Emulating mouse scroll wheel?

[MAG]

Hi all-

I have an IBM laptop, and usually don't have a mouse available. An
application I use relies heavily on a mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and
out.

Is there a way to emulate the scroll wheel functions though keyboard
mapping? I would definitely buy a "scroll wheel emulator utility" if I
could find one that would work with my application (it's a proprietary
application my company makes).

After much googling I haven't found anything, at least not for Windows.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Marc

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

North - south arrow keys will scroll as long as the window is 'active'..

 

[David Candy]

Yes. This is the function Windows supplies to programs to emulate mouse/keyboards.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...eference/keyboardinputfunctions/sendinput.asp

I've not programmed it before myself. I might have a go (the docs are in C language and I'm a vb programmer). What exactly do you want to do.

 

[kurttrail]

North - south arrow keys will scroll as long as the window is
'active'..

If the window is scrollable, but some programs set the scroll wheel on a
mouse to do special functions. For example, Photoshop, and many
photo-editing apps, set the scroll wheel to zoom in and out, but the
arrow keys, nor the numeric pad set with the Num Lock off will not
function the Zoom, at least not in Photoshop.

The Keyboard commands to zoom in and out in Photoshop are CRTL+ and
CRTL-. Whatever the program that the OP is using *probably* has a way
to zoom in and out through the keyboard too, and should check that
softwares documention, or their web site.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[MAG]

If the window is scrollable, but some programs set the scroll wheel on a
mouse to do special functions. For example, Photoshop, and many
photo-editing apps, set the scroll wheel to zoom in and out, but the
arrow keys, nor the numeric pad set with the Num Lock off will not
function the Zoom, at least not in Photoshop.

The Keyboard commands to zoom in and out in Photoshop are CRTL+ and
CRTL-. Whatever the program that the OP is using *probably* has a way
to zoom in and out through the keyboard too, and should check that
softwares documention, or their web site.

Thanks Kurt & Mike-

Unfortunately for me, there are no keyboard shortcuts built into the
software for the function I want. Unfortunately there WERE some, but the
guys removed them and replaced them with custom scroll wheel usage.

Fortunately for me, the programmers and I are on good terms... maybe I
can get them to hook me up.

Marc

 

[MAG]

Yes. This is the function Windows supplies to programs to emulate mouse/keyboards.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...eference/keyboardinputfunctions/sendinput.asp

I've not programmed it before myself. I might have a go (the docs are in C language and I'm a vb programmer).
What exactly do you want to do.

Thanks David- If I were capable of it (and I'm not, at least not yet),
I would write something that captures the thinkpad IE forward/back keys
(special keys near the arrow keys) and turns these into scroll wheel up
/ down emulation.

Alternatively, maybe F11 / F12 could be used, since most keyboards have
those keys.

If you take a stab at it, I'll be in your debt!

Marc

magoldst (at) ix (dot) netcom (dot) com

 

[kurttrail]

Thanks Kurt & Mike-

Unfortunately for me, there are no keyboard shortcuts built into the
software for the function I want. Unfortunately there WERE some, but
the guys removed them and replaced them with custom scroll wheel
usage.

Fortunately for me, the programmers and I are on good terms... maybe I
can get them to hook me up.

Marc

They should because I'm sure you are the only person that uses a laptop
without of a mouse. Programers are notoriously blind to the way users
end up using their program, and only code for the way they think it
should be used. That's where a good QA department comes in.

Good Luck.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[Malke]

Thanks David- If I were capable of it (and I'm not, at least not
yet), I would write something that captures the thinkpad IE
forward/back keys (special keys near the arrow keys) and turns these
into scroll wheel up / down emulation.

Alternatively, maybe F11 / F12 could be used, since most keyboards
have those keys.

If you take a stab at it, I'll be in your debt!

Marc

magoldst (at) ix (dot) netcom (dot) com

I don't know what model IBM laptop you have, but my X31 Thinkpad has got
the ability to scroll using the middle "button" where the touchpad
would normally be. You can set its function with the IBM keyboard
software. Don't you have this on yours?

Malke

 

[MAG]

I don't know what model IBM laptop you have, but my X31 Thinkpad has got
the ability to scroll using the middle "button" where the touchpad
would normally be. You can set its function with the IBM keyboard
software. Don't you have this on yours?

Malke

Hi Malke-

Right, I'm using a T42P (just got it; it rocks!) and I do have the
middle button that can be set to do certain scrolling functions. But,
the scroll implemented this way doesn't work in this application. It's
not quite the same as the scroll wheel in terms of it's effect or where
it functions.

If I plug in a mouse with a scroll wheel, then the application works
fine with the mouse's real scroll wheel. So, whatever IBM does with the
middle button doesn't quite properly emulate the scroll wheel.

Marc

 

[DevilsPGD]

In message <1110050837.f308857798c05ca2bbde6c0b151ad0a7@teranews> MAG

Thanks Kurt & Mike-

Unfortunately for me, there are no keyboard shortcuts built into the
software for the function I want. Unfortunately there WERE some, but the
guys removed them and replaced them with custom scroll wheel usage.

Fortunately for me, the programmers and I are on good terms... maybe I
can get them to hook me up.

One possibility -- Does your laptop have a touchpad? If so, you may be
able to emulate a scrollwheel using Synaptics' drivers, if they're
available for your laptop.

I'm not familiar enough with IBM's product line to know whether or not
a touchpad is likely though, sorry.

 

[MikeP]

Perhaps you should just spend 15 bucks for a "mini" mouse such as these
available at Newegg:

http://tinyurl.com/64qu9
http://tinyurl.com/6x8fe

 

[MAG]

get them to hook me up.

One possibility -- Does your laptop have a touchpad? If so, you may be
able to emulate a scrollwheel using Synaptics' drivers, if they're
available for your laptop.

I'm not familiar enough with IBM's product line to know whether or not
a touchpad is likely though, sorry.

Hi... I've got a touchpad and supposedly it does have a scroll feature,
but it is implemented in a way that doesn't work with a lot of
applications. My application is included in the "doesn't work" category.

Sigh

 

[MAG]

Perhaps you should just spend 15 bucks for a "mini" mouse such as these
available at Newegg:

http://tinyurl.com/64qu9
http://tinyurl.com/6x8fe

I'm happy to spend money to solve the problem, but I'm trying to avoid
having to carry something around. I'm a very mobile user. And, the way I
work, I really hate to have to move my hands from the keyboard to work a
mouse.

 

[Malke]

MAG wrote:
lke

Hi Malke-

Right, I'm using a T42P (just got it; it rocks!) and I do have the
middle button that can be set to do certain scrolling functions. But,
the scroll implemented this way doesn't work in this application. It's
not quite the same as the scroll wheel in terms of it's effect or
where it functions.

If I plug in a mouse with a scroll wheel, then the application works
fine with the mouse's real scroll wheel. So, whatever IBM does with
the middle button doesn't quite properly emulate the scroll wheel.

Marc

Ooh, I'm jealous - the T42P is very cool (although I love my little
X31). I'm sorry about that. I guess there's really nothing you can do
except ask the software developers to fix their scrolling and/or use a
little mouse. I know you don't want to, but I guess your choices are
limited.

Cheers anyway,

Malke

 

[David Candy]

I strongly suspect a resource editor may be able to make your app the same as the old one. How big is the exe of the file?

 

[David Candy]

Programs usually work by creating a window (it can be hidden). Windows communicates to programs via the program's window. Programs normally list keyboard keys and menus in text files. This is notepad File menu.


POPUP "&File"

{

MENUITEM "&New\tCtrl+N", 1

MENUITEM "&Open...\tCtrl+O", 2

MENUITEM "&Save\tCtrl+S", 3

MENUITEM "Save &As...", 4

MENUITEM SEPARATOR

MENUITEM "Page Set&up...", 5

MENUITEM "&Print...\tCtrl+P", 6

MENUITEM SEPARATOR

MENUITEM "E&xit", 7

If you click Exit the your window program gets told to execute command 7.

This is the first 3 lines of the accelarators

MAINACC ACCELERATORS

LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US

{

VK_N, 1, CONTROL, VIRTKEY

VK_O, 2, CONTROL, VIRTKEY

VK_S, 3, CONTROL, VIRTKEY

So if you hit Ctrl + S command 3 runs.

Command numbers don't tend to change from versions.

A resource editor edits these text files in an executable. Run RegHacker on the version with key support and copy the two lines into the current version.

 

[MAG]

Command numbers don't tend to change from versions.

A resource editor edits these text files in an executable. Run RegHacker on the version with key support and copy the two lines into the current version.

Thanks for some very interesting information!

I'll look into this.

Marc

 

[MAG]

I strongly suspect a resource editor may be able to make your app the same as the old one. How big is the exe of the file?

The app is an editor of sorts; the executable is only 64 kB. It in turn
calls up a few dozen supporting progams and processes.

Have any recommendations on a good resource editor?

 

[MAG]

I use reshacker.
http://www.users.on.net/johnson/resourcehacker/

I edit the dialogs in calculator (and charactermap) so the keys are readable. I add extra menus to notepad (and make it act like a toolbar).

Email me a copy of the previous and current exe as usually it's the exe with the menu's etc in it.

david at mvps.org

Hi David-

Thanks. It turns out I no longer have a copy of the old one so I'm a bit
screwed as far as this. I used ResHack to open up the current one, and
it doesn't seem to have a Menu branch. Just Icon, Icon Group, and I
think one other that was not relevent.

I actually found a utility called "mouse emulator" that's 10 kb (!) and
does put out the proper scroll wheel signal, but it's keyed to the
keypad, which on my laptop means I would need to enable the keypad mode,
which is more annoying than it's worth.

Tomorrow I'll be talking with the software lead and see if he can hook
me up. I found that my Ultranav (touchpad) system can launch a program
on demand if I enable certain "tap zones." I can probably get the guys
to write a quickie program that emulates scroll up, scroll down and
attach it to that tap zone function.

Thanks for your interest and offer of assistance.

Marc

 

[David Candy]

I'm just a bit busy. We are throwing out 21 years of possesions of someone who died. And cleaning where the junk was. That's when we aren't threatening each other with violence over it as this is all in common areas.

I lived here 4 years. Untill a week ago there was no violence or talk of it at all. But his relos left yesterday with one truck of expensive junk. I truck just picked up 1/2 of the stuff stored under the building. But they wouldn't take the 7 broken washing machines. Some were built in the 30s. We are hoping the council will send a second truck for us (we get 3 free truckloads of junk removal a year in my council (county/parish/city in US terms) area).

This is three weeks after someone else died but her husband did her stuff and she stored stuff in her unit not in common areas. And she only had normal possessions excepts for millions of teaspoons and shopping trolleys that old people use.

I threw out 5 sets of intercoms yesterday, none had ever been opened. I spent the morning scrubbing his bathroom (21 years of lime/calcium deposits). And I've just removed all the flowers from here and there.

Plus I sent his cat away too as I didn't think I could protect him from the cat haters.