RE: Which key is down?
Alan Beattie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> replied to my post on this subject as follows: >On 21/2/01 3:19 pm, John Kiltinen at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >> I have a button on a stack which, when pressed, opens an answer dialog >> offering the user three options, "A", "B", or "C". I would like to speed >> up the process by allowing the experienced user to bypass the dialog by >> holding down the key for one of these letters on the keyboard while >> pressing the button, which will result in going directly to the chosen >> option. >> >> Surely this is easily done, but I can't figure out how. I've experimented >> with the keyDown message, but holding a key down for awhile sends multiple >> copies of this message, analogous to getting repeated a's while holding the >> "a" key down when typing. This will complicate matters. > >Hi John, to do this, you could try putting the following in your button >script: >--- >global gKeyState > >on mouseUp > switch gKeyState > case "a" >-- do things associated with button "A" here >break > case "b" >-- do things associated with button "B" here >break > case "c" >-- do things associated with button "C" here >break > default >modal [your dialog name] >break > end switch >end mouseUp >--- >and this in your card script: >--- >global gKeyState >local lResult > >on keyDown pKey > put pKey into gKeyState > if lResult is not in the pendingMessages then send "varBlank" to me in 200 >milliseconds > put the result into lResult >end keyDown > >on varBlank > put empty into gKeyState >end varBlank >--- Thanks, Alan. Since I get the messages to this list in the digest form, I had already built a solution to my problem based upon the information I was lacking that Monte Goulding gave in his post. However it reassuring to see that a MetaCard pro at Runrev came up with essentially the same method that I did. One new thing that I learned from your script here was the existence of the "switch" control structure. I have not run across this before. (I could have used it a few weeks ago to greatly simplify a script that needed lots of "if...then..else" controls.) The major difference between our solutions is that I have the keyDown handler in script for the button, and this seems to work fine on both the Mac OS and Windows platforms. As I mentioned, I discovered that when the autoarm property of the button is set to true, the button can receive the keyboard focus, but not when it is false. Alan, you added a script for using a commandKeyDown handler to do this job: >> I've noted that while a button does not normally accept the keyboard focus, >> if its autoarm property is set to true, it will. Thus, a keyDown message >> could be sent to the button. But my problem is that I haven't found the >> secret of telling WHICH key is down. (There ought to be a function that >> gives this information, but what is it?) > >I think this function is on the feature request list. In the meantime if you >want to make things easier and make your application function in a more >standard manner you could use keyboard combinations to achieve the effect >you want by putting something like the following in your card script: > >on controlKeyDown pKey -- or you could use commandKeyDown > switch pKey > case "a" >-- do things associated with button "A" here >break > case "b" >-- do things associated with button "B" here >break > case "c" >-- do things associated with button "C" here >break > default >modal [your dialog name] >break > end switch >end controlKeyDown > >Cheers, > >Alan > >Alan Beattie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <http://www.runrev.com/> >Runtime Revolution Limited (Formerly Cross Worlds Computing) >Tel: +44 (0)131 672 2909. Fax: +44 (0)1639 830 707. This demonstrates how MetaCard, with all the generality built into it, provides multiple ways of getting a job done. However in my situation, associating the command-A keystroke combination with "A" functionality would create ambiguity. My program gives the user the capability of programming macro buttons which are labeled "A", "B", and "C". There is a button the user presses to start the programming process for any of these buttons, and another to review the steps that are programmed already into any of them. There are separate buttons labeled with these letters to execute the marcos, and
RE: Which key is down?
In reply to my inquiry about which key is down when a keyDown message is sent, "Monte Goulding" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >I'm not quite sure that this is the answer you want but the keydown handler >has a parameter that is the key pressed. on keydown x will put the key >pressed into x Bingo!! Thanks, Monte. I knew this was an easy question. I just did not know MetaCard's syntax for passing parameters (arguments) with messages. It is frustrating that little details like this are so hard to find in MetaCard's documentation. I have now worked out a strategy for coordinating keyDown and mouseUp handlers in the script for this button that gets the job done. (I found that I needed to move the letter into another global variable to pass it from the keyDown handler to the mouseUp handler as the variable "x" used to receive the letter did not seem to work for this purpose.) John Kiltinen My original question: >> I have a button on a stack which, when pressed, opens an answer dialog >> offering the user three options, "A", "B", or "C". I would like to speed >> up the process by allowing the experienced user to bypass the dialog by >> holding down the key for one of these letters on the keyboard while >> pressing the button, which will result in going directly to the chosen >> option. >> >> Surely this is easily done, but I can't figure out how. I've experimented >> with the keyDown message, but holding a key down for awhile sends multiple >> copies of this message, analogous to getting repeated a's while >> holding the >> "a" key down when typing. This will complicate matters. >> >> I've noted that while a button does not normally accept the >> keyboard focus, >> if its autoarm property is set to true, it will. Thus, a keyDown message >> could be sent to the button. But my problem is that I haven't found the >> secret of telling WHICH key is down. (There ought to be a function that >> gives this information, but what is it?) >> >> Assuming I can tell which key is down, will there be any problem >> coordinating the processing of keyDown and mouseUp messages by >> the handlers >> for this button? >> >> This ought to be an easy exercise for anyone who knows MetaCard well. >> Help, anyone? >> >> John Kiltinen John Kiltinen ([EMAIL PROTECTED])Home Office Professor, Dept. of Math. & CS Tel.(906) 228-8035 or (906) 227-1600 Northern Michigan University Fax (906) 228-4667 or (906) 2272010 Marquette, MI 49855 USA Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/metacard@lists.runrev.com/ Info: http://www.xworlds.com/metacard/mailinglist.htm Please send bug reports to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, not this list.
Re: Which key is down?
On 21/2/01 3:19 pm, John Kiltinen at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I have a button on a stack which, when pressed, opens an answer dialog > offering the user three options, "A", "B", or "C". I would like to speed > up the process by allowing the experienced user to bypass the dialog by > holding down the key for one of these letters on the keyboard while > pressing the button, which will result in going directly to the chosen > option. > > Surely this is easily done, but I can't figure out how. I've experimented > with the keyDown message, but holding a key down for awhile sends multiple > copies of this message, analogous to getting repeated a's while holding the > "a" key down when typing. This will complicate matters. Hi John, to do this, you could try putting the following in your button script: --- global gKeyState on mouseUp switch gKeyState case "a" -- do things associated with button "A" here break case "b" -- do things associated with button "B" here break case "c" -- do things associated with button "C" here break default modal [your dialog name] break end switch end mouseUp --- and this in your card script: --- global gKeyState local lResult on keyDown pKey put pKey into gKeyState if lResult is not in the pendingMessages then send "varBlank" to me in 200 milliseconds put the result into lResult end keyDown on varBlank put empty into gKeyState end varBlank --- > I've noted that while a button does not normally accept the keyboard focus, > if its autoarm property is set to true, it will. Thus, a keyDown message > could be sent to the button. But my problem is that I haven't found the > secret of telling WHICH key is down. (There ought to be a function that > gives this information, but what is it?) I think this function is on the feature request list. In the meantime if you want to make things easier and make your application function in a more standard manner you could use keyboard combinations to achieve the effect you want by putting something like the following in your card script: on controlKeyDown pKey -- or you could use commandKeyDown switch pKey case "a" -- do things associated with button "A" here break case "b" -- do things associated with button "B" here break case "c" -- do things associated with button "C" here break default modal [your dialog name] break end switch end controlKeyDown Cheers, Alan Alan Beattie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <http://www.runrev.com/> Runtime Revolution Limited (Formerly Cross Worlds Computing) Tel: +44 (0)131 672 2909. Fax: +44 (0)1639 830 707. Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/metacard@lists.runrev.com/ Info: http://www.xworlds.com/metacard/mailinglist.htm Please send bug reports to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, not this list.
Re: Which key is down?
On 21/2/01 3:19 pm, John Kiltinen at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I have a button on a stack which, when pressed, opens an answer dialog > offering the user three options, "A", "B", or "C". I would like to speed > up the process by allowing the experienced user to bypass the dialog by > holding down the key for one of these letters on the keyboard while > pressing the button, which will result in going directly to the chosen > option. > > Surely this is easily done, but I can't figure out how. I've experimented > with the keyDown message, but holding a key down for awhile sends multiple > copies of this message, analogous to getting repeated a's while holding the > "a" key down when typing. This will complicate matters. Hi John, to do this, you could try putting the following in your button script: --- global gKeyState on mouseUp switch gKeyState case "a" -- do things associated with button "A" here break case "b" -- do things associated with button "B" here break case "c" -- do things associated with button "C" here break default modal [your dialog name] break end switch end mouseUp --- and this in your card script: --- global gKeyState local lResult on keyDown pKey put pKey into gKeyState if lResult is not in the pendingMessages then send "varBlank" to me in 200 milliseconds put the result into lResult end keyDown on varBlank put empty into gKeyState end varBlank --- > I've noted that while a button does not normally accept the keyboard focus, > if its autoarm property is set to true, it will. Thus, a keyDown message > could be sent to the button. But my problem is that I haven't found the > secret of telling WHICH key is down. (There ought to be a function that > gives this information, but what is it?) I think this function is on the feature request list. In the meantime if you want to make things easier and make your application function in a more standard manner you could use keyboard combinations to achieve the effect you want by putting something like the following in your card script: on controlKeyDown pKey -- or you could use commandKeyDown switch pKey case "a" -- do things associated with button "A" here break case "b" -- do things associated with button "B" here break case "c" -- do things associated with button "C" here break default modal [your dialog name] break end switch end controlKeyDown Cheers, Alan Alan Beattie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <http://www.runrev.com/> Runtime Revolution Limited (Formerly Cross Worlds Computing) Tel: +44 (0)131 672 2909. Fax: +44 (0)1639 830 707. Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/metacard@lists.runrev.com/ Info: http://www.xworlds.com/metacard/mailinglist.htm Please send bug reports to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, not this list.
RE: Which key is down?
I'm not quite sure that this is the answer you want but the keydown handler has a parameter that is the key pressed. on keydown x will put the key pressed into x > I have a button on a stack which, when pressed, opens an answer dialog > offering the user three options, "A", "B", or "C". I would like to speed > up the process by allowing the experienced user to bypass the dialog by > holding down the key for one of these letters on the keyboard while > pressing the button, which will result in going directly to the chosen > option. > > Surely this is easily done, but I can't figure out how. I've experimented > with the keyDown message, but holding a key down for awhile sends multiple > copies of this message, analogous to getting repeated a's while > holding the > "a" key down when typing. This will complicate matters. > > I've noted that while a button does not normally accept the > keyboard focus, > if its autoarm property is set to true, it will. Thus, a keyDown message > could be sent to the button. But my problem is that I haven't found the > secret of telling WHICH key is down. (There ought to be a function that > gives this information, but what is it?) > > Assuming I can tell which key is down, will there be any problem > coordinating the processing of keyDown and mouseUp messages by > the handlers > for this button? > > This ought to be an easy exercise for anyone who knows MetaCard well. > Help, anyone? > > John Kiltinen > > > > John Kiltinen ([EMAIL PROTECTED])Home Office > Professor, Dept. of Math. & CS Tel.(906) 228-8035 or (906) 227-1600 > Northern Michigan University Fax (906) 228-4667 or (906) 2272010 > Marquette, MI 49855 USA > > > > > Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/metacard@lists.runrev.com/ > Info: http://www.xworlds.com/metacard/mailinglist.htm > Please send bug reports to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, not this list. > > Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/metacard@lists.runrev.com/ Info: http://www.xworlds.com/metacard/mailinglist.htm Please send bug reports to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, not this list.
Which key is down?
I have a button on a stack which, when pressed, opens an answer dialog offering the user three options, "A", "B", or "C". I would like to speed up the process by allowing the experienced user to bypass the dialog by holding down the key for one of these letters on the keyboard while pressing the button, which will result in going directly to the chosen option. Surely this is easily done, but I can't figure out how. I've experimented with the keyDown message, but holding a key down for awhile sends multiple copies of this message, analogous to getting repeated a's while holding the "a" key down when typing. This will complicate matters. I've noted that while a button does not normally accept the keyboard focus, if its autoarm property is set to true, it will. Thus, a keyDown message could be sent to the button. But my problem is that I haven't found the secret of telling WHICH key is down. (There ought to be a function that gives this information, but what is it?) Assuming I can tell which key is down, will there be any problem coordinating the processing of keyDown and mouseUp messages by the handlers for this button? This ought to be an easy exercise for anyone who knows MetaCard well. Help, anyone? John Kiltinen John Kiltinen ([EMAIL PROTECTED])Home Office Professor, Dept. of Math. & CS Tel.(906) 228-8035 or (906) 227-1600 Northern Michigan University Fax (906) 228-4667 or (906) 2272010 Marquette, MI 49855 USA Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/metacard@lists.runrev.com/ Info: http://www.xworlds.com/metacard/mailinglist.htm Please send bug reports to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, not this list.
