I am writing an input system for a game that needs to be able to handle keyboard schemes that are not just qwerty. In designing the system, I must take into consideration:
Two types of input: standard shooter controls (lots of buttons being pressed and raw samples collected) and flight sim controls (the button's label is what the user presses to toggle something)
Alternative software keyboard layouts (dvorak, azerty, etc) as supplied by the OS
Alternative hardware keyboard layouts that supply Unicode characters
My initial inclination is to sample the USB HID unicode scancodes. Interested on thoughts on what I need to do to be compatible with the world's input devices and recommendation of input APIs on both platforms.
Simple solution is to allow customization of input. In the control customization, record what key the OS tells you has been pressed. In game, when you get a key press, check it against your list of bound keys and do the appropriate action.
It looks You need a cross platform library for games. You can look at SDL:
http://www.libsdl.org/
It is quite popular in game development.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_games_using_SDL
The library is quite modular. You can only use part that control input.
Related
I have a set of scales which use RS232 to input weights to shipping software.
I am looking to use this data in Excel on Mac, basically using the device as a keyboard or in a similar way to a barcode scanner, in that the weight it sent over RS232 only when a button is pressed, with a line return at the end.
I have searched high and low and can't find an equivalent of 232key for Mac!
Using Screen in terminal, I am able to see the data I need, so I am basically looking for a way for macOS to recognise this device as a keyboard in the same way a barcode scanner does.
Thanks!
I am writing a small proof of concept for detecting extra inputs across mouses and keyboards on Windows, is it possible and how do I go about detecting input from a large amount of buttons in the Windows API? From what I have read, there is only support for 5 buttons but many mice have more buttons than that, is my question even possible with the Windows API, is it possible at all within the constraints of Windows?
You can use the Raw Input API to receive WM_INPUT messages directly from the mouse/keyboard driver. There are structure fields for the 5 standard mouse buttons (left, middle, right, x1, and x2). Beyond the standard buttons, additional buttons are handled by vendor-specific data that you would have to code for as needed. The API can give you access to the raw values, but you will have to refer to the vendor driver documentation for how to interpret them. Sometimes extra buttons are actually reported as keyboard input instead of mouse input.
Or, try using the DirectInput API to interact with DirectInput devices to receive Mouse Data and Keyboard Data.
Or, you could use the XInput API, which is the successor of DirectInput. However, XInput is more limited than DirectInput, as it is designed primarily for interacting with the Xbox 360 controller, whereas DirectInput is designed to interact with any controller. See XInput and DirectInput for more details.
Very simple: use GetKeyState
SHORT WINAPI GetKeyState(
_In_ int nVirtKey
);
Logic is next:
Ask user not to press buttons
Loop GetKeyState for all buttons 0-255
Drop pressed buttons state (some virtual keys can be pressed even it not pressed, not know why)
Now start keys monitor thread for rest keys codes and save them to any structure (pause between loop is 25ms is enough)
Ask user to press button
From keys monitor array you will see the any pressed buttons by user
Direct input and all other is more usable for other user input devices. For keyboard and mouse - GetKeyState is best.
I would like to map:
CAPS-LOCK to Fn
Fn to Left-MOUSE
LSHIFT+3 to #
RSHIFT+3 to something else
etc.
I have searched exhaustively for any tool that offers complete freedom for remapping keyboard input, but cannot find one. (Windows has AutoHotkey).
I'm planning to write my own tool that parses a config file.
But how to actually dig in and do this?
Solving this problem will require a thorough understanding of the journey of a keystroke through the operating system, so as to intercept at the appropriate point.
I think I need to eat the event at a low-level, where it is still a virtual key code, then provide my own customised mapping system and inject an appropriate event further up the system.
But where (and how)?
Edit: I am detailing the results of my research in an answer below (which maybe should be migrated back into the question at some point).
I'm making this community wiki, please feel welcome to improve it.
Sub-Questions I've asked:
Make SHIFT+3 produce `#` not `£` on OSX by code
How to tap (hook) F7 through F12 and Power/Eject on a MacBook keyboard
How to tap/hook keyboard events in OSX and record which keyboard fires each event
-> https://github.com/Daij-Djan/DDHidLib
Trap each SHIFT key independently on OS X
In OSX, how to determine which keyboard generated an NSEvent?
I can intercept almost all keydown/keyup events at the bottom of the middle tier. Except for power, and also CAPSLOCK key-UP when it is transitioning from ON to OFF.
Pretty nasty!
Working at the bottom tier level, I can get all key up/down except for the PowerKey.
If it were not for that awkward 75% success rate for CapsLock I would have a good solution. It is vexing that handling a key in such a useful location massively escalates the required complexity.
I have found DDHidLib and am currently looking through it to figure out if it smoothes that problem.
Research
Googling "keyEventWithType CGEventTapCreate" seems like a good idea, as those are essential ingredients for Tapping the event and Re-Emitting it.
Yay! Modify keyDown output -- that code compiles, and with minor tweaking (CGEventMaskBit( kCGEventKeyDown ) | CGEventMaskBit( kCGEventFlagsChanged ),) I can pick up modifier keys also. I get different keycodes for LSHIFT and RSHIFT. Brilliant!
Problems with the above:
Tapping kCGEventKeyDown works for some function keys but not others. It looks as though Apple have only overloaded certain keys, and the overloaded ones seem to get caught at a lower level.
Power/Eject key doesn't get caught.
I don't see any way to disambiguate which device the keystroke is coming from.
How to tap (hook) F7 through F12 and Power/Eject on a MacBook keyboard
http://blog.tklee.org/2008/09/modifiers-across-keyboards.html
-> http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=778484
-> https://github.com/maravillas/dual-keyboards
https://github.com/pkamb/PowerKey may provide some insight
-> https://github.com/pkamb/PowerKey/blob/master/PowerKey/PKPowerKeyEventListener.m
-> Apple Keyboard Media Key Event Handling -- Rogue Amoeba
... system wide shortcut for Mac OS X
-> http://snippets.aktagon.com/snippets/361-registering-global-hot-keys-with-cocoa-and-objective-c
Another problem is: LSHIFT-down RSHIFT-down&up LSHIFT-up. The RSHIFT events wouldn't get caught.
Looks like I need to dip down into IOKit
Using IOHIDManager to Get Modifier Key Events
-> https://github.com/candera/khordr/blob/master/src/c/keygrab/hid-scratch.c
kEventRawKeyDown in:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/
Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.10.sdk/System/Library/
Frameworks//Carbon.framework/Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/
Headers/CarbonEvents.h
Resources
3-tier:
Cocoa/AppKit is a higher-level wrapper
Quartz takes the events from IOKit routes them to apps
Note: NSEvent is built over Quartz Event
IOKit -- talks to the hardware
Top Tier (Cocoa/AppKit)
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/EventOverview/EventArchitecture/EventArchitecture.html -- this document is a must-see, and shows the above basic 3-tier architecture pic. However, it appears to only focus on the top tier (Cocoa/AppKit).
http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/Cocoa%20Text%20System.html <-- this article shows you 3 OSX config files that operate at an even higher level, letting you script your own mappings. This is documented here.
^ KeyBindingsEditor lets you make the above modifications.
Middle Tier (Quartz)
QuartzEventServicesRef
NSEvent -- specifically Creating Events
A couple of working code examples at this level. However, they all perform the same basic trick of receiving one virtual key code and emitting another. So you could use this technique for example to swap 'a' and 'z'.
Intercept keyboard input in OSX -- leads to Quartz Event Taps
Modify NSEvent to send a different key than the one that was pressed -- Dave De Long provide a working example, also using QET.
https://gist.github.com/wewearglasses/8313195 <-- "Global keyboard hook for OSX" -- another short working demo using QET.
Ukelele lets you choose which Unicode gets associated with a particular key, or Modifier+key. Doesn't allow remapping of modifiers, nor does it disambiguate left from right shift keys etc.
Keyboard input on OSX -- answer points towards addGlobalMonitorForEventsMatchingMask in NSEvent (in AppKit)
Base Tier (IOKit)
IOKitFundamentals <-- Also IOKit ("Interrupt Handling in the I/O Kit... Two types of events trigger an interrupt: ... Asynchronous events, such as keyboard presses")
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/DeviceDrivers/Conceptual/AccessingHardware/AH_Other_APIs/AH_Other_APIs.html
How can Mac OS X games receive low-level keyboard input events? <-- gamers are interested in this!
http://phrack.org/issues/66/16.html#article -- sometimes the hackers present things most clearly, haven't read through this yet. IOKit again, it seems.
More Links...
How do you implement global keyboard hooks in Mac OS X? <-- links to an article.
OS X: Detect system-wide keyDown events? <-- slightly OT as this is just to do with global monitoring, i.e. read-only.
http://www.codeitive.com/7QHSeVjPWq/where-can-i-find-kcgkeyboardeventkeycode-list-of-key-codes-for-cyrillic-language.html
Have you checked out Karabiner (which does all that you want to do.. up till OSX 10.11 .. MacOS 10.12 changed the keyboard driver model, and the authors - mainly Tekezo- are still re writing Karabiner to take account of the new model - this is as of feb 2017)
Karabiner is open source, and you can download the code from Github and twiddle with it.
As part of the re-write they have released Karabiner-elements which works on 10.12 Sierra, but cannot yet do everything that karabiner did.
Karabiner is very powerful, and I miss it greatly on 10.12
Although I have a feeling that this isn't technically possible, it's worth asking anyways. Is it possible to turn on the Macbook Pro's keyboard backlights for individual keys? I am working on a piece of grid-based software which allows the user to navigate around by pressing any key on the keyboard to position the cursor at that point in the grid. It would be very cool if I could somehow just turn on the backlight for certain keys to give the user an easy way to see the current position of the cursor.
Is it even possible for an application to control the keyboard backlighting at all, let alone for individual keys?
Yes, on programs controlling the backlight.
iTunes visualizer that pusles keyboard backlighting to music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUXLkwlF9e8
How to manually adjust (via plugin):
http://osxdaily.com/2006/11/30/how-to-manually-adjust-the-macbook-pro-keyboard-backlight/
Not sure on programs controlling individual keys, but as that would require additional hardware to be installed on Mac's part, i doubt it.
Well after trawling the webs, it looks like the answer to that is no. But I'd like to point out that each key does have its own key- a tiny little LED (same kind they use under phone keypad buttons). Also, I've seen some people saying that flashing these lights on and off repeatedly is bad for them. Bullshit- all digital electronics control light output from LED's by flashing on and off many many times a second. Read up on PWM on wikipedia or something..
Anyways just had to get that out there :)
Thanks,
Nic
How can I find out, which keyboard layout the user of my ruby application is using?
My aim is to have a game, where you can move the player on a map. To go one step down and one step left you press "Y" on a german keyboard. On an American keyboard, you would press "Z". We optimized the game for windows and mac, so I would like a solution for both platforms (and we don't use any command/shift/control-keys).
For Windows, you probably have to use the Windows API GetKeyboardLayout(), unless Ruby provides a wrapper for that.
There are a lot of useful I18n resources for Windows on the MSDN web site.
It might be easier to simply allow them to configure it themselves as a preference if you don't have a good portable way of detecting it.
I think it'll be much easier and naturally to allow users to define keys themselves.
As Alexander recommended, let the user define the keys themselves.
But, if you really want to recognize the layout, you could always ask the user to press keys in certain positions, particular to some layouts.
"Press the second key to the left of the return key. If your return key is two rows high, press the lower one"
[presses ä]
"Looks like you have a scandinavian keyboard"
That, however, is a horrible cludge, and, in the game context, would recommend the custom keymapping method