These problems are not really caused by the Power Pak utilities,
although the presence of the Keyboard Accelerator increases the
possibility that the problem will occur.  Similar problems have also
been experienced by WordPerfect and LANtastic users, even without
Power Pak being installed.
     The problem is caused by the way the keyboard sends information to
the BIOS and how the BIOS handles that information.  It is most likely
to occur if there are too many keyboard handlers looking at Interrupt
09H, like the one found in the Power Pak Keyboard Accelerator and
other programs.
     The keyboard emits multibyte sequences for extended keys, such as
the arrow keys.  The TIMING OF THE KEYBOARD determines when each byte
will be read.  If the chain of keyboard handlers takes too long, one
or more of the handlers could read the byte AFTER the byte that caused
the interrupt.
     This means that part of the information sent by the keyboard could
be overwritten and lost.  For the case of the arrow keys, the code
that tells the keyboard handler that the key is an extended key is
lost and the key is interpreted as whatever the non-extended code
denotes.
     Since the problem is inherent to the way keyboard information is
handled, there is nothing that could be changed about Power Pak that
would eliminate it.  The following list includes solutions that some
users have applied to correct the problem.  Starting with the first
one, try one or more of these solutions until your problem is
corrected.

     1.    If you are using Quarterdeck's QEMM-386, try adding one or
both of these parameters to the QEMM line in your CONFIG.SYS file:

           IA for "IGNOREA20"
           U8 for "UNUSUAL8042"

     Both of these parameters have been found to reduce or eliminate
keyboard problems.  Refer to your QEMM manual for more information.

     2.    Try a different keyboard.  Certain keyboard/BIOS
combinations appear to be particularly susceptible to the problem.

     3.    Unload the Power Pak Keyboard Accelerator (PCKKEY) and/or
other utilities which use the INT09 interrupt.

     4.    Disable the Power Pak Print Spooler (PCKSPL) Configurable
Hot-Key Monitor by using the /H- parameter.

     5.    Unload the Power Pak Screen Accelerator (PCKSCRN), which
uses the INT09 interrupt.

     6.    If you are a WordPerfect user, some utilities are available
on their bulletin board, archived under the name: INT09FIX.ZIP.  This
.ZIP file includes the following:

           KBFIX.EXE
           KBDFIX.EXE
           INT9FIX.EXE
           KBFIX.DOC

     The telephone number for the WordPerfect BBS is: [phone].
The KBFIX.DOC file includes instructions on how to use these
utilities.
     These utilities are also available on Compuserve in the NOVA forum
library #14, under the name KBDFIX.ZIP.

     7.    Another possibility for WordPerfect users is to start
WordPerfect with the /NC or /NK parameters.  These parameters have
been found to eliminate some conflicts with TSR programs.  Refer to
your WordPerfect manual for additional information on these startup
options.