Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site intelca.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!hplabs!intelca!glen From: glen@intelca.UUCP (Glen Shires) Newsgroups: net.micro.apple Subject: Here's what "standard shift key modification" means! Message-ID: <189@intelca.UUCP> Date: Sat, 21-Jan-84 17:31:25 EST Article-I.D.: intelca.189 Posted: Sat Jan 21 17:31:25 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 23-Jan-84 02:37:01 EST Organization: Intel, Santa Clara, Ca. Lines: 60 [] When I described the smarterm 80-column plug-in apple board, I mentioned that it provides the ability to make the shift key work as a true shift key for all letters if one adds the "standard shift key modification" wire. I received a request to explain what this is, and since it may be of general interest, I decided to post my response. The Apple ][+ keyboard was designed to be upper-case only. Therefore, it only generates the upper-case ASCII codes. Several 80-column display boards allow lower-case and therefore wish to allow the user to use lower-case. One way which is often used by several 80-column boards and some application programs is to intercept the standard keyboard input (see KSW p. 84 of Apple ][ Reference Manual) and to preprocess the characters. Many boards allow a special character (often control-A) to be typed by the user whenever he wishes to change the case. Many boards also allow the user to make a one-wire modification to make the shift-key work right. This is what is known as the "standard shift-key modification". It allows the software preprocessing routine to "read" whether or not the shift key is depressed, and act accordingly. The wire connects the shift-key output to paddle-button-2 (PB0,PB1 are used by many games and connected to many joysticks/paddles; PB2 is usually unused). The keyboard preprocessing routine can then read the status of the shift key by reading $C063. This modification is supported by several 80-column cards and some other application programs, read your manuals! HOW TO DO IT: - Open up the apple top, look down into with the keyboard side closest to you. - Locate the board directly under the keyboard. It stands above the mother board. It may be marked "Encoder Bd. Apple II" - Locate the connector on the right side of this board. It has about 25 pins. - The second pin from the right is where one end of the shift-key mod wire goes. Connect a wire to this pin. - Now locate the game-port socket (that's where the joysticks/paddles plug-in) - Pin 4 is where the other end of the shift-key mod wire goes. This pin is in the right row of pins, fourth from the bottom. Connect the other end of the wire to this pin. That's it! Now most boards will automatically use the shift-key correctly. Other boards may require that you type a certain control-character to initiate the modification. If you aren't the hardware hacker type, many computer stores will do this modification for you. ^ ^ Glen Shires, Intel, Santa Clara, Ca. O O {pur-ee,hplabs,ucbvax!amd70}!intelca!glen > \-/ --- stay mellow