FS-UAE: function keys and key reassignment

[mr_a500]

How can I use function keys in the emulation? My function keys are assigned for Mac functions and when I press the keys in the emulation, the Mac function is done instead. Is there a way to override that when in the emulation (similar to mouse) or is there a way to re-assign keys?

Also, the FS-UAE menu comes up on pressing F12. My keyboard doesn't have an F12 (IBM Model F). Is there a way to remap that key? If not, where in the source should I look to manually change it?

Edit: corrected menu/launcher confusion

[FrodeSolheim]

Hi, well first of all, if this is a laptop keyboard (or perhaps it applies to all keyboards on OS X?), you need to either
- toggle the Fn-lock key (if there is one), or
- Use use Fn key in combination with the F-key, or
- Change a system setting so the F-keys are really F-keys and not brightness/volume keys etc.
(I assume this was not what you were thinking of, but for completeness...)

Secondly, some function keys are used for special purposes in OS X (dashboard / expose / whatever). These keys are intercepted before FS-UAE gets them, so this is out of FS-UAE's control. But you can:
- Disable these functions in system settings, or
- Run FS-UAE fullscreen, as these OS X key shortcut grab only applies when in desktop mode.

About re-assigning keys: you can configure other keyboard keys to press the Amiga function keys if necessary. See http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/input-mapping and http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/input-actionsFor example:

keyboard_key_q = action_key_f1

Additional notes:
- The F12 key does not bring up FS-UAE Launcher, but the internal FS-UAE Menu.
- Edit: removed incorrect statement.
- FS-UAE Launcher is not compiled. It is a pure python program and can even be run without installation. But you need required Python libraries installed of course.
- I didn't understand the mouse reference

[mr_a500]

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Hi, well first of all, if this is a laptop keyboard (or perhaps it applies to all keyboards on OS X?), you need to either
- toggle the Fn-lock key (if there is one), or
- Use use Fn key in combination with the F-key, or
- Change a system setting so the F-keys are really F-keys and not brightness/volume keys etc.
(I assume this was not what you were thinking of, but for completeness...)

As I said, it's an IBM Model F. There is no Fn key.

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

About re-assigning keys: you can configure other keyboard keys to press the Amiga function keys if necessary. See http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/input-mapping and http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/input-actionsFor example:

keyboard_key_q = action_key_f1

I'll check that out. What I'd like to do is something like Apple Command + Function key = Amiga function key. (or shift + function or ctrl + function)

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Additional notes:
- The F12 key does not bring up FS-UAE Launcher, but the internal FS-UAE Menu.
- The F11 key will also open the same menu. So you can use either F11 or F12.
- FS-UAE Launcher is not compiled. It is a pure python program and can even be run without installation. But you need required Python libraries installed of course.

I pressed F11 (numeric 0 remapped as F11) and all it did was toggle between a bunch of different scalings/aspect ratios.

[FrodeSolheim]

Regarding the function key mapping, you should be able to do for example:

keyboard_key_shift_f1 = action_key_f1

(It seems I have forgot to document this... Also, instead of just using shift here, you can also insert ctrl, ctrl_shift, ctrl_shift_alt, ctrl_alt, shift_alt and alt).

The downside of this is that the shift key press will be sent to the Amiga before the function key press -which may be undesirable. I think I will implement an action_none setting, so you can also specify something like this:

keyboard_key_rshift = action_none

In this case, you should be able to use right shift + function key without the right shift key press itself being sent to the Amiga (or you could do this with left shift, this was just an example). This works because keyboard_key_shift_* will trigger on both left and right shift combinations.

You're right about the F11 key, I must be too tired ;-) (F11 and F12 can be both used as modifier key for FS-UAE shortcuts though). Ideally, I'll fix it so it can be remapped with "action_menu", but it's currently hardcoded. The key can be reprogrammed in the "handle_shortcut" function in libfsemu/src/emu/input.c.

[mr_a500]

Excellent. Thanks!

[mr_a500]

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Regarding the function key mapping, you should be able to do for example:

keyboard_key_shift_f1 = action_key_f1

(It seems I have forgot to document this... Also, instead of just using shift here, you can also insert ctrl, ctrl_shift, ctrl_shift_alt, ctrl_alt, shift_alt and alt).

Unfortunately, this doesn't work. No modifier keys work. I can do unmodified keys like: keyboard_key_q = action_key_f1 - but that doesn't really help me.

(unrelated little annoying bug - when running FS-UAE from dock icon, Mac pointer stays on centre of emulation window (doesn't disappear like it should). This doesn't happen when running FS-UAE from finder.)

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by mr_a500

Unfortunately, this doesn't work. No modifier keys work. I can do unmodified keys like: keyboard_key_q = action_key_f1 - but that doesn't really help me.

(unrelated little annoying bug - when running FS-UAE from dock icon, Mac pointer stays on centre of emulation window (doesn't disappear like it should). This doesn't happen when running FS-UAE from finder.)

I just tested the following:

keyboard_key_shift_q = action_key_f10

with the game Desert Strike, and Shift Q did indeed open the (F10) menu.

Perhaps FS-UAE was not configured correctly? If you attach FS-UAE.log, I can see what settings you have used.

I have not heard about the pointer issue, but I will register the issue at http://code.google.com/p/fs-uae/issues/list so I remember to check it out.

[mr_a500]

I looked at the log and I think I see the problem. It says it can't find the config file for keyboard. I thought all config options were supposed to be added to the Default.fs-uae file, but do keyboard options go into a keyboard config file? What filename is it looking for? (so I can create it)

[FrodeSolheim]

No, the messages you're referring to are regarding the config file for (keyboard) joystick emulation (which it does not seem to find?). The general key mapping system does not have anything to do with this.

From the log file, it appears that "keyboard_key_shift_q = action_key_f1" is correctly configured, so Shift+Q should result in a F1 Amiga key press. I can perform a test on a Mac later, in case it is a platform-specific problem

[mr_a500]

I changed the code to open the menu on F11 instead of F12 and I'm happy with that. Now I just need the function key remapping to work. Modifier keys don't seem to work.

[mr_a500]

I've also noticed that some keys seem to be hardcoded to strange mappings. Reassigning them in the config file has no effect.

On the numeric keypad:
7 = "("
9 = ")"
1 = Help
3 = Right Amiga

I'd like these keys to be the same as Amiga numeric keypad so that:
7 = Home
9 = PgUp
1 = End
3 = PgDn

[FrodeSolheim]

Yes, the keys are hardcoded, but hopefully not to "strange mappings". FS-UAE uses the "scancode" (or the closest it gets from the OS) to map the keys against Amiga keys, and does not use translated key codes from the OS.

If you have a non-standard keyboard (I don't know how this old keyboard of yours is hooked yet), perhaps the key codes are wildly different -but that it still works well with normal use because you have a OS keyboard map which maps correctly to translated keys? Does this make any sense to you? What kind of "keyboard type" have you configured in the OS?

If this is the problem, possible solutions include:
- Supporting loadable key maps, so a custom mapping between key codes and Amiga keys can be specified.
- An option in FS-UAE to use translated key codes instead of untranslated ones (a less ideal solution, but should work fairly well).

[mr_a500]

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Yes, the keys are hardcoded, but hopefully not to "strange mappings". FS-UAE uses the "scancode" (or the closest it gets from the OS) to map the keys against Amiga keys, and does not use translated key codes from the OS.

If you have a non-standard keyboard (I don't know how this old keyboard of yours is hooked yet), perhaps the key codes are wildly different -but that it still works well with normal use because you have a OS keyboard map which maps correctly to translated keys? Does this make any sense to you?

I see what you're getting at - that my strange keyboard is sending strange scancodes that are producing strange results... but what does a "normal" PC keyboard do in FS-UAE when you press numeric keypad "7" with numlock off? (I have no "normal" keyboard to test with )

I don't know why any keys are hardcoded. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of custom input mapping? (...unless you're saying that the keys are hardcoded but can be overridden by custom input mapping - and mine didn't work because the key I am trying to override is not the key that FS-UAE sees... is that what you're saying?)

[FrodeSolheim]

Yes, that is kind of what I suggested, but I didn't suggest that it didn't work in other programs which uses translated key codes (which is the normal).

FS-UAE uses "physical key mapping" so keymaps will work probably inside Amiga, and also, for custom input mapping, the key names in configurations will then be independent of the key map chosen in your OS preferences.

You can enable some extra debug output by setting the following environment variable:

export FS_DEBUG_INPUT=1

and then run FS-UAE. You can also run fs-uae with --stdout to also output log to stdout, so can run FS-UAE from the console and see the log output as you press keys.

I'll have to dig out the Mac and check what key codes i get when pressing those keys (I could check the source code of course, but better to check with an actual keyboard in case I've registered keys incorrectly).

[mr_a500]

OK, I did the FS_DEBUG_INPUT:

SDL key sym 278 mod 0 scancode 115 state 1
--> key_code 278 key_mod 0 state 1: "HOME"
  = press (index 28950) => input event 200
SDL key sym 278 mod 0 scancode 115 state 0
--> key_code 278 key_mod 0 state 0: "HOME"
  = press (index 28950) => input event 200
SDL key sym 280 mod 0 scancode 116 state 1
--> key_code 280 key_mod 0 state 1: "PAGEUP"
  = press (index 28952) => input event 201
SDL key sym 280 mod 0 scancode 116 state 0
--> key_code 280 key_mod 0 state 0: "PAGEUP"
  = press (index 28952) => input event 201
SDL key sym 281 mod 0 scancode 121 state 1
--> key_code 281 key_mod 0 state 1: "PAGEDOWN"
  = press (index 28953) => input event 146
SDL key sym 281 mod 0 scancode 121 state 0
--> key_code 281 key_mod 0 state 0: "PAGEDOWN"
  = press (index 28953) => input event 146

It looks right to me. I was pressing numeric 7 (HOME), 9 (PAGEUP) and 3 (PAGEDOWN).

[FrodeSolheim]

This is what happens when I press keypad "7", both with numlock on and off on Mac:

SDL key sym 263 mod 0 scancode 89 state 1
--> key_code 263 key_mod 0 state 1: "KP7"
  = press (index 28935) => input event 192

The first line is what FS-UAE gets from SDL.
The line beginning with --> shows the calculated values FS-UAE will use further, along with the "FS-UAE" key name ("KP7" in this case), and the last line shows the Amiga input event that is generated, if any.

(It is true that FS-UAE tries to use physical key mapping, but the keys on the numpad (on OS X) actually uses the translated key codes from SDL, since these keys are generally not changed by keymaps).

[FrodeSolheim]

Actually, when I think about it, since the keys on the numpad uses the translated key codes in this case, it is probably affected by the num lock key... (num lock on my PC keyboard here does not have any effect on my Mac laptop).

The reason I left out the numpad from the "scancode" mapping was probably because I don't have a real Mac keyboard, and thus wouldn't know if the scancodes would be different from my PC keyboard...

[mr_a500]

OK - I got it. I have to do "keyboard_key_home = action_key_np_7". I was doing keyboard_key_kp7 before.

That solves that little problem. Now I just have the modifier problem. I'll check with the debug.

Then I have to get Help mapped to Amiga Help. (yes, I have an actual "Help" key on my IBM AT keyboard! ...oh the thrill of it... )

[mr_a500]

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

This is what happens when I press keypad "7", both with numlock on and off on Mac:

SDL key sym 263 mod 0 scancode 89 state 1
--> key_code 263 key_mod 0 state 1: "KP7"
  = press (index 28935) => input event 192

That's weird because mine returns "HOME". So that means if I had a "normal" Mac keyboard, the keys would have worked... normally.

Thanks for checking!

[FrodeSolheim]

For reference, here's what happens if I use the option keyboard_key_shift_q = action_key_f1 and press Q while either left or right shift key is pressed (on Mac):

- key code set to 113 (was 113) based on scancode 12
--> key_code 113 key_mod 3 state 1: "Q"
  = press (index 30833) => input event 129

(The "Q" means that the host Q key was pressed, and 129 is the input event for Amiga F1 key).

Regarding the HELP key, please send me the output while you press it