warn if SHIFT (or CTRL) key held down for more than a few seconds ????

[Andy100]

I bought a nice brushed steel slimline keyboard a little over a year ago. I
love it, but it has a problem and since it's over the year it's no longer
under guarantee.

The problem i have with is it that on occasions after i have used the SHIFT
(sometimes the CTRL) key, it remains de-pressed (NOT obvious because it
springs back up to it's normal position !). This then causes problems when
navigating the internet, text gets bigger when scrolling, text gets selected
and de-selected. Then i realise what is happening and after a 'tap' of the
SHIFT key everything is okay (for a while longer) !!!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, Is there any freeware out there which
would beep or give some kind of visual warning (prefer audible warning) if
the SHIFT (or CTRL) key is de-pressed for longer than a specified time (i.e.
5 seconds) ?

Many thanks
Andrew

 

[RGreen]

Use LINUX.

 

[Andy100]

No i don't want Linux. I have Windows XP.

Cheers
Andy

 

[Al Klein]

Anyway, to cut a long story short, Is there any freeware out there which
would beep or give some kind of visual warning (prefer audible warning) if
the SHIFT (or CTRL) key is de-pressed for longer than a specified time (i.e.
5 seconds) ?

Are you sure it's the switch under the key staying shorted when the
key comes up? (That's the only thing that would be detected - the
state of the switch.) If you're running any "accessability" software,
your shift keys may be getting locked by the system, which probably
wouldn't be detected. (Hold a shift key [shift, alt or control] down
for 5 seconds in XP and it can get locked on.)

 

[Peter Seiler]

RGreen - 11.01.2006 23:33 :

Use LINUX.

yes, we know you are a Linux fan. No need jumping in and repeating it
endless again and again, please. THX.

 

[Doc]

Use LINUX.

The "hobbyist's" OS.

 

[Steve H]

I bought a nice brushed steel slimline keyboard a little over a year ago. I
love it, but it has a problem and since it's over the year it's no longer
under guarantee.

The problem i have with is it that on occasions after i have used the SHIFT
(sometimes the CTRL) key, it remains de-pressed (NOT obvious because it
springs back up to it's normal position !). This then causes problems when
navigating the internet, text gets bigger when scrolling, text gets selected
and de-selected. Then i realise what is happening and after a 'tap' of the
SHIFT key everything is okay (for a while longer) !!!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, Is there any freeware out there which
would beep or give some kind of visual warning (prefer audible warning) if
the SHIFT (or CTRL) key is de-pressed for longer than a specified time (i.e.
5 seconds) ?

Many thanks
Andrew

Try a spot of WD40

Regards,

 

[KeithS]

Try a spot of WD40

Exactly. Treat the cause, not the symptom. If you really like and want
to keep the keyboard, pull it apart and clean it up. Ensure you have a
map of the keys before you start pulling them off

 

[FirstName LastName]

Use LINUX.

Why? Do you have hiccups too?

 

[FirstName LastName]

@hudsucker.umdac.umu.se:




The "hobbyist's" OS.

What's up Doc? Too many carrots?

 

[Michael Wardreau]

I bought a nice brushed steel slimline keyboard a little over a year ago. I
love it, but it has a problem and since it's over the year it's no longer
under guarantee.

The problem i have with is it that on occasions after i have used the SHIFT
(sometimes the CTRL) key, it remains de-pressed (NOT obvious because it
springs back up to it's normal position !). This then causes problems when
navigating the internet, text gets bigger when scrolling, text gets selected
and de-selected. Then i realise what is happening and after a 'tap' of the
SHIFT key everything is okay (for a while longer) !!!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, Is there any freeware out there which
would beep or give some kind of visual warning (prefer audible warning) if
the SHIFT (or CTRL) key is de-pressed for longer than a specified time (i.e.
5 seconds) ?

Many thanks
Andrew

In Windows Control panel open Accessability Options and try messing
with the Keyboad options to see if anything there would suit you.

Keyboards are cheap. Having a sharp looking keyboard is rather vain:
It's what's inside that counts, at least that's what my mother taught
me many, many years ago when I was reaching puberty. I'm sure she
meant what's inside the computer!

 

[andy100]

I have already tried all the stuff mentioned !!. Cleaning etc. That's why i
posted to this group (as a last resort)

Andrew

 

[Steve H]

I have already tried all the stuff mentioned !!. Cleaning etc. That's why i
posted to this group (as a last resort)

Andrew

If cleaning isn't enough, try examining the stub on the key itself.
These usually sit in a corresponding socket on the keyboard, and
sometimes the tolerances are a bit too fine..which causes the stub to
rub in the socket. A rub over with a bit of very fine wire wool is
usually enough to free up the movement of the key stub.

As regards a software solution, you might find that using Autoit to
create a hotkey script combined with a timer element might do the
trick ( where the depressed key is set as a hotkey that starts a
timer, which pops up a message box if the key is not released after a
certain number of seconds ).

Regards,

 

[andy100]

aha ! - i'll give that a try Steve.

Many thanks
Andrew