Really need "ALT" help

[MPTech]

I'm not sure what caused it, but my ALT key has started causing the WinXP Start Menu to pop up.

A couple weeks ago, some friends were playing my Cab and kept losing focus of the fighting game.  We traced it to when they hit the "kick" button (Left Alt key) on the control panel. (I'm utilizing an X-Arcade CP).  I confirmed this by hitting the Left Alt Key on the Keyboard.  It brings up the Start menu and loses focus of the game.
I tried the handicap settings (ie: sticky keys & such) and couldn't find anything (if someone can point me to a specific window / setting, I'll verify it).  I also tried disconnecting the CP.  As a last ditch effort (I had some other compelling reasons as well) I installed a new Hard Drive and reloaded the OS and re-installed MAME, MAMEWAH, VisualPinball, FuturePinball, SNES, SEGA, and Atari EMUs.  I thought for sure that would fix it, so I was EXTREMELY disappointed when it re-appeared.

(one thing I need to confirm is if the right ALT key does the same thing, I forgot to check)

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!

MPTech

[MPTech]

25 reads, no replies!


I said please!!!

[leapinlew]

just remap it to a different key... geez.

[leapinlew]

Step 1. Get a tissue and dry your eyes.
Step 2. Remap the button using X-arcades instructions (on their site)
Step 3. Tell mame that buttonX is now using the newly mapped key

[bleemus]

Either remap the key on the xarcade pcb or remap it in windows using info from here.

And stop being so pushy... people have better things to do during the day than to answer your questions.  If your question doesn't get answered within a day, then maybe bump it... but don't complain after your post has only been up a few hours... working hours at that.

[MYX]

wow dude, 2 you gave us 2 hours and your already miffed? The alt button is not going to interfere with the second coming is it?  Some folks like myself work. I read this and just wanna barf. 

[MPTech]

Wow, sorry I asked.

I wasn't flaming anyone.  My point was that 25 people read it and no-one responded.

Please accept my apologies and don't take it personally.   I've always had a very positive response from this forum.


I want to fix the problem (Alt key causing a Start menu).  I realize I can re-map it.

 

[davieboynj]

alt-enter opens the start menu.  is enter mapped on your control panel?

edit:  WRONG!  Read Peale's comment below. 

[hypernova]

What's with people's impatience nowadays? 

The 25 who read it first didn't have a definitive answer, or even a conjectural one.  Why is that so hard to understand?

No I'm not just talking about you.  Just within the last few weeks someone made a topic, and gave themselves a very similar "bump".  Jiminychristmas...

[97thruhiker]

What's with people's impatience nowadays? 

The 25 who read it first didn't have a definitive answer, or even a conjectural one.  Why is that so hard to understand?

No I'm not just talking about you.  Just within the last few weeks someone made a topic, and gave themselves a very similar "bump".  Jiminychristmas...

Yeah I've noticed that also.  I was one of the first 25 who viewed your message.  I did not reply because I was at work and did not want to log into this site on the state's computer. 

With that said have you tried to plug another keyboard into your computer to see if its a windows problem or a problem with your encoder?  If another keyboard gives you the same problem then I would suggest it is a windows issue.  If it does not then your X-Arcade's encoder might have a problem.

[SirPeale]

alt-enter opens the start menu.  is enter mapped on your control panel?

Control-ESC opens the start menu.  Alt-Enter will toggle fullscreen mode.

[leapinlew]

I wasn't flaming anyone.  My point was that 25 people read it and no-one responded.

Did you want them to respond with a "I don't know"? I mean, lets think about this. Your topic is "Really need "ALT" help". What does that mean? I don't know, I suppose someone would have to read it to find out... Did you want 25 messages and no solution?

I want to fix the problem (Alt key causing a Start menu).  I realize I can re-map it.

In the computer world... fixing the problem alot of times means finding an alternate way around the problem opposed to banging your head trying to solve it. Using Alt, Enter, Cntrl, Esc, Function and Shift will cause problems in windows a lot. If you knew remapping was a potential solution, why look further? To avoid problems many of us do not use those keys to begin with.

Now, the big issue here is that in the last week we've had 3 people on the board who have started crying for help after posting their question and only waiting a few hours. You just happened to come along at the wrong time.

[Mr Ironpants]

I agree that a work around is not always as good as it gets in the computer game but the article provided by bleemus is sorta of an Uber workaround and it will work.

I really can't think of any reason for left alt to be mapped to the windows key.  Does your machine have a windows key and if not try a different keyboard? 

Is it really mapped to the windows key.  Try a left alt + l and see if it locks the computer if it does than your XP is automagically mapping that key to the windows key and the only solution will be to change the scan code.  We have had to do this on several older servers in the office.

By the way, why haven't you responded to me while I am typing this

Sorry couldn't resist.

[BlinKY1337]

Step 1. Get a tissue and dry your eyes.
Step 2. Remap the button using X-arcades instructions (on their site)
Step 3. Tell mame that buttonX is now using the newly mapped key

 

[Mario]

Does the X-Arcade CP have a key which is mapped to the ESC key? Maybe this is stuck on. If so, the ALT key is maybe the only other key that, when combined wtih the ESC, causes something to happen. Check the button, or open the CP and disconnect the wire to that button and see if it helps.

Hope it helps.

Mario

[MaximRecoil]

alt-enter opens the start menu.  is enter mapped on your control panel?

Control-ESC opens the start menu.  Alt-Enter will toggle fullscreen mode.

Alt+Enter will also open the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" dialog box if there is no window in focus when you do it.

[hanelyp]

To verify, you're playing on a keyboard?  Have you tried a different keyboard?  My initial guess is that your alt button has somehow been remapped in the encoder to the windows key, or the key matrix is damaged and the system key is shorted when the alt is pressed.

[miles2912]

Start - Control Panel - Accessability Options.  Turn off sticky keys.  See if that helps.

D-

[MPTech]

I have a work-around ( I remapped the button2 on the X-Arcade Control Panel to the letter "B" on the keyboard, then altered the .cfg file in MAME).  The Keyboard Alt key still opens the start menu, but I'm not using the keyboard, so it's a workaround (the problem has still not been fixed). 
BTW, just to let you know where I'm coming from,  I've been in IT for 20+ years, I have an undergraduate & graduate degree in Business/MIS/IT/Computer Science, taught undergraduate and graduate MIS/IT courses for 5 years, programmed for 10+ years and I'm an IT project manager with 100 people reporting to me in a matrix organization.  I understand computer work-arounds and alternate ways, I compromise and mitigate problems on a daily basis. I was looking for how to diagnose and resolve the problem.   

I want this to be a temporary solution.  I don't want to remap every emulator I'm running (currently 5 others with more coming).

To answer a couple questions:
hanelyp: I'm not playing on a keyboard, with the X-Arcade, the keyboard is plugged into the Control Panel and encodes the KB keys (I'm assuming this is how the other CP encoders work too (IPAC??)).  I already tried swapping out the keyboard, same issue. what I have not tried yet is by-passing the CP and plugging the KB directly into the PC. (I have to pull out the Arcade from the wall to get to the back of the PC, not an easy task on carpet.) but, I do want to try it to identify the source of the problem.

miles2912: sticky keys was turned off as part of the re-installation of all of the arcade stuff, when I reloaded the new HDD.

I don't know if this is significant, but the right-Alt does the same thing.  I suspect that the CP encoder may have somehow become corrupted, but I don't know how to confirm that without plugging the KB directly into the PC.


Again, I apologize if I came across impatient originally.  I truelly appreciate the assistance.  (I seem to have struck a nerve).
And THANKS again, MPTech

you are a great bunch of helpful and informative guys! I wouldn't have started this project without the knowledge this site has provided.