ArcadeOS and remapping

[ArcadEd]

Not sure if anyone still uses arcadeOS, but I still love it.  However, I cannot get the remapping to work.  For example I am using nesticle for NES.  The app file is the default file that comes in the console.zip from the pc2jamma website. The remap keys are already there to remap ALT-Q to esc when nesticle runs.  But it does not work, I still get the GUI menu when I hit esc.  I have tearing my hair out for two days trying to figure out why this won't work.  Nobody seems to have an answer.  I am pretty sure it worked in the past, at least 3 years ago when I tried ArcadeOS last with consoles emus.

The system is running Win98, it happens on both my laptop and computer I using.  
I have tried:
All versions of Nesticle, ArcadeOS 2.47 and 2.45.
From within windows, and booted into DOS.

I feel like it is something stupid but I just can't find what it is.  Please tell me you have heard of this and how to fix it

Thanks