Keyboard input

[Allard]

Almost a week ago I purchased FsPassengers and I like it a lot. One of the things I discovered is that the keyboard input feature for entering nav,
com etc. is really great!
In fact, I was thinking of buying a seperate numeric keypad for this, but tonight I discovered that the keyboard input only works with the number
keys on the top row of my keyboard. The numeric keypad doesn't work in this way! It seems that the numkeys do not produce numbers in the sim. Does
anyone know of a way around it?
Allard

[SWAFO]

Actually, the numeric keys are assigned for view changing, and trim adjustment (with num-lock off). I don't think there's an easy way
around this. Perhaps editing the FSP/FS9 key assignments?

[Allard]

It seems to me that these keys are hardcoded by the sim. If I try to map a numberkey, let;s say NUM 4, through the normal FS9 interface, it is
recognised as SHIFT NUM 4. It seems as if FS9 is prohibiting the use of the plain NUM keys. Even if I delete these key assignments in the FS9 config
file (in the [KEYBOARD MAIN] section I still can't reassign them in the sim as simple NUM keys, though the view changing doesn't work then anymore.

I checked whether there might be something in FSUIPC i could use, but there is no general numeric assignment except the "select 1-4". Unless there's
some trick I can use, I'm afraid is just isn't possible.
Allard.

[JNoble]

All keys on the keyboard, when pressed, generate a "scan code", which tells the computer which specific key has been pressed. This is
how software can tell if you press the "4" key at the top of the keyboard or the "4" key on the numeric keypad; if the NumLock key is on, the
computer sees this and knows you mean "4" and not "left arrow". Most software accepts the standard key code passed to it by the
operating system and all is well with the world. However, you can write code that specifically looks at the keyboard scan code; in this
case the software can not be fooled into thinking you meant "4" when you press the numeric keypad 4 with the NumLock on--the
programmer can force it into seeing this as keypad 4 regardless of whether the NumLock is on or off. As far as I can tell, this is how
Flight Simulator reads keystrokes when setting up assignments, and disallows certain combinations.

So, the nontechnical explanation is that you may need to buy a programmable keyboard and remap the keys. Programmable keyboards
are not that much more expensive than regular keyboards. Beware though: programmable keyboards can--and do--confuse some
software packages; it depends on how the programmer wrote the keyboard input code.