Same button for keyboard and mouse?

[JudgeRob]

Using an Ipac Ultimate.  Doesn't seem to have a way to assign keyboard to the button press and mouse button to the shifted button press.  It either has to be keyboard OR mouse.  Is there a work around for this?  I want to just have a shifted button act as the mouse button for the times I might need it.  And I'd rather not have to add another button...

[Nephasth]

What times might you need it?

[yotsuya]

What times might you need it?

Troof.

[AndyWarne]

It should be possible to do this by manually editing the config file. I will look into this.

Andy

[JudgeRob]

I back out of the front end into windows a lot to do other stuff like play music, use other programs, etc.  I may not use the mouse button as much once I have everything set up, but I think I will always need it regularly and I'd like to avoid pulling the mouse out while I have a trackball right there.

[yotsuya]

I use a wireless mouse. Easy peasy.

[Nephasth]

I use a wireless mouse. Easy peasy.

Problem solved. Let's lock this thread up.

[JudgeRob]

Then again with a shifted button, it would be easier peasier.  I don't have a mouse hole for the mouse to live in either.

[pbj]

I've done this.  Enable 'Ease of Access' / mouse keys in Windows, map whatever arcade button you're using to Numpad 5. Done.

Otherwise, get creative with diodes and wiring.




 

[JudgeRob]

Thanks pbj.  I was looking into that.  I was worried that mapping the mouse button to "5" might cause me problems in MAME because wouldn't pressing P1 START also produce a mouse click?  Have you had any issues with that?

Otherwise, get creative with diodes and wiring.

I could do that too.  Did you have something specific in mind?

[jeremymtc]

You don't have to use the keycode for "5" to start, you can use any keycode you want and remap via WinIPAC and/or MAME.

[JudgeRob]

Yeah, I guess I could remap Start to "7".

[pbj]

Would it hurt anything to have the mouse button and push button inputs hit your PC simultaneously?  Probably not.  Why not just run two wires to your button and have one go to the keyboard input and the other to the mouse input on the Ultimarc board?

[JudgeRob]

Hmmm, that's an idea.  I'll have to think about that.  I would just have to splice the return to another port on the ipac.  The second port could be set as mouse.  If I can set it to left mouse click only when shifted and nothing when not shifted...  Then the first port assigned to a keystroke and nothing when shifted...

Good idea.  I'll try it out when I get home. 

[PL1]

If I can set it to left mouse click only when shifted and nothing when not shifted...

If you can't set it to nothing when not shifted, you can use an NAND gate with negated inputs.

This circuit only outputs a low (ground) when both inputs are low.

You could build this from a 74LS00 NAND gate and a 74LS04 hex inverter to invert the inputs.


Scott

[JudgeRob]

All right, now we're talking!    I didn't get to test it last night, but I will tonight.  Thanks PL1.

[pbj]

Or just remap MAME to work with that button acting as a mouse button.....

[PL1]

All right, now we're talking!    I didn't get to test it last night, but I will tonight.  Thanks PL1.

LMK if you don't have those ICs on-hand.

I can test the circuit for you using a 74LS02 NOR in place of the 74LS04 hex inverter -- there are several ways to wire it so the logic tables work out the same.   


Scott

[JudgeRob]

OK, it works the easy way!  Thanks guys.  Since I only have a 2p system I have lots of extra ports to work with.  Here's the deal:  Simply splice a button to feed back into 2 separate ports.  Port 1 will have whatever keyboard stroke you want (ie "G").  Port 1 shifted should be "cleared".  Port 2 will have the shifted function as "left mouse".  Unfortunately, unlike the shifted functions, the ipac software will not let you leave a port's primary function clear, so I set it as "middle 2".  I haven't fully vetted it, but I doubt a middle mouse button 2 will affect anything if inadvertently pressed (it will be pressed anytime there is a normal button press to activate "G").

It is important to clear the shifted function of Port 1.  A mouse click does not work well in windows when pressed simultaneously with a letter. 

So I'm stoked.  No need for extra buttons or mice crawling around.  Thanks for your creative takes.