Keyboard Tweaks

Download: kbtweaks.zip
NB! Update 28/3-2025: Fixed a potential problem with the configuration protocol (see documentation). Any clients (I only know one ATM, Videl Term) will have to be updated.

Keyboard Tweaks is a small tool that allows you customize keyboard behaviour and functionality. It currently lets you do two things:

• Remapping. You can remap any key to any other key. So if you're using a PC keyboard you can move the Control key to it's correct position by remapping the Caps Lock key to Control. Or you can remap Caps Lock on your Atari keyboard to the Milan AltGr, this will allow you to use the AltGr keyboard table.
• Hotkeys. Define any keyboard combination and assign an action to it. Actions are configurable, currently supported action types are..
  • Launch a program with optional arguments.
  • Send a VA_START message to a specified AES application.
  • Send a key combination to a specified running AES application.
  • Send a user defined message to a specified AES application.

In addition it allows you to access Taskbar's (or a compatible program) start menu with a single keypress on a key of your choice.

Keyboard Tweaks needs a recent version of the FreeMiNT kernel and an AES. Tested under XaAES and N.AES, please let me know if you try this under MyAES.

It also requires a properly installed AV-server (e.g. Teradesk or Thing!).

View the Keyboard Tweaks hypertext online (thanks to Thorsten Otto) for more details.

Adjust the included configuration file to your needs/system.

Disclaimer: I've been using this tool on my Falcon060 with MiNT/XaAES for a couple of years without issues. However, that does not mean it works flawlessy on your system. I strongly recommend having memory protection enabled when testing/using this software!

Sample kbtweaks.cnf

# Keyboard Tweaks config file

# Remap keys.
# -----------
# You can remap any key to another scancode, even to non-standard
# scancodes. So you can e.g. remap Caps Lock on your PC keybard to
# Control, to get Control in the correct place. Or create a "Super"
# key, which is a new modifier key which you can use for your 
# hotkeys. Any key can be remapped as "Super", personally I have
# remapped CapsLock on my Atari keyboard and Control on my Milan.

#remap  to 
# ...or
#remap  to 
remap CapsLock to Super
#remap 58 to 55 # Remap CapsLock to unused scancode 55 ("Super" modifier
                # in Keyboard Tweaks).


# Define hotkeys.
# ---------------
# Hotkeys are (almost) always a combination of a modifier key and a regular key.
# Modifier keys:
# - Control
# - LShift (Left shift)
# - RShift (Right shift)
# - Alt
# - AltGr (on Milan and Aranym)
# - Super
# pressed/released determines if the assiociated action is run when the
# key (not modifier key, but the hotkey itsel) is pressed or released.

#Hotkey   action 
#Hotkey Super+m released action Mail
Hotkey Control+Alt+t pressed action Shell
Hotkey Super+e released action Editor
Hotkey Super Startmenu          # Special case - if this key is released and no
                                # other key has been pressed since this key was pressed,
                                # send empty VA_START to $STARTMENU. Use with caution!!

Hotkey Control+Alt+s released action Sysdir
#Hotkey Alt+Help released action screenshot_full
#Hotkey Alt+LShift+Help released action screenshot_win
#Hotkey Alt+RShift+Help released action screenshot_win
#Hotkey Alt+LShift+s released action screenshot_select

# Define actions.
# ---------------
# Actions defines what hotkeys do. Every hotkey needs an action.
# Current available action types:
# - va_start    Sends a VA_START message to the specified recipient.
# - launch_program  Starts the specified program with the (optional) specified arguments.
# - av_sendkey  Sends an AV_SENDKEY message to the specified recipient. Can either
#               forward the hotkey or send a specific key combo.
# - message     Sends a user specified AES message to the specified recipient.

Action Shell va_start "TOSWIN2 " "-l" # Tells TosWin2 to open a user shell
Action Editor launch_program "c:\apps\qed-453\qed.app"
Action Sysdir message "$AVSERVER" AV_OPENWIND,apid,0,avstring("$SYSDIR"),avstring("*.*")
#Action screenshot_full message "XAAESNAP" 0x5355,apid,0,0,0,0,0,0
#Action screenshot_win message "XAAESNAP" 0x5356,apid,0,0,0,0,0,0
#Action screenshot_select message "XAAESNAP" 0x5357,apid,0,0,0,0,0,0