How do I limit keystrokes sent?

[KonkeyKong]

Old Mac arcader...switched over to the Windows side out of necessity, still kinda' ignorant.  Wondering if there is software that limits a keystroke to just one send even if the button is held down continually.  Would like to incorporate this with my Atari four position shifter.  Each "gear" has it's own microswitch that gets held down when actuated.  I'm thinking if there was a way to send only one keystroke when the switch is activated, this would circumvent the whole mame shift issue.  I could assign the same keystroke to two switches in a low-hi gear set-up.  Ooo, also any recommendations for keystroke re-assigning programs?  Possibly one that would cover both aspects?

[Howard_Casto]

You need to alter the repeate rate in the keyboard settings.  It's different for each version of windows and buried pretty deep.  BUT.... keep in mind that neither mame, nor any other game for that matter, worries about repeating keys.  Games use directinput, or something similar that ignores repeat rates.  Just because it repeates in notepad, doesn't mean it will in your game. 

You've told us nothing about the keybaord interface you are using to hook up your controls, so the rest of the questions can't be answered. 

I will reccommend AGAINST hacking a keyboard though.  Back in the day it was the thing to do because encoders were non-existant and/or expensive, joystick support was non-standardized and keyboards were built like a tank (in other words a REAL circuit board in the keyboard.) Now days this simply isn't the case.  Just buy a keyboard encoder for 20 bucks or so and save yourself a headache. 

Also I'm not sure why you are hung-up on re-assigning keystrokes.  Mame and virtually every emulator/game out there allows you to remap keys... there's no reason to do it on the hardware end.  But if you do wish to do it on the hardware end, most of your keybaord encoders support this anyway.

[KonkeyKong]

I 've got an AKI interface.  With the shifter...when you shift gears, it continually holds the microswitch down.  I'm thinking this will send repeated signals, or... will it only send once?

[Howard_Casto]

within mame and any direct-input enabled game/emulator (read ALL of them) no it won't repeat.  That's just how video games work on the pc... the repeate-rate is a software thing, not a hardware one.  Now on poorly written homebrew or the desktop, yeah it could repeat.  I've barely even heard of the aki, but if it's specifically made for mame cab guys then you shouldn't run into any issues.