Global Hotkeys not updating

[fasterfind]

I searched the boards and have not found posts which mention this or similiar problems, so I am posting.

I am tiling instances and cannot get WinEQ2.0 to respond to custom settings of global hotkeys.

I have attempted to set global hotkeys under
Options>Preferences>Everquest>Profiles>Profile #1, 2, 3 etc
And under
Options>Preferences>Everquest>Hotkeys

Attempting to switch focus from one instance to the next, fails.

If I use any of the default keystroke combinations mentioned in the manual to switch focus between instances, it works.

Alt+X+Z
Ctrl + Alt + 1... etc.

But the system will not accept anything else. Restarting WinEQ after making changes did not result in success. (It still only responds to default keystrokes for switching focus) I have attempted to set global hotkeys to keys which are as simple as just pressing 2, 3, 4.. etc. (So the way in which the key was entered cannot be the source of the problem.)

============================

WinEQ 2 System Information
System:
-----------------------------------
Windows Version: Microsoft Windows 2000/Service Pack 3/
System Physical RAM: 820/1023MB
Page File: 1819/1997MB
Virtual Memory: 1694/2047MB (Extended: 0MB)
CPU 1: AMD Athlon(tm) @ 1252MHz
Video 1: \\.\DISPLAY1/RADEON 9550
Video 2: \\.\DISPLAY2/RADEON 9550 Secondary
Video 3: \\.\DISPLAY4/NetMeeting driver
Monitor 1: \\.\DISPLAY1 (0,0,1280,1024) (1280x1024) PRIMARY
Sound: ¨
DirectX: 4.09.00.0904
Internet Explorer: 6.0.2800.1106
WinEQ: 2.07

Loaded Modules:
-----------------------------------
Module 0: G:\Program Files\Sony\fasterfind2\eqgame.exe
Module 1: G:\WINNT\System32\ntdll.dll
Module 2: G:\Program Files\Sony\fasterfind2\mss32.dll
Module 3: G:\WINNT\system32\KERNEL32.dll
Module 4: G:\WINNT\system32\USER32.dll
Module 5: G:\WINNT\system32\GDI32.DLL
Module 6: G:\WINNT\System32\WINMM.dll
Module 7: G:\WINNT\system32\ADVAPI32.DLL
Module 8: G:\WINNT\system32\RPCRT4.DLL
Module 9: G:\WINNT\System32\WSOCK32.dll
Module 10: G:\WINNT\System32\WS2_32.DLL
Module 11: G:\WINNT\system32\MSVCRT.DLL
Module 12: G:\WINNT\System32\WS2HELP.DLL
Module 13: G:\WINNT\System32\DINPUT8.dll
Module 14: G:\WINNT\System32\IMM32.dll
Module 15: G:\WINNT\system32\SHELL32.dll
Module 16: G:\WINNT\system32\SHLWAPI.DLL
Module 17: G:\WINNT\system32\COMCTL32.DLL
Module 18: G:\WINNT\system32\ole32.dll
Module 19: G:\WINNT\System32\serwvdrv.dll
Module 20: G:\WINNT\System32\umdmxfrm.dll
Module 21: G:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2.dll
Module 22: G:\WINNT\Lavish.dll
Module 23: G:\WINNT\System32\PSAPI.DLL
Module 24: G:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-EQ.dll
Module 25: G:\WINNT\System32\MSIMG32.dll
Module 26: G:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-D3D9.dll
Module 27: G:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-D3D8.dll
Module 28: G:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-DI8.dll
Module 29: G:\WINNT\system32\msafd.dll
Module 30: G:\WINNT\System32\wshtcpip.dll
Module 31: G:\WINNT\System32\rnr20.dll
Module 32: G:\WINNT\System32\DNSAPI.DLL
Module 33: G:\WINNT\System32\iphlpapi.dll
Module 34: G:\WINNT\System32\ICMP.DLL
Module 35: G:\WINNT\System32\MPRAPI.DLL
Module 36: G:\WINNT\System32\SAMLIB.DLL
Module 37: G:\WINNT\System32\NETAPI32.DLL
Module 38: G:\WINNT\System32\SECUR32.DLL
Module 39: G:\WINNT\System32\NETRAP.DLL
Module 40: G:\WINNT\system32\WLDAP32.DLL
Module 41: G:\WINNT\system32\OLEAUT32.DLL
Module 42: G:\WINNT\System32\ACTIVEDS.DLL
Module 43: G:\WINNT\System32\ADSLDPC.DLL
Module 44: G:\WINNT\System32\RTUTILS.DLL
Module 45: G:\WINNT\System32\SETUPAPI.DLL
Module 46: G:\WINNT\System32\USERENV.DLL
Module 47: G:\WINNT\System32\RASAPI32.DLL
Module 48: G:\WINNT\System32\RASMAN.DLL
Module 49: G:\WINNT\System32\TAPI32.DLL
Module 50: G:\WINNT\System32\DHCPCSVC.DLL
Module 51: G:\WINNT\System32\winrnr.dll
Module 52: G:\WINNT\System32\rasadhlp.dll
Module 53: G:\Program Files\WinEQ2\EQPlayNice.dll
Module 54: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\MQ2Main.dll
Module 55: G:\WINNT\System32\NTMARTA.DLL
Module 56: G:\WINNT\System32\WINSPOOL.DRV
Module 57: G:\WINNT\system32\MPR.DLL
Module 58: G:\WINNT\System32\NTDSAPI.dll
Module 59: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2labels.dll
Module 60: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2itemdisplay.dll
Module 61: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2custombinds.dll
Module 62: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2hud.dll
Module 63: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2fps.dll
Module 64: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2map.dll
Module 65: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2bzsrch.dll
Module 66: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2chatwnd.dll
Module 67: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2eqbugfix.dll
Module 68: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2extras.dll
Module 69: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2telnet.dll
Module 70: G:\Documents and Settings\klancy kennedy\Desktop\MQ2\mq2docrack.dll
Module 71: G:\Program Files\Sony\fasterfind2\EQGraphicsDX9.DLL
Module 72: G:\WINNT\System32\d3d9.dll
Module 73: G:\WINNT\System32\d3d8thk.dll
Module 74: G:\WINNT\system32\VERSION.dll
Module 75: G:\WINNT\system32\LZ32.DLL
Module 76: G:\Program Files\Sony\fasterfind2\dpvs.dll
Module 77: G:\WINNT\System32\ctagent.dll
Module 78: G:\Program Files\Sony\fasterfind2\eqmain.dll
Module 79: G:\WINNT\System32\HID.DLL

Direct3D9:
-----------------------------------
Driver: RADEON 9550/ati2dvag.dll/6/14/10/6483
Adapter Display Mode: 1280x1024 D3DFMT_R5G6B5
Game Display Mode: 800x600 D3DFMT_R5G6B5
Current Adapter: 0
Available Texture Memory: 237MB
Direct3D8:
-----------------------------------
Adapter Display Mode: 0x0 D3DFMT_UNKNOWN
Game Display Mode: 0x0 D3DFMT_UNKNOWN
Current Adapter: 0
Available Texture Memory: (not currently available)
DirectInput8:
-----------------------------------

EverQuest:
-----------------------------------
Profile 2: WAR
EQ Path: G:\Program Files\Sony\fasterfind2
EQClient.ini: .\eqclient.ini
Patch: ON Test Server: OFF Locale: us
Video Adapter: Application Controlled
Luclin models: 0 (+0 min RAM)
Texture Compression: ON (+0 min RAM)
Texture Caching: ON (+0 min RAM)
Texture Quality: LOW (+0 min RAM)
Calculated minimum RAM: 0MB (BASE)
Level of Detail: 1
MaxFPS: 10
Additional setting: VertexShaders=FALSE
Additional setting: 20PixelShaders=TRUE
Additional setting: 1xPixelShaders=TRUE

EQPlayNice:
-----------------------------------
EQ Version: eqgame.exe Dec 16 2004 17:15:50
Foreground
Mode: FPS Limiter
Max FPS: 24
Rendering: 1/1
Background
Mode: CPU Limiter
Max FPS: 30
Rendering: 1/10

[fasterfind]

The manual states that key combination must be registered with windows. I know that if a person wants to set up a 'shortcut key' to tell windows to open a specific program with a combination of keystrokes, that windows requires the combination to include

CTRL+ALT+KEY

KEY can be whatever, but CTRL + ALT have to be part of it.

...................................

If this is the situation, then it might benefit players if a solution could be reached which would allow them to switch focus between instances more easily (with fewer keystrokes.) The CTRL + ALT combination is something which requires a player to break eye contact with their monitor, reposition their hands from their playing position, then reposition their hands again to resume playing (It wouldn't be fun to do that hundreds of times per gaming session.)

[fasterfind]

WinEQ seems to accept the combination of CTRL+ALT+ [Lbutton or Rbutton] for switching between NEXT and PREVIOUS instances. (I'm assuming that it will accept keystrokes as well and I'm satisfied that this is working for NEXT and PREVIOUS instance.)

However, Global Hotkeys is still not working. Any number of key combinations using CTRL+ALT+[any key] for use as a Global Hotkey (wheter the key combination is set under a profile, or set under Options>Preferences>Everquest>Hotkeys

-is still not resulting in success.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Considering that it may take a user a lot of playing around to discovere the necessity of using CTRL + ALT + KEY to get the NEXT / PREVIOUS action working, it may be beneficial to include that in the manual.

Another thing which occurs to me is that if a user were prompted to chose a 3 key combination with the assistance of a dropdown menu listing options for the 3rd key, it would be absolutely foolproof and that approach would also elliminate the chance of someone entering misspelled combinations or violating the necessary syntax.

[fasterfind]

If I use any of the default keystroke combinations mentioned in the manual to switch focus between instances, it works.

Alt+X+Z

Don't want to confuse any readers, I should have writtern

Ctrl+Alt+ [X or Z ]

as the default key combo for next / prev window.

[fasterfind]

It would also be beneficial if in order to switch between instances, a player did not have to release and depress CTRL + ALT each time.

For example, if a player wants to use the NEXT function and needs to move two tiles over. It would be most natural if they just held down CTRL + ALT while pressing the second key twice.

The abillity to hold CTRL + ALT instead of having to release and then depress CTRL + ALT a second time would make the operation occur more quickly and seemlessly.

[Lax]

It would also be beneficial if in order to switch between instances, a player did not have to release and depress CTRL + ALT each time.

WinEQ 2.0 originally allowed this, however it only lead to keys "sticking" and was dropped.

Considering that it may take a user a lot of playing around to discovere the necessity of using CTRL + ALT + KEY to get the NEXT / PREVIOUS action working, it may be beneficial to include that in the manual.

I don't understand what you're saying. It seems like you are saying CTRL and ALT are required, however it can be any keys including single keys... It could be X, or X+Y+Z if you wanted.

The manual states that key combination must be registered with windows. I know that if a person wants to set up a 'shortcut key' to tell windows to open a specific program with a combination of keystrokes, that windows requires the combination to include

Sure, but this isn't shortcut keys... Registered Windows hotkeys (e.g. global hotkeys, this doesn't apply at all to WinEQ hotkeys which are NOT registered with Windows) can use any single key, with the exception of reserved keys such as F12 which is reserved by Windows for a debugger, plus any combination of modifier keys which are CTRL ALT WIN SHIFT. The only thing stopping you from using a specific combination is if it is already registered by another application. No WinEQ hotkeys require CTRL+ALT.

If you change your global hotkeys from CTRL+ALT+1 thru CTRL+ALT+8, WinEQ has no knowledge of the original hotkeys. If list of default global hotkeys are changed and yet, the title bar shows CTRL+ALT+1, the only possibilities are a) the .ini file could not be read, and b) the .ini file does not contain the keys. Global hotkey settings are applied only at startup of a session. They have absolutely no effect while a session is running.

[fasterfind]

I have now had success in getting the program to recognize custom key combinations for the NEXT and PREV Session functions. I am using ALT+ a mouse click for next and prev. It's working well for next and prev session functions.

But I still cannot get Global Activation Hotkeys to accept most custom configurations which I attempt. So I'm curious as to if I'm using valid combinations for hotkeys and if hotkeys have different limitations than next / prev session. Here's what I've tried unsuccessfully.

Ctrl+Lbutton
Shift+LButton
Ctrl+Up
Ctrl+Alt+Up
Ctrl+Down
Ctrl+Left
Ctrl+Right
Alt+Left
Alt+Right

All profiles are set to AUTO for global hotkeys, so the only place I am configuring them is under Options>Preferences>Hotkeys

[Lax]

Global Activation Hotkeys do in fact have different limitations because theyre limited to things Windows considers valid. WinEQ specifically allows LButton/RButton in hotkeys, while this is invalid for Windows.

I'm not sure why up/down/left/right don't work though. I will check on that. A lot of people like to use a single numpad key for each of their sessions. Come to think of it i think the reason they dont work has something to do with the numpad

[fasterfind]

Using imaginary key values.

I did a little bit of testing.

I cannot use the following input for a key combination for a function: Ctrl+Alt+1fffddd

But I can use that for a global hotkey without being prompted that I have made an invalid selection.

[Lax]

Yes, but the same key names are used. global activation key values aren't validated

[fasterfind]

OK, guess that wasn't discovering anything significant then. I thought there might have been something behind that.

I've been poking around more and noticed that Right Ctrl seems to return the invalid key message regardless of which function I try to attach it to. Right Alt also seems to be rejected.

When I found this, I was thinking that a gamer is going to have their left hand right at the arrow keys, which means that their smallest finger will be right above Right Ctrl, which makes it a natural candidate.

[Lax]

Well, I think most serious gamers use WASD or ESDF for movement along with the mouse for mouselook, and having to move your hand off the mouse is a serious disadvantage. Some people do use the numpad or arrow keys to move though, so it does make sense. Right ctrl/alt/shift are supposed to work for WinEQ hotkeys (should be equivalent for global hotkeys, rather than separate), I can check on that also.