Question

My laptop has a number pad, but it does not have a NumLock key, and the numpad is actually just a copy of the row of numbers above the letters. This is confirmed by the virtual key codes sent when I press these keys.

I’m trying to develop a small program to mimic alt codes when the alt key and regular numbers are pressed. I use a low-level keyboard hook (I have a similar format working in another program), and first check to see if either alt key is down. If either is, I loop through the VK codes 0x30-0x39 (0-9 keys). If one of those is pressed down at that moment, I discard the actual keystroke by returning a value of 1, and instead send a numpad version of that key instead (alt is still pressed down at this time).

I can confirm that the hook is being reached, and that the alt key being down is being recognized successfully. However, when I check for matches on 0-9, either only a couple are printed before nothing matches after that, or I have to lift up and press down the alt key every time I press a number. Additionally, one number may be printed 16 times after releasing alt having pressed a number, and then holding down alt and pressing another (this one is 16x).

Also, I can confirm the SendInput sequence works via copying the part from the hook, putting it into the main function and replacing i with 0x30. Upon running, a 0 will be typed onto the text document.

When holding down ALT(down)+6+5+ALT(up) in a text document, “65” is what shows. If I add another ALT(down)+6, 16 sixes appear.

Hook Procedure:

LRESULT CALLBACK proc (int code, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM event) //hook proc
{
    if (code < HC_ACTION) //don't process if not meant to
        return CallNextHookEx (0, code, wParam, event); 

    if (GetAsyncKeyState (VK_MENU) & 0x8000) //if either alt is down
    {
        for (int i = 0x30; i <= 0x39; ++i) //loop 0-9
        {
            if (GetAsyncKeyState (i) & 0x8000) //if index is down
            {
                cout << "MATCH\n"; //debug

                input.ki.wVk = i + 0x30; //set VK code to numpad version of index
                input.ki.dwFlags = 0; //key is being pressed
                SendInput (1, &input, sizeof (INPUT)); //send keystroke down

                input.ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; //key is being released
                SendInput (1, &input, sizeof (INPUT)); //send keystroke up

                while (GetAsyncKeyState (i) & 0x8000) //wait for normal key to be released
                    Sleep (10); //don't hog CPU

                return 1; //discard normal key
            } //end if match
        } //end for
    } //end if alt

    return CallNextHookEx (0, code, wParam, event); //if any key not handled, pass on
} //end function

Answer 1

Well, I finally came back to this and after some more testing I discovered that programmatically sending [ALT ] [num6] [num5] [ALT ] does nothing whatsoever. I find this odd because I am able to simulate the volume control keys on the Mac keyboards despite not having those keys.

Since the computer simply can’t send alt codes, I declare this helpful tool royally screwed unless I map thousands of characters.

EDIT:

Here’s what you need to do to get the number pad working on the G74SX-XA1:

1. Download the BIOS 203 (I don’t know if 202 works or not, I went from 201 to 203).
2. Put the file on a FAT32-formatted flash drive.
3. Restart the computer and either press F4 to go right into EasyFlash, or navigate to it through the BIOS. The Winflash program that comes with it doesn’t work.
4. Select the updated BIOS file on the flash drive.
5. Now the numlock light will always be on and the number pad will have the virtual key codes of a number pad, not the numbers above the letters. This naturally includes ALT codes working.