Solved reprogram "CapsLock" to "Shift-CapsLock"?

[Emerogork]

Is there a program or a keyboard that will allow this?

Also, relative to the state of the "NumLock" key, I would like to reprogram both states of the "7" and "Home" as well as all they other keys on the numeric keypad.

Is there any hope for me?

 

[MilesAhead]

AutoHotkey is a free Windows scripting language that can reprogram many keys. I'm not sure I understand what "Shift Capslock" means though. If you search the forums and ask in Example Scripts they can tell you if something is already out there to do what you wish.

The nice thing about AHK is it has excellent mouse support along with keyboard. The down side is the syntax can be a bit funky. 'But the new releases are moving toward programming syntax more like other languages. But many of the built in functions use the old fashioned comma notation. But first things first. See if there is already something out there.

Just click the Forums Button in the link I posted.

Edit: On that Forum the user written scripts forum is called
Scripts and Functions

there are 2 AHK forums now so I get a bit confused. But anyway, the link I posted is associated with the AHK release that has the more modern syntax and Object support. It's the one I use.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I use a tiny program called CapsUnlock. It works perfectly for me. To Lock the CapsLock key, just press and hold the Shift key, press the CapsLock key, then release the Shift key. To unlock the Capslock key, just hit it.

 

[Emerogork]

Instead of the aggravating CapsLock function, I want to have to press <shift>+<CapsLock> to be in all caps. Instead of <ctrl> it will have to be <shift>+<ctrl>, etc.

The problem is none of the key reprogramming programs I have tried would allow the reprogramming to <shift>+anykey idea.

Does AHK permit dual key operations?

 

[Emerogork]

I use a tiny program called CapsUnlock. It works perfectly for me. To Lock the CapsLock key, just press and hold the Shift key, press the CapsLock key, then release the Shift key. To unlock the Capslock key, just hit it.

CapsUnlock, if that is all it does would only be a start for me. I have want to reprogram all along the bottom row except the space bar and then a special reprogramming of the numeric keypad when numlock key is off. This may take a special keyboard though...

 

[MilesAhead]

Instead of the aggravating CapsLock function, I want to have to press <shift>+<CapsLock> to be in all caps. Instead of <ctrl> it will have to be <shift>+<ctrl>, etc.

The problem is none of the key reprogramming programs I have tried would allow the reprogramming to <shift>+anykey idea.

Does AHK permit dual key operations?

It can combine a modifier key like shift alt control winkey with other key states. Also mouse buttons. About the only thing you cannot do is Shift plus NumberPad stuff because the Shift key takes the numberpad out of numeric mode.

AHK is a complete scripting langage for Windows. It does more than just macro substitutions. But it is very good and mouse and keyboard hotkeys since it uses :hooks" to chain into the system keyboard and mouse actions.

I know there are already a bunch of AHK things for Caps Lock. It;s just finding them that eludes me right now. If you ask on Example Scripts I'm sure someone will know of or have written them.

 

[MilesAhead]

I just looked in the AHK help.
To make it so you need to hold down Shift to toggle capslock on and off is a simple one line script
+Capslock::Capslock

( Edit: there's a bit more to it than that. Read the AHK help for Remapping Keys. It shows examples for CapsLock )

Also scripts can be "compiled" which means it creates an exe with the AHK run time with the script so that it will work on machines that don't have AHK installed.

 

[Layback Bear]

What keyboard are we talking about?
Does not your keyboard come with a Caps Lock button and two Shift buttons.

What I'm I missing.

 

[MilesAhead]

What keyboard are we talking about?
Does not your keyboard come with a Caps Lock button and two Shift buttons.

What I'm I missing.

I guess it is a popular thing to set it up so that pressing Capslock by itself does not activate the caps lock.. to prevent accidentally turning it on. If you have to press Shift Capslock then it won't be inadvertent. I haven't used any capslock variations myself. So I'm not sure what side effects there are, if any. I messed around with it for about 10 minutes because of this post. It seemed to get confused but that may be due to the fact I'm using a USB keyboard on a Laptop.. so the keyboard hooking may not work as usual.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

What keyboard are we talking about?
Does not your keyboard come with a Caps Lock button and two Shift buttons.

What I'm I missing.

I guess it is a popular thing to set it up so that pressing Capslock by itself does not activate the caps lock.. to prevent accidentally turning it on. If you have to press Shift Capslock then it won't be inadvertent. I haven't used any capslock variations myself. So I'm not sure what side effects there are, if any. I messed around with it for about 10 minutes because of this post. It seemed to get confused but that may be due to the fact I'm using a USB keyboard on a Laptop.. so the keyboard hooking may not work as usual.

The little program I linked has no side effects. 99.44% of the time, it does exactly what it's supposed to. If I fat finger the CAPSLOCK key while hitting the A key, the worst that will happen is I will get one upper case A in the character string I was typing, something easily fixed later, instead of having to retype a long string of upper case letters. At the same time, if I need to type more than a few upper case letters in a row, it is still easy to engage the CAPSLOCK key by holding down the SHIFT key, pressing the CAPSLOCK key, then releasing the SHIFT key. Disengaging the CAPSLOCK key is as easy as just tapping it.

One in a blue moon or two, the program will stop working (the 0.66% I facetiously alluded to earlier). When that happens, I just shut program off, then turn it back on again. Easypeasy.

My current keyboard, a USB connected Logitech G510s, has a gap between the A and the CAPSLOCK that makes it extremely difficult to fat finger the CAPSLOCK key when hitting the A key. Still, I manage it occasionally so I keep the program active on my daily driver. However, fat fingering the Chiclet keys on my notebooks is disgustingly easy so the program really shines there. Keeping me used to using the SHIFT/CAPSLOCK combo is another reason for keeping the program on my daily driver. On all my machines, I have the program in my Start Up menu.

 

[MilesAhead]

The OP mentioned Numlock as well as Capslock. That's how AHK got dragged into the mix. I'm sure the capslock program you suggested works fine.

Some people may want to try rolling their own.

 

[Layback Bear]

I think I understand.
I use Windows 7 to make a little noise when I use Caps Lock or Num Lk. That way I know when a fat finger has hit either key when not intended.

 

[MilesAhead]

I'm sorry. I misunderstood your question when you asked if the keyboard came with capslock and shift keys. I think what was messing up the code I tried briefly was that the built in keyboard on my Laptop is still active when I'm using the USB keyboard. I'm just thinking having more than one source for the keystrokes may confuse the AHK routine. Or it could be that I had one of the capslock hotkeys I tried only enabled when certain windows were active. I noticed I could Shift Caplock the state on, but not off.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Emerogork]

AutoHotKey is an excellent program.. I joined the forum there and have a lot of success and many more ideas...

Thanks for suggesting it.

 

[MilesAhead]

You're welcome. AHK is excellent for hotkey stuff. Also some file and folder operations are much easier than C++ or C# as it has built in methods to traverse recursive subfolders etc.. It's very cool. Even when I write the main program in another language if I want mouse hotkey support I often write a small AHK slave program to handle the mouse and keyboard. Then send a message to the main program.