Wires from 2 devices on a single microswitch?

[codeena]

Hello all,

Just wondering if anyone knows if it would be okay to have two sets of wires from two different devices hooked up to a single microswitch. For example, if I'd like to connect an Act Labs Powerramp (ps/2 keybd-like device) controller button's wires AND a usb pc controlller button's wires to a single button so it'd work as a keyboard stroke AND a game device's button, would this be okay? There would be 4 wires instead of two on a single microswitch. Or would it only okay as long as both controllers are not active at the same time?

Hope I'm not being confusing or asking a dumb question...thanks in advance!

[davieboynj]

I would measure the difference across the two leads, and make sure they're the same (5v normally for inputs) and make sure they're using the same ground.  if either of these didn't jive i wouldn't do it. 

[NickG]

Not sure what you goal is here, but you could just software map the joy button to also work as a keyboard button with a program like like joytokey.  That is, if you just want the function of a keyboard button and the function of a pc joy button on the same button on the same PC.  Then you only have to wire the usb controllers contacts to those buttons

[original_maxlamer]

If you dont need both devices active at the same time then you could just make a wireing harness so you can unplug one device and plug in the other

Even if only one device was active (forgetting the possibility of accidently plugging both in), haveing both circuits wired togather could spell bad news, and the cost of getting it wrong might not only be the controllers but the computer as well.

[codeena]

Thank you for your replies. I tried that JoytoKey--thanks for that suggestion...it's really useful!