Hagstrom Electronics (KE72-Keyboard Encoder)

[Dartful Dodger]

I received my KE72-Keyboard Encoder from Hagstrom Electronics yesterday, and when I went to install the software I found out it needs to be installed through Dos.
I crossed over from Mac to PC a year ago, and I have no idea how to do this.  

I copied the folder off the floppy and saved it into my "Program Files" folder, then I started up my machine in MS-Dos, and typed "C:Program Files/KE72/KE72setup.exe". and it gives me an invalid error message.

I am using a Windows 98 system, any relevant info will be appreciated, keep in mind I know very little about using dos, and I will not take any offense if you over simplify things for me.

Also, I am assuming that once I install this through dos, it will work in Windows, am I assuming correctly?

Thanks

[Jakobud]

Yes that is correct, once you run the ke72load.exe program and program the encoder it will work in Windows.  But yes, you DO have to do that in DOS unfortunately.  The easiest way to do that is to make a Win98 bootdisk.  Grab a floppy and download this file:

http://www.mirrors.org/archived_software/www.bootdisk.com/winfiles1/boot98se.exe

...and run it.  It will ask you to insert a floppy disk into your PC and it will make a bootdisk for you.  Then restart the PC and you will eventually end up at the DOS Command Prompt.  At THIS point you can run the ke72load.exe and program the encoder however you want.  

Then when you are done, just remove the bootdisk and restart the PC.  Then you're done.  The encoder will now work how you programmed it to, in Windows or DOS or Linux or whatever.

[Spectrum]

just an FYI the syntax is a little bit different from what you said you tried.  correct syntax:
C:\progra~1\KE72\KE72setup.exe

Dos does not have long filename support so "program files" is shortened to "progra~1", you were missing a \ after the c:, and all the slashes you had were forward slashes (ie /).  jot down the syntax above and give that a shot.  If that doesn't work boot up into windows 98, go to start, run, and type
command

to bring up a dos box.  In there type in:
c:\
dir c:\progra~1\ke72 > dirlist.txt

this will create a file in the root of c called dirlist.txt.
double click on my computer, double click on C drive, then double click on dirlist.txt to open it up in notepad.  copy and paste the results back to this post and I can assist you further.

If any of this makes no sense reply back or PM me.  I'll be glad to give you a hand.

Robert

[elfman12]

I received my KE72-Keyboard Encoder from Hagstrom Electronics yesterday, and when I went to install the software I found out it needs to be installed through Dos.
---------
Also, I am assuming that once I install this through dos, it will work in Windows, am I assuming correctly?

Thanks

Well, this is an interesting point, because it's "supposed" to work in Windows after that. I've had problems with different hardware.

Just let me say, I have the KE72 and love it - performance and installation-wise. However, the big suck-point with this unit is the antiquated config program. I mean, come on... boot to DOS to program it? In windows, I get it to work about 1/5 of the time (I'm using the serial port, and the kb port for DOS). It errors out, locking the keyboard alltogether requiring a reboot.

Actually, the way I have it setup, I keep a boot floppy in the A: drive, then if I need to reprogram, I edit the file on the floppy, reboot and go into the BIOS to have it boot from floppy first, then boot and let it program, then reboot and set the BIOS to boot from the HDD. (pheew!!)

IMHO, it's the main problem with the Hagstrom card compared to it's competitors... aside from price I guess.

[Dartful Dodger]

Thanks all!

I've made the boot disk, and to avoid the long name I moved the KE72 folder into the root of the C drive.

In dos I typed in

C:\
DIR C:\KE72\KE72LOAD.EXE

And there was a pause and some non error type text appeared describing the exe file.  so I'm assuming it will work...when I have it running a configuration file.  I don't have the encoder plugged in, and last weekend I took apart the control panel and put it away.  I'll wait till this weekend to put it all together again and do a full test.  I'll also need to create a configuration text file, but that looks  easy to figure out.  

If not, I'll know were to go.

Thanks again!!!

I'll keep you posted.

[Jakobud]

Sounds like you are on the right track.  I'm not sure what the ke72setup.exe syntax that Spectrum is referring to. The exe that came with my ke72 is ke72load.exe.

Anyways, it sounds like you are almost there but I'm not sure you did it correctly.  Just typing in KE72LOAD.EXE will not load up the proper CFG file.

If you have a config file called "dodger.cfg" you have to type this in at the command prompt:

ke72load dodger.cfg k

The 'k' at the end is important.  It's referring to the keyboard port.

Anyways, after you type that in, you will see it do something on the screen to indicate the progress and then it will be done.  You should be able to type on your control panel buttons now and see letters and/or numbers at the dosprompt.

[Dartful Dodger]

I'm not sure what the ke72setup.exe syntax that Spectrum is referring to.

When I did typed:
DIR C:\

The "program files" was displayed as "progra~1"

I think he ment "program files" was wrong.

If you have a config file called "dodger.cfg" you have to type this in at the command prompt:

ke72load dodger.cfg k

The 'k' at the end is important.  It's referring to the keyboard port.

What exactly would I be typing in:

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD.EXE DODGER.CFG K

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD.EXE > DODGER.CFG K

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD DODGER.CFG K

Are any of these right, or am I missing it altogether?

I was going to just keep testing different combinations until it worked, but since others are reading these posts I figure they might as well see the right way to do it.

Anyways, after you type that in, you will see it do something on the screen to indicate the progress and then it will be done.  You should be able to type on your control panel buttons now and see letters and/or numbers at the dosprompt.

Excellent, that'll save me from having to reboot after every change I make.

Thanks

[Spectrum]

Sorry if I caused any confusion  
I have not used the Hagstrom so I have no idea what the config options are.  I was just going off what Dart had supplied.  Sounds like you're just about there though.  Glad some others were able to jump in and help out.  I upgraded my mobo/RAM in my main system last night and it fried my processer <grumble grumble> so I was in the process of troubleshooting that out.  Needless to say with my computer apart, me cussing and spitting, and trying to keep my cats from playing with all the neat wires I was a tad busy lol.  Anyways I'm rambling.

My post was mainly to show correct syntax.  I should have added that I had no clue about the config options on the Hagstrom.  Hindsight is 20/20 lol.

Robert

[JLR2000]

What exactly would I be typing in:

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD.EXE DODGER.CFG K

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD.EXE > DODGER.CFG K

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD DODGER.CFG K

Are any of these right, or am I missing it altogether?

I think you want C:\KE72\KE72LOAD DODGER.CFG K

I have the Hagstrom in one of my machines, one thing I noticed is that you must be in "pure" dos for it to work, it can't be a dos window in Windows.  Your boot disk solution should work perfectly for you, just more of an FYI....

[Jakobud]

Yes use either:

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD.EXE DODGER.CFG K

or

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD DODGER.CFG K

They will both do the same thing.  The ".EXE" is not necessary but it will accomplish the same thing if it is added in there.

[Dartful Dodger]

So it's 1:30am (on a Saturday night) and I'm trying to program this control panel.  I've got it all wired, I even have it plugged into this computer.  This me hitting the "pause" button...
AAAAAAAA
The problem is, it's supose to trigger "P".  It's plugged into the first position, and it only triggers "A".
I start the computer in dos mode (off the disk I created form the program jakobud supplied) and type in this..

C:\KE72\KE72LOAD.EXE MAME.CGF k

When I do, I get...

Bad file format !

The MAME.CGF is a text file, I created in Note Pad.  I tried creating a test file, with only one line in it, just incase one of the lines were wrong...

IN01:[P]-Pause

There are no lines above or below that line.  That one line is all that's in the CGF file.  I'm still getting the "Bad file format !" error.  And the pause button is still giving me an "A".

Is there a certain way the cgf files need to be created?
I figure NotePad would be saving the file out as the most basic form of text, but it looks like I figured wrong.

I'm so close to figuring this out it hurts.

Thanks again for your time and any help.

[Birdtales]

You typed .CGF instead of .CFG every single time in your post. Are you sure you didn't do that on your computer?

[Dartful Dodger]

That might be it, I'll try it again tonight. I was typing the same thing over and over again so many times, I'm sure I would have typed it in the post the same way I was typing it in Dos.  I guess all that cutting and crimping I did on the control panel made me tired and dyslexic.

  wow, I spent three hours just going back and forth from Windows to Dos writing and editing the config file.  I knew it had to be something obvious, but this was just a big stupid.

Thanks Birdtales.

[Zapper]

I've always used the RS-232 port on my KE72 encoder, connected to the serial port on my PC (COM 1) with a DB9 male to female serial cable (Hagstrom sells these).

I use the old KE72Load.exe made in 2000, you could ask Hagstrom if that program can be used with your version of the KE72. To program it you can then just open a DOS window while in Windows instead of booting to DOS.