Re: Norm's keyboard problem...

[Peregrine@xxxxxxxx]

Jordan Fox writes:
≪ Anyway, it has to be significant that ALT-Tab is a _reserved_ combo. ≫

This may be the whole problem. Windows wants to use those keys, but there is
a workaround for that built in to Windows 95 that persists in 98. I've not
used ME or 2000.

Starting XyWrite with a desktop shortcut is the easiest way in Win9x. This in
effect creates a PIF (Program Information File) that Windows refers to when
it starts the program. It functions enough like a batch file to call it one
for the purpose of understanding, if you are more familiar with that concept,
but PIFs were part of the earlier Win versions too.

The PIF in Win9x allows a little more control than in Win 3 or 3.11, and in
the case of DOS programs (XyWrite) its properties can be modified rather
extensively. After creating the shortcut on your desktop, right-click on it
and select Properties, then select the Misc tab among the six
file-folder-looking tabs in the box that appears. In this are seven little
boxes with check marks in them, including Alt+Tab and Alt+Enter. Deselect
any combinations you want to use in XyWrite (and keep Windows from using),
and if I'm right you may have eliminated the conflict. I let Windows keep
control of Alt+Tab and Alt+Enter, and I've not had any of the problems
described.

Of course, we'd all like to know if this works for you. I hope it solves the
problem Norm and others have described.

Jeff Seager