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Ms Sidewinder X4 Keyboard


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#1 Baertiger

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 03:04 AM

Hi all,

i own a MS Sidewinder X4 keyboard and tried yesterday with no luck to configure some of its macro keys for MWO. For example i wanted to bind "weapon door toggle" or "coolant flush" to one of the keys.

I know i could simply use another key on the keyboard and to be honest i used to, but it ended up in either the keys to far away from "wasd" or to close so i accidently released my cool shot by hitting the wrong key. So i would like to test how it works with the macro keys.

Ok, no matter if you agree to my reasons or not - is it possible to use the macro keys of the X4 keyboard in MWO and if yes how?

Btw, using the notepad or word for example the macros work, just not in MWO...

thanks a lot
Baertiger

Edited by Baertiger, 03 January 2014 - 03:06 AM.


#2 Jalik

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 03:19 AM

have you tried to increase the time between press and release of the key in the macro? I own a X4 myself and faintly remember that I had such a problem in another game when the time between the actions was too short (less 50 ms or so).

#3 Catamount

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 09:35 AM

The macro keys should be able to just be used as "extra buttons", which is sounds like you're trying to do, but why would you do this? If you just want to bind a single function to a single key, why not just pick a normal key? If placing is an issue, try another.

The macro keys most certainly do work. I have an X4 and used to have a macro to quickly unjam the UAC5, back when that was basically a mini game instead of a timed unjam (it was a totally cheap and broken macro to have, too ;) ). Like Jalik said, maybe it's just a timing thing, because you're just binding the macro to a normal key and having the normal key be the action, right?

Edited by Catamount, 03 January 2014 - 09:35 AM.


#4 Baertiger

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Posted 04 January 2014 - 03:15 AM

Yes right, i simply tried to use them as additional keys. And like said in my original post of course it is possible to use other keys. I just like the place of the macro keys :ph34r:

I tried it already with different timings up to 100ms but unfortunately it is not working and i do not know why. Any other thoughts?

#5 evilC

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Posted 04 January 2014 - 07:14 AM

What are the names of the keys you are trying to map? Is it stuff like play, pause etc?

AutoHotkey will be able to solve your problems, you just need to find the names of the keys you wish to bind.

1) Install Autohotkey
2) Create a new text file called "test.ahk" and place the following code in it:
SendMode, Event
SetKeyDelay, 0, 50
 
#InstallKeybdHook
#InstallMouseHook
 
SC122::
SoundBeep
return

3) Run (Double Click) the test.ahk file
4) In your system tray, you should see a green "H" icon appear. Right click it and select "Open".
5) In the resulting window, hit CTRL+K
The resulting screen shows you which keys are being pressed on the keyboard.
Hit the key you wish to know what it is, and then hit F5 to refresh.
Find the number in the "SC" column (It's "ScanCode") for the key you wish to remap.
6) Open test.ahk again and look for the line:
SC122::
Change the number here to the number for your key. So if your key was 150, change the line to SC150:: (Keep the two colons!!) THEN SAVE THE SCRIPT.
7) Right click the green H in your system tray and select "Reload This Script"
8) Hit the button you wish to remap. If you heer a "Beep", then all is good.
9) Go back into test.ahk and look for the line "SoundBeep".
Delete the word Soundbeep and replace it with:
Send {k}
Where k is the name of the key you wish to send. Keys are referred to by their AHK Key Name (ie Left Shift is LShift)
10) Save the script and reload again (as in step 7). The key should now be properly remapped.

Finally, you can then make it only take effect in MWO by wrapping the code in an #IfWinActive block.
You can also have multiple remaps in one script, so when you finish, your script may look something like this:
SendMode, Event
SetKeyDelay, 0, 50
 
#InstallKeybdHook
#InstallMouseHook
 
#IfWinActive ahk_class CryENGINE
; Remap ScanCode 100 to a
SC100::
Send {a}
return
 
; Remap ScanCode 125 to b
SC125::
Send {b}
return
 
; Remap ScanCode 150 to c
SC150::
Send {c}
return
#IfWinActive

Edited by evilC, 04 January 2014 - 07:17 AM.


#6 Tarl Cabot

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Posted 04 January 2014 - 11:48 AM

If you are trying to use the keys on the left side of the keyboard, macro them to the default key used by the game. Then you will have 2 possible buttons to press, the default key and the macro'd button.

#7 ClumsyOaf

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Posted 19 January 2014 - 08:32 AM

I would prefer not to use AHK, since I have the X4, when I try to make a simple macro for testing, like pressing the "6" key once, when I click the s1 button, nothing happens. It works in all other applications. I set the macro system wide, and also tried to add it for application specific.

I'm having troubles with the MWO application not recognizing any of the macro buttons. Is it disabling?

Anyone else having this problem? I'm on Win 7, 64bit.

While in the game, the record button does make the correct noises, but when I click the button, it won't play back the recorded macro.

Would love some help here. I'm not even sure I want to use macros, but just be able to use the S1-6 buttons as they are so close to WASD.

#8 evilC

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Posted 21 January 2014 - 08:40 AM

If a macro app (be it software that came with your keyboard, or something like AHK) does not hold the key for at least 50ms, the game will not recognize the input in most cases. Some controls work when held for less than 50ms, but certainly any button that fires something needs to be held for 50ms.

In AHK this can be achieved by putting the following line near the start of your code:
SetKeyDelay, 0, 50

Your keyboard software needs to support inserting a delay between a key up and a key down event.

IMHO, it is preferable to use AHK - AHK will work on any keyboard, whereas what you are trying to do now means that if you get a new non-microsoft keyboard, you are back to square 1.

Also, if you have a problem with an AHK macro, you can post up the macro for anyone to try and tell you what is wrong. With your current solution, I cannot write the macro for you as I do not have an MS keyboard.

Edited by evilC, 21 January 2014 - 08:41 AM.


#9 Sychodemus

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Posted 21 January 2014 - 10:03 AM

In early Beta, my X4's macros worked just fine but one day they stopped working. After digging around I found a semi-workaround. Apparently, there is some kind of issue with a file called "itype.exe", so...

(this part is no longer applicable - see addendum for apparent fix.)

Spoiler


============
Addendum - I looked back into it and found the same problem experienced by some in SWTOR:

The easiest way to get your Microsoft keyboard working with SWTOR MWO may be:


  • Open the Task Scheduler and click on Task Scheduler (Local)


  • Under Active Tasks look for a task called Microsoft_MKC_Logon_Task_itype.exe and double-click


  • Find it again on the next list, right click and choose properties


  • Check the box called 'Run with highest privileges' and press OK

The task will now run with admin rights on startup without any prompting or need to manually start it.

If you have a Microsoft mouse that doesn't work you can do the same with the task called Microsoft_MKC_Logon_Task_ipoint.exe

Thanks go to Eeky_Peeky over at the swtor forums if it works.
=======

So far it is working without a hitch with MWO.

Edited by Sychodemus, 22 January 2014 - 07:18 AM.


#10 evilC

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Posted 21 January 2014 - 10:20 AM

If there are problems with running stuff as admin, disabling UAC may stop it from behaving erratically.





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