Amiga BASIC
7 messages in this thread
I am writing a program in Amiga BASIC and I want to disable the keyboard.
Any suggestions on how I might do this?
Thank you, Dale Rice
Dale,
Why disbale the keyboard? If it's to prevent the "window flash" (when the
keyboard buffer overflows), the only way I know is to constantly read
characters from the keyboard.
If you mean to disable the "control-c" exit, use the ON ERROR command to
detect the "control-c". —Mike
Thanks for the note mike. Let me explain why I need to disable the
keyboard. I work at a science museum. We create programs (exhibits) that
are used by unsupervised visitors. The program I have writen is run by using
the mouse. My problem is that people come in and press
ctrl-c,amiga-.,ctrl-s,ctrl-n,ctrl-m, and ctrl-amiga-amiga and crash the
program. Can any one help?
<Ahem>…
IF the program does not need ANY keyboard input at all, and IF you do not
need to have any sort of supervisory control, THEN you can do this:
1) Create an auto-booting disk which runs your program automatically.
2) Turn the Amiga OFF, then UNPLUG the keyboard and lock it away in your
office somewhere.
3) Turn the Amiga ON, and watch it come up and run your demo… totally
without a chance of any user having keyboard access. 8)
Yeah, I realize it's simple-minded, but simple-minded can be the best
sometimes. I've done self-driving demos that we even disconnect the MOUSE
from; we just set up the base unit, plug in the monitor, and let 'er rip.
Hope this helps.
Rick
Thanks for getting back to me so quick. The disk does auto boot and your
suggestions will work great with the 1000, but what about the 500?
thanks again rick
What a coincidence. I was just asked yesterday to write a Basic program
for a science museum display in New Mexico. Their Amigas will be behind
glass.
Rick's idea about disconnecting the keyboard is a good one. You can leave
it there so it looks like it's connected for verisimilitude. Although you can
trap CTRL-C, there is no way I know of to trap the
CTRL-LEFT-AMIGA-RIGHT-AMIGA reset within a basic program. If your program
needs a keyboard for operation, have a dummy keyboard on display, and hide
the real keyboard under the table. The keyboard cable can be extended using
a standard telephone handset (not line) cable available at Radio Shack. I've
used a 15' with no problem, I was getting some intermittent operation at 25'.
—Mike
Hello again Mike. What is the name of the museum in New Mexico? What kind
of project do you have going? Have you ever writen programs for other
museums?
The suggestions from Mike will work fine on the 1000 but I need a solution
for the 500 too!