🚀 go-pugleaf

Richard A Creed wrote:
>
>
> In article <4l4ikl$6vj@seagoon.newcastle.edu.au>, Peter Moylan (peter@fourier.newcastle.edu.au) writes:
> >Richard A Creed (creed@bigsilver.win-uk.net) wrote:
> >
>
> Using FST 3.5, on a PC running DOS 6.22....
>
> >>I would like to make one or more function keys availiable in a game
> >>program I have written, sort of:       F1 - Help (opens a window)
> >>                                       F2 - Rules (opens a window)
> >>                                       F3 - Exit Programme
> >>(and perhaps make the esc key availiable to close the windows).
>
> I should have said so that they would, in effect, be hotkeys.
>
> >
> >One traditional solution is to put the KeuPressed() call in
> >your main loop, or somewhere where it's going to be executed
> >frequently while the program is doing its other things, and
> >then when a key is pressed you save the character value
> >somewhere, and take a look at the saved value at some
> >appropriate later place - probably at a place where you were
> >going to get some keyboard input anyway.
>
> This is not possible because the program demands user input
> continuously, and demands by turns a CARDINAL or a CHAR with a
> return key, because the keyed input must be editable.
> Checking the input & then storing it in a buffer which emulates
> keyboard input won't do the job, becuase the Function key reaction
> must be instantaneous, whilst any other user input must be editable
> and followed by the return. I would require something similar to
> Peter's HotKeys but I am simply not experienced enough to port the
> appropriate PMOS modules or bits of them.

<-------BIG SNIP--------->

Hi Richard!

I bet you are feeling a bit overwhelmed looking at semaphores, threads, 
and interrupt
handlers.  I think perhaps you don't fully understand the simplicity of 
Peter's
suggestion (or a minor variation thereof).

By your response, I am guessing that you are using FST library routines 
to read from the
keyboard?  Does FST come with source for those?  I would bet you that all 
the read type
procedures use ONE procedure at the core to get a keystroke at a time.  
Based on PC
firmware this is highly probable.

There are a couple of ways to approach this:

1. Modify your existing library module
or
2. Make a copy of it and rename, then change your programs to use the new 
on
(recommended)

OK, now presuming you have chosen one of the above:  Make an alteration 
in the procedure
that gets one key at a time from the keyboard, inserting a filter process 
that calls a
procedure you define for your "hot" operation.

Thats all it would take, no alteration of your application codes main 
logic.

I hope this was helpful.  I don't have FST, or I would give you real code 
examples.  If
you need more help, post a reply to me and include your "cardinal and 
string input"
procedures source.

Good luck!

Ted K. Warring