5250 Keyboard Mapping Help

5250 Keyboard Mapping Help

Table of Contents

General Information

For information on using this help viewing program, see the first topic in the main emulator help (select the "Help" menu bar choice in the emulator window).

This help information describes how the Keyboard Remapping program can be used to change keyboard actions within your 5250 emulator sessions. See the main emulator help for information on an administrator creating a system default, group default, or user default keyboard map file (topic "Default Keyboard Map Files").

Note: Only one Keyboard Remapping program can be active at a time.

Keyboard File Selection

At the start of a 5250 session, the 5250 emulator searches for a keyboard mapping file for the session. The keyboard type needs to match; a keyboard mapping file is used for one type of keyboard (for example, a PC 102 key keyboard). The following order is used; if a keyboard mapping file is found, it is used for the 5250 session:

- Search for a -KEYFILE named keyboard mapping file (a System Administrator may use named keyboard mapping files).

- Search for a session specific keyboard mapping file that you created using the Keyboard Remapping program.

- Search for a default keyboard mapping file that you created using the Keyboard Remapping program.

- Search for a user default keyboard mapping file that your administrator selected for you.

- Search for a group default keyboard mapping file that your administrator selected for your group.

- Search for a system default keyboard mapping file that your administrator selected as a default for all IBM Network Station 5250 users.

- If none of the above is found, the 5250 emulator uses default keyboard actions.

Enter/Field Exit Key

Miscellaneous Preferences can change the location of the Enter and Field Exit actions. If Enter key or right Control key changes are desired, first check if the desired mapping is available in Miscellaneous Preferences. To do this, see the Option pulldown on the emulator menu bar for Miscellaneous Preferences.

Any keyboard remapping changes made to the Enter or right Control key are overridden by "Miscellaneous Preferences" if the Enter/Field Exit Key option is not set to the default.

If the desired mapping is not available in Miscellaneous Preferences, first set the Enter/Field Exit Key option to the default and then make the desired changes using the Keyboard Remapping program.

Note: Miscellaneous Preferences can also modify the location of the Print action, overriding keyboard remapping changes for the Print Screen key.

Window Layout

The Keyboard Remapping window has a graphical keyboard layout area (top), an actions selection area (left), a key/action area (right), and an action bar/message area (bottom).

Graphical Keyboard: Shows the physical layout of the current keyboard. Clicking on a key displays the actions mapped to that key in the key/action area.

The Action Selection Area contains the following:

1) The "Available Actions List" which contains available actions. An action selected from this list becomes the current action.

2) The "Character List" which lists all available characters. A highlighted character (or characters) becomes the current action. To highlight a character or characters, click on the character, move the mouse pointer over the character, and release the mouse button. Note: Certain characters are not supported in all possible 5250 languages; these characters will be converted to blanks when sent to a host application.

3) The "No Action" button which sets the current action to "nothing". A key sequence with the "nothing" action functions as if the key sequence was not pressed.

4) The "Locate" button which finds all keys mapped to the highlighted action in the available actions list. Located keys are highlighted on the graphical keyboard and the first key is made the current key in the key/action area.

Note: Only one action may be the current action.

The Key/Action Area contains the following:

1) The "Current Key" which displays the key which can be modified. The "Current Key" is displayed in the upper portion of the key/action area or action selection area (dependent on the keyboard type).

2) The "Modifier" buttons which are the modifier combinations recognized by the Keyboard Remapping program. Modifier buttons start with "-> ". Clicking a modifier button causes the current action (from the available actions list, character list, or no action) to replace the action in the action text area.

3) The "Action Text Area" which is located to the right of each modifier button and displays the action mapped to the current key for this modifier. This area can be edited (see "Editing Action Text Area").

4) The "OK" button which accepts changes made to the current key.

5) The "Cancel" button which cancels changes made to current key.

Action Bar buttons provide the following functions:

1) "Save" keyboard remapping changes in a keyboard map file.

2) "Delete" keyboard map files that were previously created.

3) "Apply Changes to the Session" that started the Keyboard Remapping program. This allows testing of changes before saving them in a keyboard map file.

4) "Restore" (undo) changes that have been made since the last "Apply" or since the Keyboard Remapping program was started.

5) "Exit" from the Keyboard Remapping program.

6) "Help" displays this help text.

Message Area:

Displays information and error messages.

Getting Started

Below are steps for making keyboard remapping changes:

1) Start the Keyboard Remapping program from the emulator session where remapping changes are desired.

2) Click the key to be changed on the graphical keyboard.

3) The key/action area is now active and the selected key is the current key. The actions currently mapped to the key for various modifiers appear in the action text areas.

4) Click an action to map to the current key from the available actions list, character list, or no action.

5) Click on the modifier button that the action should be associated with. The action text area for the modifier should display the desired action. If the action is desired on multiple modifiers for this key, then click on the desired modifiers. The action text area can be edited; see "Editing Action Text Areas" for more information.

6) Click "OK" to accept the changes to the key or "Cancel" to bring back the original actions.

7) Click "Apply Changes to Session".

8) Test the keyboard remapping changes in the 5250 emulator session; do not exit from the Keyboard Remapping program.

9) In the Keyboard Remapping program, you can make further keyboard mapping changes or "Restore" if necessary.

10) After all keyboard mapping changes have been applied and tested, save the changes.

11) Exit the Keyboard Remapping program.

Editing Action Text Area

Action text areas can be changed using the keyboard. Click on the desired action text area and change using the keyboard. Click "OK" to accept changes.

Changed actions must be spelled correctly and are case sensitive. Multiple actions must be separated by a single space.

If an action text error is found, a warning dialogue is displayed and the action in error is highlighted.

If a modifier button is clicked while an action text area is active, the current action is inserted into the action text area at the cursor location.

The Ctrl key and Alt + numeric keypad 0 through 9 keys do not support text within action text area parenthesis. String() and Play() do not support text for these key combinations.

Applying Keyboard Map Changes

The Apply Changes to Session button temporarily applies your keyboard remapping changes to the emulator session where the Keyboard Remapping program was started. Your changes can then be tested. See "Saving Keyboard Remapping" for information on saving your changes for later use.

Saving Keyboard Map Files

The Save button saves your keyboard remapping changes for later use. Your keyboard remapping changes are saved in a keyboard map file. You select how your keyboard remapping changes are saved: as the default keyboard map file which is used for all your sessions or as a session specific keyboard map file used only for the session from where the Keyboard Remapping program was started.

A session specific keyboard map file allows different keyboard actions in different 5250 sessions. A session specific keyboard map file has the highest priority and is used for the specific session where the keyboard map file was created (using the session number of the 5250 session and the session name).

A default keyboard map file has the second highest priority and is used for all sessions that do not have a session specific keyboard map file. A default keyboard map file overrides any default keyboard map file that may exist (set up by a System Administrator).

A named keyboard map file can be used by a System Administrator for a system default, group default, and user default keyboard map file. Named keyboard mapping files allow use of a naming convention for mapping files (easier to match default keyboard mapping files to their users). If you wish to change a named default keyboard mapping file later, temporarily add -KEYFILE followed by the named keyboard mapping file name (including the keyboard type extension) in the IBM Network Station Manager program, Startup Programs or Startup Menus (depending on how your 5250 session starts). Then, save the updated default keyboard mapping file with the same name.

See "Deleting Keyboard Map Files" for information on deleting a keyboard map file.

Deleting Keyboard Map Files

Select the "Delete" button on the action bar to delete keyboard map files that have been created. Select any keyboard map files that are to be deleted and then select the delete button.

Restoring Keyboard Map

If undesirable keyboard remapping changes have been made, the keyboard map can be restored to:

1) The original keyboard map that was read when the Keyboard Remapping program was started.

2) The state of last apply; this is the mapping that was last applied to the session using the Apply button from the action bar.

Restore does not Save or Apply the restored key mappings. It restores the translations for the Keyboard Remapping program.

To restore the mappings of a default keyboard map, delete the session specific keyboard map file for the session and restart the session.

Simple Keyboard Macros

A keyboard macro is a keystroke sequence which you can easily enter into your emulator session. Simple keyboard macros can be created using the Keyboard Remapping program. Long or complex keyboard sequences should be created using the Record and Playback feature. See the Record and Playback topics in the main emulator Help text.

Creating a simple keyboard macro:

1) Click the key on the graphical keyboard that will execute your keyboard macro.

2) Scroll to the String() action in the Available Actions List and click on String().

3) Click the desired modifier button for your selected key.

4) Click between the parentheses of String() in the Key/Action Area.

5) Type a double quote, your keyboard macro data, and a double quote; for example, String("your data").

6) Click OK to accept your changes.

7) Click Apply Changes to Session.

8) Test your keyboard macro; press the key sequence in the emulator session. You can change you keyboard macro if you wish. Click Save.

Note: Multiple actions may be mapped to a single key. To do this, you can click on the desired action text area and type the desired series of actions. You can also click on the desired action text area and click the modifier buttons to insert the series of actions from the available actions list and character list. Multiple actions must be separated by a single space.

Note: If you wish to create a macro using multiple modifier combinations that are not available in the key/action area, the Advanced Keyboard Remapping feature may be used (see the Advanced Keyboard Remapping topic).

Playback Files

You can map a playback file to a key sequence. Record a playback file using the record feature (see the Record topic in the main emulator Help text for recording help).

Then, in keyboard remapping, select the key to start the playback file. Assign the Play() action to your key sequence. Click the mouse between the parentheses of Play() in the Key/Action Area. Enter the playback file name between the parentheses.

No Action

To make a key sequence do nothing, click the "No Action" button in the action selection area and click the modifier button for the desired key sequence. Then accept the changes with the "OK" button.

Note: A key with Dead Key in the action text area cannot be mapped because the Network Station operating system processes dead keys.

Note: A key with Undefined in the action text area can be mapped.

Locating Actions

To find the keystroke(s) that are mapped to an action, select the action in the available actions list and click the Locate button in the action selection area.

All keys mapped to the located action are highlighted and the first key located becomes the current key in the key/action area.

Locate is not allowed for no action, character list character(s), or keyboard macro.

Window Manager Keys

Certain keys are processed by the IBM Network Station Window Manager program; for example, the key sequence to move a window to the background. Window Manager keys are not available for keyboard remapping using the 5250 Keyboard Remapping program.

Non-displayable Translations

Non-displayable translations only occur if you added translations using Advanced Keyboard Remapping or you have a keyboard remapping file that was created using an earlier version of the Keyboard Remapping program.

In Advanced Keyboard Remapping (and the earlier version of Keyboard Remapping program), several modifier translations are allowed and Control can be used as a modifier. These modifiers are not displayed in the key/action area. Note: Control should not be used as a modifier for the Network Station 5250 emulator because the left Control key should perform the "reset" action.

If a translation exists for the current key that cannot be displayed, a message is presented in the message area. This translation can only be viewed, edited, or removed using the Advanced Keyboard Remapping feature. These translations could provide useful function; the Keyboard Remapping program will not modify these translations.

Keyboard mapping print is not supported for DBCS languages (Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese).

Advanced Keyboard Remapping

Warning: Advanced Keyboard Remapping has the potential to produce undesirable results and could cause significant emulator session problems. If this occurs, recover by correcting the keyboard remapping changes (modify and apply) or deleting the keyboard map file. The 5250 session must be exited and restarted after deleting the keyboard map file.

Advanced Keyboard Remapping provides experienced users the opportunity to edit the internal keystroke translation list associated with the emulator session.

Press and hold the "Alt" key, then press the "a" key to start Advanced Keyboard Remapping.

The Advanced Remapping window contains the internal translation list and the following four buttons:

1) "Edit" the first selected translation in the list.

2) "Insert" a blank line before the selected translation.

3) "Remove" all selected translations in the list (verify that you wish to remove all selected translations before clicking Remove).

4) "Close" the Advanced Remapping window.

Locating items in the Translation List: When a key is clicked on the graphical keyboard, all translations mapped to that key become highlighted in the translation list. The list is automatically adjusted to make the first selected translation visible.

To locate an action within the translation list, select the action in the main available actions list and click the locate button. The keys using this action are highlighted.

Translation Precedence: Translations must be in the correct order. The translation list is inspected from the top down looking for a translation that matches a keystroke. The first entry that is found which meets the requirements is used. The translation list entries that have the most modifiers on them (most specific) are placed before those with less. For example:

Alt<KeyPress>Print: sysreq() must come before

<KeyPress>Print: print()

"sysreq" is selected when the Print key is pressed and the Alt key is held (other modifier keys could be held down). "print" is selected when the Print key is pressed (other modifier keys could be held down). If <KeyPress>Print: print() were before Alt<KeyPress>Print: sysreq(), the Alt<KeyPress>Print: sysreq() would never be processed because <KeyPress>Print: print() would be processed first.

Structure of translations:

Modifier Modifier<KeyPress>Key: action() action()

No modifier is required. Multiple modifiers are supported. One action is required. Multiple actions are supported.

Modifiers recognized by Keyboard Remapping:

Any (the same as no modifier)

Shift (shift)

Lock (caps lock or shift lock)

Ctrl (not recommended for use in a 5250 session)

Alt (alt)

Mod2 (right alt key, Alt Graphical)

Mod3 (not used at this time)

Mod4 (not used at this time)

Mod5 (Num_lock)

The Keyboard Remapping program also recognizes the exclusive (!) designation at the beginning of a modifier list.

The reset() action is mapped to the left control key (the reset action should not be moved). If you specify the Ctrl modifier to select an action, the left Control key will process the reset() action before your action is processed.

The enter() or newline() action is typically placed on the Control_R key.