Category : Batch File Utilities - mostly for DOS
Archive   : ABFS.ZIP
Filename : KEY-FAKE.DOC

KEY-FAKE Charles Petzold
Command
Copyright (c) 1986, Ziff-Davis Publishing Co.
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Purpose: Supplies the series of keystrokes needed to
initialize an application program on boot-up.

Format: KEY-FAKE ["xyz"] [nn] [0] [@F]
Programname

Characters typed within a pair of single or
double quotes ("xyz") are normal ASCII-
character keystrokes. Numbers (nn) not in
quote marks are ASCII decimal codes, e.g., 13
(Enter), 26 (Ctrl-Z), or 27 (Esc). Numbers
preceded by @ are the extended ASCII decimal
codes (128 through 255) generated by the Alt
keys, cursor keys, Ins and Del keys, and the
Function keys (e.g., @61 is the F3
keystroke). The 0 is used with programs that
check the keyboard buffer (it tells such
programs the buffer is clear, so the programs
will treat the succeeding keystroke
separately).

Remarks: KEY-FAKE is of greatest use in batch files
used to call up application programs. For
example, to enter Lotus's 1-2-3 and set it
for File Retrieve, the following .BAT file
would be appropriate:

CD \LOTUS
KEY-FAKE 0 13 0 13 0 13 0 13 0 13 "/FR"
LOTUS

This takes you past the necessary initial
carriage returns and /FR command without
having to type them in each time.

Similarly, if each time you enter BASICA you
want to have a blue border, blue background,
and yellow letters, you would create a batch
file, B.BAT, containing the lines

KEY-FAKE "COLOR 14,1,1" 13 "CLS" 13
BASICA

Notes:

1. The keystroke sequence stored by KEY-
FAKE is limited to 124 characters and
must be on one continuous command line.
Keystrokes not supported by PC BIOS
(e.g., Alt-Home) cannot be stored.

2. Programs such as XyWrite II that get
keyboard information directly from the
hardware keyboard interrupt will bypass
KEY-FAKE. KEY-FAKE will also not work
well when you are on-line using a
communications program.
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3. KEY-FAKE is memory resident, but can be

executed multiple times in the same
session without reloading. However, if
nested batch files cause it to be re-
invoked before its initially stored
keystroke sequence has been exhausted,
the remaining initial keystrokes will be
lost.





















































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