Zugg Software :: View topic - Problems with Alt-Numpad

Beginner Joined: 18 Aug 2005 Posts: 15

For a long time now, I've extended the initial Numpad directions that ZMud gives us - /* for in/out, -+ for up/down... and more importantly, Ctrl-numpad for unlock/move/lock, and Alt-numpad for swimming.

In the past I haven't had any problems with this set-up, but recently (I'm guessing its since 7.13 or 7.13a) when I use the Alt+numpad, ZMud seems to be racking up odd control codes behind the scenes... the moment I type into the input-line afterwards, the first character turns into an extended set character (everything from a box symbol to a Kanji glyph)... only solution so far is to hit delete twice after swimming before I type a command.

Is there any way round this? maybe a command in the Alt-Numbad script to clear the command-line? Or has Microsoft done something to my Windows in one of its updates (in which case, if there something I need to turn on/off in Windows).

Hope you can help,

Elkestra
(Ann-Marie Ratcliffe)

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

I suspect the changes in the command line system to accmodate the spell checking system have altered the way in which zMud used to trap these errant codes. The problem arises from the very base of PC computing, the BIOS which even MS is a slave to. At this level ALT plus a series of keypresses on the number pad is intepretted as a code to produce a keypress for which keyboards do not support. For example you press ALT and hold it down through the series of presses on the number pad 3 and 2, when you release ALT the BIOS sends a character code of 32; this just happens to be 'space', but I think you get the idea. I am not sure this behavior can be overriden without a complete overhaul of how the spell checking system works.