X10 Community Forum
💬General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: msmendel on January 02, 2010, 01:04:23 PM
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I use Wivik or Click N Type or Windows' virtual keyboards. They can't enter text on Active Home Pro. Any ideas?
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You can only use AHP through Windows and it does not accept text. AHP is built only to accept what is done through it.
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I'm confused. I'm typing this with a virtual keyboard, and I'm using Windows. But I can't rename rooms or modules, etc. using one.
I can enter text in all my other apps.
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Apparently there's a bug in AHP (probably from the very first issue of AHP) that won't allow a non-connected keyboard to post text in it. I suspect the problem never came up before.
You can go to WalMart and buy a regular keyboard for about 20 bucks and every PC ever built has a keyboard port.
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Thank you. Unfortunately, due to ALS, I can't use my hands or fingers to type, so I rely on a virtual keyboard.
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Apparently there's a bug in AHP (probably from the very first issue of AHP) that won't allow a non-connected keyboard to post text in it. I suspect the problem never came up before.
Dan, a program (AHP or whatever) should not have a care in the world whether the input it gets is from a physical or a virtual keyboard. A virtual keyboard should activate the same interrupts and act the same as a keyboard that is directly connected to the machine. It could be an issue with the Wivik driver/software.
You can go to WalMart and buy a regular keyboard for about 20 bucks and every PC ever built has a keyboard port.
Not true, and just to clarify. Older computers (mostly pentium 3s and up) pretty much had standard PS2 (the small round connector) keyboard and mouse ports on them, but not so much anymore. PS2 technology is being phased out. Many of your newer computers bought today come standard with USB keyboards and mice and don't even have PS2 ports on them. Heck I started on computers when there were no standards. Many of the early 8086 computers used a large DIN serial connector (round connector bigger than the small round PS2 connectors). Not that we need to date back that far since anything less than a pentium 3 these days would be somewhat useless for anything discussed in these forums.
Dan Bemowski
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Apparently there's a bug in AHP (probably from the very first issue of AHP) that won't allow a non-connected keyboard to post text in it. I suspect the problem never came up before.
Dan, a program (AHP or whatever) should not have a care in the world whether the input it gets is from a physical or a virtual keyboard. A virtual keyboard should activate the same interrupts and act the same as a keyboard that is directly connected to the machine. It could be an issue with the Wivik driver/software.
You can go to WalMart and buy a regular keyboard for about 20 bucks and every PC ever built has a keyboard port.
Not true, and just to clarify. Older computers (mostly pentium 3s and up) pretty much had standard PS2 (the small round connector) keyboard and mouse ports on them, but not so much anymore. PS2 technology is being phased out. Many of your newer computers bought today come standard with USB keyboards and mice and don't even have PS2 ports on them. Heck I started on computers when there were no standards. Many of the early 8086 computers used a large DIN serial connector (round connector bigger than the small round PS2 connectors). Not that we need to date back that far since anything less than a pentium 3 these days would be somewhat useless for anything discussed in these forums.
Dan Bemowski
As to your comment, it was the OP who posted that his wireless keyboard would not enter text (like rename a module from the AHP default) and NOBODY before ever posted that problem. Therefore it must be an unfound/undocumented bug in AHP from Day One.
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Just to clarify, it's a virtual keyboard, not wireless.
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Vivik has a free 30 day trial download. I am in the process of downloading it now to see if I can replicate this issue, but the download is 233MB so it may take a while... Seems like quite a large file for a virtual keyboard.
Knightrider, I was not thinking this was a wireless keyboard, but thanks for the clarification for others.
Dan
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How does a "virtual keyboard" work? Is it connected to the PC in any way?
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It's an onscreen keyboard that is usually operated by moving a mouse and clicking.
Higher end virtual keyboards can be operated with a variety of switching techniques (like single hand/finger keyboards) and even 'puff & sip' pressure switching devices for the severely physically challenged.
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I have downloaded and installed the 30 day trial version of Vivik. BTW it also installs a speech engine which I am guessing is why the file was so large. I went into AHP and tried editing a module. I was able to type in any of the text boxes using Vivik. I then went to one of my rooms and double clicked on the name header of one of my modules. I was also able to type in there.
msmendel, you may want to check in your windows device manager (Start > control panel > system, hardware tab at top, device manager button) see if there are any yellow exclamations next to any devices. It sounds like there is possibly a driver conflict that may be giving you grief.
Dan L., a virtual keyboard is not a device that connects to the computer. It is a software based keyboard that runs on the machine and acts like a normal keyboard. People with disabilities like msmendel can control these with a mouse, joystick, track ball or other device to move the mouse and click on the virtual keys. Whatever is typed is entered into the system just as if it were typed on a physical keyboard.
Dan B.
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Thanks for the information. Sounds like you are satisfied, now to get the full version of Vivik.
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I got this response from tech support:
" I was able to replicate your issue here; I have passed it along to the development team, so it should be addressed in the next software release. ..."
Apparently, it is a software problem.
Thanks all.
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dbemowsk What version of AHP are you running?
I can't get windows on screen keyboard to edit module names either.
Maybe msmendel has a different AHP version and a simple down grade (I suspect) of AHP would cure his issue ???!
Waiting for a simple AHP update Can take years! rofl
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In AHP if I click on help>about it says version 3.236. Not that it should matter, but it shows all my plugins (AHP, Smart Macros, iWatchOut, Myhouse, and OnAlert) as installed and registered. I just tested this again and it is still working. I had AHP open and opened Vivik. I then clicked on one of my modules and double clicked the name header, which then highlighted the name. From there I was able to type a new name without issue. I then tried the same thing with the Windows on-screen keyboard in XP and it worked with that also.
I am running Windows XP Professional with service pack 3 installed and Internet Explorer 8. With that said, some things I would try:
Disconnect all external devices except your keyboard and mouse. Try it then and see if it works. If it does, chances are that a piece of hardware connected to your machine is giving some grief (e.g. taking a needed IRQ). To find out which one, plug your devices in one by one trying the on-screen keyboard after each device is plugged in. If you find that after plugging in a device, the keyboard does not work, unplug that device and continue to see if any remaining devices cause problems.
Check the windows device manager to see if there are any conflicts in there.
Also, check what applications are running and shut down some things to see if it may be a piece of software causing the issue. Being a software based keyboard application, it is possible that it could be conflicting with another app.
Outside of that, I am not sure how much more I can help without seeing the actual issue. I have been a computer hardware tech for over 15 years, I see odd issues all the time. Unfortunately many of the odd ones such as this I have a hard time fixing without being right in front of the machine.
Hope that helps
Dan B.
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I'm using 236. Tried 228 with same result. Vista 64b. Ran with XP compatability mode with same result.
I found I can enter text in Notepad, then cut and paste into AHP.
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msmendel,
Here is something I found on the wivik website for system requirements. ***Windows® XP, 32-bit Vista (Note: 64-bit Vista is not yet supported)***
Part of the problem may be that you are running a 64 bit version of windows vista. There are still a lot of things that don't support the newer 64 bit OSes. The windows on-screen keyboard should work though if it is packaged with a 64 bit version of windows, not sure why that isn't.
I never did like Vista anyway. There were too many bugs and quirks. I am a computer tech for our local school district and we never switched to Vista. We are just starting testing for Windows 7 before we start deploying it to district staff, but things look promising.
I wish I could be more help with your problem, but unfortunately I can't.
Dan B.