From 0f8928d7e3539af57778f798c100773b5316f5f9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: gered Date: Tue, 29 May 2012 13:52:32 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] add readme --- README.md | 77 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 77 insertions(+) create mode 100644 README.md diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cac8976 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,77 @@ +AppleWirelessKeyboard for Wired Keyboards +========================================= + +This is a simple modification of the original AppleWirelessKeyboard helper +utility by [uxsoft](http://uxsoft.cz/projects/applewirelesskeyboard/) which +also includes some basic support for the wired variant of the Apple Keyboard. + +This utility isn't really useful or needed if you're running BootCamp on a real +Mac. Just stick with the Apple BootCamp stuff. + +Usage +----- + +This is basically just the exact same AppleWirelessKeyboard tool with a few +minor bug fixes and two new config options. The new config options are: + +* F keys are Mac special function keys by default [on/off] +* Wired Keyboard. If enabled, fixes Eject key handling on a wired keyboard so that it toggles the above option on/off when pressed [on/off] + +Unfortunately, as I don't own an Apple wireless keyboard I did not add any kind +of hardware auto-detection to toggle the second "Wired Keyboard" config option +on or off as needed. For now you will need to set this option manually. + +When the "Wired Keyboard" option is turned off, everything will (should) work +just as it did with the original version of this utility. This means things +won't be quite perfect for you if you are using a wired keyboard and not a +wireless one. + +When the "Wired Keyboard" option is turned on, the Eject key will be fixed to +work the same way as it does with a wireless keyboard. That is, it is used to +toggle if the function keys (F1 through F12) work as on Windows or OS X. + +This tool does not make the 'Fn' key work with a wired keyboard. It just +gives you a simple work around. If you are using a wired keyboard none of the +Fn key combinations will work regardless of if you're using this version or the +original version of this utility. + +Why? +---- + +The original AppleWirelessKeyboard utility is not able to read the state of the +'Fn' key at all when using a wired keyboard. This appears to be a driver issue, +but I'm by no means an expert on low-level driver stuff in Windows so maybe it +is possible to fix this. It doesn't seem to matter if you're using the default +Windows provided driver, or the Apple driver from Lion's BootCamp driver +collection... the 'Fn' key remains unreadable via this code. + +Using the Apple driver with the wired keyboard, at least for me, only seems to +get you half-way there. Next/Previous/Play Fn key combos work, but the volume +control key combos don't. Plus you don't get the nice OSD icons when you press +them. And again, even with the Apple driver installed, this utility is still not +able to read the state of the 'Fn' key. + +Basically, I could find no solution at all which worked the way I wanted it to +with my wired keyboard. + +After playing with the original code for AppleWirelessKeyboard from +[CodePlex](http://applewirelesskbrd.codeplex.com/) I noticed that the Eject key +was still recognized somewhat. Just in a slightly different way then how the +original code was set up to recognize it. The Eject key in Windows has always +seemed funny to me and I know I'd never use it for it's original intended +purpose, so it made the perfect substitute as a key to use to toggle F1-F12 key +functionality. + +Issues / Missing Functionality +------------------------------ + +* The code using iTunesLib has been commented out. I don't use iTunes nor do I have it installed so I don't have a copy of this library so I couldn't build the code until I removed it. I don't know if the default media key mapping still in the code will work with iTunes anyway. +* No automatic detection of which keyboard you are using (wired or wireless). I'd like to do this, but don't have a wireless keyboard for reference. You will need to set your config manually. +* 'Fn' key combos still do not work with a wired keyboard. Use the Eject key to toggle F key functionality. +* The "Restart" option is gone. This doesn't have a built-in equivalent in WPF. + +Bug Fixes +--------- + +* Settings are now saved. When you re-open the tool your last settings will still be there. +* The system tray icon now disappears when the tool is closed and the tool now closes properly (the "WPF way").