Broadcast Modifier Only or Windows Key for Ventrilo?

[Psipherious]

Hey guys, I've used HotkeyNet in the past to multibox some WoW with no major issues before successfully controlling 2 characters from 1 computer but have never tried what I'm trying now and can't seem to get it to work.

My setup is I have a 1 HKN client with Ventrilo running on it connecting to my main computer (HKN server) that and I'm trying to broadcast a key to talk on Ventrilo on the client computer.

I have always either used Alt or the Left Windows key to talk on vent. Most of the time just the Left Windows key, which I do by disabling or remapping it so it's no longer a Windows key and therefore doesn't open the Windows Start Menu (I use my right windows key when I need to open start menu).

To disable my windows key I used a registry entry here: http://johnhaller.com/jh/useful_stuff/d ... ndows_key/

When I run HotkeyNet and press that key, under the "Last key press" window it recognizes it as "Alt" (not a left or right alt, just 'Alt').

So here's my issue. I need to broadcast just a modifier key to the client. I've read that this is not possible with HotkeyNet in another thread but I'm hoping that perhaps the poster of that didn't know if a way to do it? or perhaps the functionality has been added in later versions of HotkeyNet since the post.

I realize that if I am broadcasting a modifier that I can't use that modifier as an actual modifier for any other <Hotkey> commands later, which I have no problem at all with. I ONLY want to broadcast the modifier and nothing else.

This would be the simplest way for me to accomplish what I'm trying to accomplish, however, if this is absolutely not possible I have a couple other ideas.

Perhaps if someone knows how to disable the left Windows key without actually remapping it to another key so that it it still registers as "LWin" then I could simply use that. LWin will broadcast over HotkeyNet no problem. But it causes start menu to open on the client if I don't find a way to remove that.

A second option is I could just rebind left Windows to some other rarely used key such as tilde, do that on both computers, and then just send tilde through HotkeyNet and use that as my talk key.

The primary reason I'd like to avoid the above and just use the left Windows key only without having to remap it is because as it is, the windows key doesn't have any use on the computer other than to open the start menu (which I find useless so I disable it) - all other keys have some kind of use and therefore can interfere with normal operation of the computer.

Sorry to drag this on but in simple terms I'm just asking if there's anyway I can broadcast just the modifier "Alt" or if anyone knows of a hack to leave left Windows as "LWin" but have it not designated to open start menu in windows and then I can simply broadcast LWin.

[HotkeyNet]

I'm just asking if there's anyway I can broadcast just the modifier "Alt" or if anyone knows of a hack to leave left Windows as "LWin" but have it not designated to open start menu in windows and then I can simply broadcast LWin.

First, remove the registry hack. You've converted LWin into an Alt key, that's why HotkeyNet is telling you that it's an Alt key.

On Vent's settings window, set LAlt as the push-to-talk key. Then add the following to your script. You will press LWIN with your finger (that's the trigger), but HotkeyNet will send LAlt to Vent (that's HotkeyNet's action). Triggers and actions are different things.

Code: Select all

<Hotkey LWin>
<SendFocusWin>
<Key LAlt>

If you don't want to sacrifice the LAlt key, you can use a Japanese key instead.

Code: Select all

<Hotkey LWin>
<SendFocusWin>
<Key Junja>

If you do it the second way, you'll have to use the hotkey to set the push-to-talk setting on Vent's settings screen.

[Cardinal_Ximinez]

Do you have to 'hold down' the ALT key for the broadcasting to work?

You can do this...

<HotKey LWin>
<SendLabel w1>
<KeyDown ALT>

<HotKeyUp LWin>
<SendLabel w1>
<KeyUp ALT>

Would that work?

[Psipherious]

Perfect, I'm sure this will work exactly how I need it to just from looking at the code. Didn't think of doing it that way.

Secondly, I wanted to mention something that I noticed as I was trying some additional testing before coming back to read your method.

I'm actually wondering if HotkeyNet is perhaps not detecting the left windows key correctly or perhaps using a different method than vent does, because even though I have it remapped, vent still detects it as left windows key. When I go into vent setup and hit the button to setup my push to talk key it's recognized as "Keyboard: Left Win".

Even right now as I'm typing this post I'm hitting the button, I have HotkeyNet off to one side of my browser and vent to the other side and I can see that vent is detected the "Left Win" while HotkeyNet is saying I have pressed "Alt".

Anyways, the method you just suggested I'm sure will work just fine, just letting you know if the key detection thing in case it's a bug of some kind?

Thanks for the help, it's amazing that you respond so quickly, it is very appreciated.

[HotkeyNet]

Cardinal, you're right, I wasn't thinking. Thanks for correcting me. It's easier to write your idea as follows. Note that the send mode must be SendFocusWin.

Code: Select all

<Label l Local SendFocusWin>

<MovementHotkey LWin>
   <SendLabel l>
       <Key LAlt>

[HotkeyNet]

I'm actually wondering if HotkeyNet is perhaps not detecting the left windows key correctly or perhaps using a different method than vent does, because even though I have it remapped, vent still detects it as left windows key.

Both programs are correct. You told the OS that the LWin key is no longer the LWin key, that from now on, it is an Alt key. HotkeyNet is showing you the results of what you told the OS.

Instead of saying that HotkeyNet is incorrect because it shows the instruction that you yourself gave to the operating system, you can just as well say that Vent is incorrect because it's not showing your instruction.

In reality, both programs have to make a choice. They have to interpret your finger press as some single key. You think Vent is interpreting the finger press more correctly because in your mind, the key is "really" the LWin key, but some other user, in exactly the same situation, might get pissed at Vent because the user would think, "I changed the key definition using the registry, and Vent is ignoring my change!"

As for a different method, if you mean API, the programs may be using the same API but they may be examining a different piece of info in the data returned by the API. Or they may be using a different API. Without testing, and maybe reverse engineering Vent, I can't answer this question.