Re: Keyboard woes

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <9407291639.AA25843@phy.mtu.edu>,
Sean M. McAfee <smmcafee@phy.mtu.edu> wrote:
> 

[Story about keyboard problems deleted]

> Another problem that hadn't shown itself in 1991 reared its head around this
> time.  Besides hanging, the keyboard would occasionally send a steady stream
> of either "5"s or "A"s.  Fiddling with the connector solved this one too
> (temporarily).

Obviously an intermittent break - if the keyboard had sent a "key
down" code before losing the connection to the computer, then the
computer would keep repeating the key.  If the power connection was
flaky, the keyboard might send random codes to the computer.

> ... resoldering the circuit board near the connector was all that
> needed to be done.  Well, I tried it, moving the prongs to various
> positions, but to no effect. 

Another possibility is a broken track on the keyboard's circuit board
(in the region of this connector), or the connector is broken
internally (much more likely).

I'd suggest replacing the Mini-Din-4 connector altogether, if you can
find another one.

Another possibility would be to get hold of an ADB "Y" connector,
which would allow you to plug the keyboard and mouse in at the same
time, while only using the right hand connector on the keyboard.

> Experimenting with the Finder, I found that I could plug the mouse
> directly into the back of the computer, and move the arrow around
> like that (all the time I've had this computer, and I never knew you
> could do that).  However, I have to keep swapping the keyboard and
> mouse to use the Finder in any kind of effective way; big-time 
> pain in the ass.

Not just that: you could damage the keyboard, mouse or computer by
doing this.  You aren't supposed to plug and unplug ADB devices while
the computer is powered up (though I have done this on rare occasions).

If you have a ROM 3 IIgs (which I doubt, considering you mothballed it
for a few years), it has a built-in feature called "keyboard mouse",
which allows you to control the mouse cursor using the numeric keypad.

On a ROM 1, this feature can be added in software by installing the
"Easy Access" INIT (included with System 6.0 and later).  There is a
catch, though: it can cause the computer to hang if a program polls
the keyboard with interrupts locked out (and you can't even
Ctrl-Apple-Reset out of it).


I had a similar problem with a friend's keyboard - the left connector
was only working intermittently.  I tried replacing the connector
without success, but someone else managed to fix it in the end (I
think he just resoldered it again, so maybe I hadn't done a very good
job).
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand