Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Burn4Evr on October 12, 2010, 04:11:48 am
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Since this board always seems to point me to new software I never knew existed, I figured I'd ask.
I'm looking for a program that will run on a touchscreen as a secondary monitor and act as an out of focus input....something like a touchscreen keyboard emulator. I know some programs have touchscreen keyboards built in, this would be more of a companion that would work with any other program.
Bonus points if it allows you to create your own button layout.
even more bonus points if it can automatically load layout profiles based on what game is loaded
I have a ton of ideas for something like this (especially with the cheap touchscreens out there)
One main one is an admin panel
Plus I think it would work great on some old school games, like playing mechwarrior and not remembering what button is nightvision, now you just press the "button" marked nightvision.
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I was thinking pretty much exactly the same thing the other day. Interested to see what comes up.
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Based on what I know about windows, something like that in just software will likely be pretty tricky, since most touchscreens effectively emulate a mouse, and clicking around with a mouse will generally shift focus to the window you clicked in.
It might be possible to remember where focus was, and put it back after the click, or put it back after some delay period.
Hmmm....
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You might get something useful from this:
http://www.studio-lights.com/blog/iphone-inspired-kitchen-touchscreen-computer.htm (http://www.studio-lights.com/blog/iphone-inspired-kitchen-touchscreen-computer.htm)
You can get a 30 day trial of the onscreen keyboard software from download.com
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Well it's not customizable, but the Windows OSK (on screen keyboard) does work surprisingly well:
http://www.bltt.org/software/xposk/osk_xp.htm (http://www.bltt.org/software/xposk/osk_xp.htm)
Been built into windows for a while. Just run 'osk' from the run prompt. Win7's added predictive text. It click on it's keys does not steal focus from the open window. I'm not sure how it behaves on multiple monitors with one screen having something full screen.
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That osk is great. Never knew that was there!
And it doesn't steal focus
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You might want to look at Touchbuddy, I think it is designed to work on a second computer/touchscreen to send commands to the first computer. People use it with flight sims.
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You might want to look at Touchbuddy, I think it is designed to work on a second computer/touchscreen to send commands to the first computer. People use it with flight sims.
http://www.touch-buddy.com/forums/faq/18-master-faq.html (http://www.touch-buddy.com/forums/faq/18-master-faq.html)
What kind of customisation is possible?
TB supports skinning and custom configurations. You can create buttons, their associated keystrokes and raw keys. Buttons can be positioned as you see fit.
Oh, the possibilities... :drool
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Saw this (http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/218259.asp) on my Android Phone (engadget?) last week:
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I really don't see how bizarre is that idea. See this:
http://www.virtual-keyboard.com/Features/features.html (http://www.virtual-keyboard.com/Features/features.html)
3 Seconds to Google it.
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Saw this (http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/218259.asp) on my Android Phone (engadget?) last week:
Most folks who use a keyboard seriously (not including myself in that group) aren't going to be looking at the keys anyway. And if you are, skip the physical key thing and just use a good capacitive touch-screen and tap away. It has a lot of "bling" appeal but little practical application that a normal touch screen doesn't already cover well enough.
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I'm not thinking about typing on it, I'm talkin 'bout an auxillary control panel that changes to suit the game.
It could also serve as a navigation panel for your front-end.
Maybe I'll make a Mahjong panel & learn to play all those emulated Mahjong games. :P (maybe not)
Thayer's quest anyone?
(http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/9765/thayersquestkeyboardlaysu0.jpg)
All I need is dozens of hours of free time to set it all up.......
If only I could configure stuff at work instead of just surfing byoac all day.