Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!uwm.edu!rpi!batcomputer!braner
From: braner@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Moshe Braner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.programmer
Subject: Northgate keyboard, scan codes
Summary: multiple scan code tables?
Message-ID: <9869@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Date: 8 Mar 90 17:21:22 GMT
Reply-To: braner@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Moshe Braner)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Cornell Theory Center, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Lines: 22

Hello, net.pc.programmers!

I've just bought a Northgate Omnikey-102 keyboard.  (Click a bit much for me
but very positive action and, finally, "correct" key placement!)  (Actually
I'd like the capslock key FURTHER out of the way :-)

It has an extra '*' key (to the right of the space bar).  Don't know why
they decided to use that key for an extra '*' when there are TWO of those
already on the standard keyboard.  I would have preferred an unshifted '_'!
Even better, make that extra key programmable!  (Dream on.)

Anyway, I looked at the manual to see what can be done about that key,
and noticed that there are _3_ scan code tables in the back of the manual,
all 3 labeled as applicable to the PC/AT.  What does that mean?

The extra '*' key is in the schematic (yes, schematics included!) but not
in the scan code tables.  I presume the BIOS wouldn't know how to handle
a novel scan code, so the keyboard controller translates it to the scan
codes for shift-8.  (Just a guess!)  That means I cannot do anything to
change the action of that key, uh?

- Moshe