X1ButtonMapper - Extends the keyboard and other buttons

[Dandie]

Hey guys,

I developed a small application which adds functionality to the X1 keys and keyboard. The reason why I made this program is, that I can't find a decent button mapping tool out there that does what I want - that is:

• Extend the normal keys with long press and assign programs/functions to it
• Extend the keyboard with a Control key (Tab key is reassigned to control key)
• Assign missing FN+Key combination with additional special character or applications
• Assign the ok button with really closing an application, depending on your task manager

To achieve this, I was writing this small app which itself checks for specific key events and starts mort script files in case such an event happens. I chose Mortscript because it easily allows everyone to define about almost everything that is possible and the application doesn't need a fancy UI to configure the key events.

You can find a readme within the archive which describes the program in more detail and you can also find some example script files for MortScript as a starting point.

For installation, you have to copy the X1ButtonMapperScripts folder of the archive to your root (\) directory of the device. You also need to install MortScript which you can find at Mort's homepage (mort.sto-helit.de). MortScript is a small and powerful application which is often used and mature. After that, you have to start X1ButtonMapper.exe and then the specific key presses will cause the calling of the script files. When you did not encounter any problems (software is still in testing phase), you can copy a link to the X1ButtonMapper.exe into your \Windows\Autostart folder for automatic loading at reset.

My current configuration, just for example, is as follows:

• Ok short press closes an application, Ok long press (~500 ms) causes an app to minimize
• Long press of left softkey opens start menu
• Long press of right softkey opens MortButtons
• Long press of volume up opens comm manager
• Long press of volume down opens SPB task manager (Alt+Tab)
• FN+a/s/d/f writes special characters I miss on the keyboard (%_\€)
• FN+y/x opens Wifi network selection and resco explorer (FN+C/V are unused)

I would appreciate to get any feedback about this software, if it works, what you like, don't like and desperately miss.

Please be aware that this software is free and you are allowed to redistribute it, but please don't change it and always distribute the whole zip archive and not the extracted files!

Please be also aware that this software is in a testing phase and may hang up your device and may even cause data loss (not happened to me yet but theoratically possible). So please backup your data and be aware that I can't be held responsible in case this happens!

Update: V. 1.2 now allows to keep the original OK button function without change and to use Fn+Tab for sending the original Tab key!

[c_legaspi]

i havent used your program but when i was looking for one such as yours, i came across ae button plus. im not familiar with scripts and programing and so i find ae button plus a good program. its not free but for $8, i think its worth it.

otherwise, keep up the good work. we need people like you to get the most of of our phones.

[Pyrojester]

Would it not make more sense to remap the au key rather then tab key to ctrl? I use my tab key for form entry.

[Dandie]

AE Buttons plus cannot do what this program does, that's why I did the hassle to develop it. Also PQz2 doesn't do what I need. For example you can't assign FN+x combinations with AE buttons plus and you can't remap the ok button (at least it didn't work for me).

Regarding the tab key, I tried to make FN+Tab to send the tab key, but that didn't really work. Maybe in some next release it will work, but I still think that the Tab key is dispensible.

Regarding the scripts, it's really easy and you can find ready scripts for almost any task. Also I did include some examples as a starting point. The scripts offer a lot more flexibility than any of the button mapping tools existing, so, take the challenge, it's worth it!

[Loco5150]

Originally Posted by Pyrojester Would it not make more sense to remap the au key rather then tab key to ctrl? I use my tab key for form entry.

Did I miss something or does this remap ctrl to tab? That would be a HUGE thing in my opinion... And no, the au button is used here a lot...

[Dandie]

Yes, remapping Tab to Ctrl is one of the fixed mappings it does. One of the most powerful things and something I really missed with AEButtons.

With Ctrl on the keyboard you get copy and paste, wordwise navigation with the cursor, Undo/Redo and wordwise delete/backspace. Check the readme in the Zip File for more details.

I also added Fn+DPad for PageUp/Down and Home/End - also something I really missed before.

[Loco5150]

Originally Posted by Dandie Yes, remapping Tab to Ctrl is one of the fixed mappings it does. One of the most powerful things and something I really missed with AEButtons. With Ctrl on the keyboard you get copy and paste, wordwise navigation with the cursor, Undo/Redo and wordwise delete/backspace. Check the readme in the Zip File for more details. I also added Fn+DPad for PageUp/Down and Home/End - also something I really missed before.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will instal later today...!!!!

[Loco5150]

Originally Posted by Dandie [*]Extend the keyboard with a Control key (Tab key is reassigned to control key)

and I am officially blind...

[JKingDev]

Can this program work alongside aebutton plus? That would be great as they both have big advantages. I know this version of the CE core of WM only supports one key hook and I am pretty sure aebp uses a key hook. Are you using a key hook here? Is anyone using both? Great work!

[Dandie]

Actually I uninstalled AEButtonsPlus before I was starting the development of this application. There is indeed a limitation about keyboard hooks in WinCE and my program uses them - don't know about AEButtonPlus.

There is a software available which claims to remove this limitation of windows mobile - it is called HookMgr and you can download it for free - check Google. I did not test it nor would I recommend to install several applications using keyboard hooks - they will most likely interfere with each other.

What is it that AEButtonsPlus has that you miss with my application?