USB numpad: same key, different key?

[bumblebomb]

when I attach a USB numpad, will the "1" key there be another "1" than on my regular keyboard, i.e. will DCS tell the devices apart?

Idea is to have one for entering nav data, say for F-14 RIO and the likes.

 

(Wouldn't mind device recommendations either :) )

[Rick50]

I believe most USB devices get assigned unique device identifier, so that in the case of an external numpad, you can usually assign a different macro / function to the seemingly "same key". And just put a new label on the key top.

 

BUT... I believe that SOME numpads have a "protected" function built in that will prevent you from doing reassigning. So its best to check before you buy. I don't recall the official term for this, and the same may apply to full size keyboards too.

[Sokol1_br]

if don't work, try this program that allow use two keyboards simultaneous, without key press in one send the same of another.

 

http://www.2112design.com/blog/multi-keyboard-remapper/

 

Discussion about starting there: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=2622956#post2622956

 

BTW - This was subject to a (failed) Kickstarter for a GUI development:

[Ala12Rv-Tundra]

Interesting

[Thermal]

Windows can not differentiate between keyboards. Same with the mouse. The OS "sees" a click or a button press and does not care what device it comes from.

As Sokol says, some some specific utilities can tell the difference by looking at USB unique identifier and probably trying to read the raw key state directly, not looking at the normal Win10 input stack.

 

 

In any event, once you can differentiate between keys with some software, you need to get that software to re-map one keypad because DCS does not understand two keyboards.

 

 

You probably want something like this: https://www.amazon.com.au/Koolertron-Single-Handed-Programmable-Mechanical-Keyboard/dp/B076LYKPX4/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=programmable+keypad&qid=1558521216&s=gateway&sr=8-2

 

 

No software needed at runtime or in-game, and its portable between computers once you've programmed it. Also google X-keys or StreamDeck.

[bumblebomb]

What about MIDI pads? Usable? Can DCS read those?

[Ranma13]

No, MIDI devices use the MIDI protocol. You'll need to convert it to a HID somehow to get it to work with DCS. I'm not aware of any software-only solutions to do this.

[hansangb]

when I attach a USB numpad, will the "1" key there be another "1" than on my regular keyboard, i.e. will DCS tell the devices apart?

Idea is to have one for entering nav data, say for F-14 RIO and the likes.

 

(Wouldn't mind device recommendations either :) )

 

 

Keyboards are keyboards. However, USB devices that mimic keyboards are treated uniquely. So I have a Razer Chroma Tartarus where each key can be configured to mimic a keyboard key, a DX press, etc.

[Thermal]

FreePie + vJoy can do MIDI-->Direct Input

 

 

Beta(?) UCR builds can do MIDI input: https://github.com/Snoothy/UCR

[Rafalsky]

Any one tried this

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69169.0

[Ant0ine]

https://github.com/evilC/AutoHotInterception

 

I think we can also use UCR (from the same dev) with the interception driver. This will allow us to remap keyboard/mouse independently individually as with AHI, but using UCR we can remap to Vjoy button/axes, which is much better than remapping to crazy keyboard shortcut.