Numberpad Enter key remapping

Thakmere

Howdy, this is my first thread (pretty much ever) because I can not find this problem anywhere else. So my apologies if this is incredibly strange/hard.
I've got a Thinkpad W520 that I've had for about 2 months now and it doesn't have a number pad. Normally, I would have preferred a laptop with one, but this thing was far too sweet to have that be a deciding factor. I use the number pad all the time, I have a hard time using the row-of-numbers when actually inputting data and stuff, and the I use that enter key almost all the time (easy to whack with your finger).

This is a problem in Photoshop when editing text (which I do a LOT), because the normal enter key makes a new line, while the num-enter tells it "Okay, I'm done editing text. Exit the text editor". This is infuriating to do an alternate way (especially when you're used to whacking that enter key). Also good in CIV when ending your turn (not crucial whatsoever to my needs).

So naturally I began looking for a little USB thing, but they're expensive, so I've been holding out. Yesterday at the local flea market I picked up a Targus PAUK10U (Item No. 10) (http://s7.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/D93B394C.jpg) for 1 dollar (the price I wanted to pay). It's pretty swell, cool tripple-zero key, two USB ports on top, a backspace key (idc about big + key). Only issue is is that the enter key acts as the normal-enter key, not the numberpad enter key.

I tried using SharpKeys, but that just makes the computer think anything that sends a 00_1C signal (normal enter) to transform it to a numberpad enter key, which is E0_1C. So my question being is there any way to fix this or make a work around? I'm pretty computer-capable although I don't know a lot of fancier code stuff I can usually figure it out if walked-through.

tl;dr USB Numpad's enter key sends signal as standard enter key. Needs to be numberpad enter key. SharpKeys doesn't work. Help.

Thanks a bunch to any and all help!--Ian

Straight_Man

Slightly dumb idea.... If this is USB type external num-pad, you are out of luck unless it changes code in num lock on mode to your wanted code. this is how most number keypads work, use the regular enter in non-num-lock mode and the num-enter in num-lock-on mode.

Straight_Man

Another slightly dumb idea.. to change your Enter key to a num-enter key, try this:

1. Press Fn (lower left of keyboard, blue label) AND ScrLK keys at once.
Note, there will be no light or cue that it worked, but:
2. 7, 8, and 9 keys will remain 7, 8, and 9; uio will become 456; jkl will become 123, and your enter key should work as a num-enter key until you do number 1 again.

Your separate numeric entry pad is less kludgy for lots of number entry, but if you do not have it this should work. The Lenovo W520 uses a "virtualized" numeric entry pad on its kind of cramped keyboard. It is kinda old-school that way.

I have one here, had to play to get things working right like that. THEN I found the function key mapping diagram in the quick-start paper work.

Thakmere

Yes, your second post does allow my keyboad's enter to ask as a numpad's enter, but the problem there being I can't use uiojkl
The USB thing works perfectly as it should when IT itself is in numlock-on/off modes, and doesn't affect the laptop's keyboard. It's just its enter key which is stupidly-coded. But thank you

Also, I've found that for my Photoshop issue, ctrl+enter works just the same. So I'll prolly just use that for now (I swear I tried that before though) even though slightly less desirable.

Straight_Man

Um, it is three keystrokes to get just num-enter and back to text entry:

1. Fn+ScrLK (turns on nun-lock mode)
2. Enter
3. Fn+ScrLK (turns off num-lock mode because you did number 1 above-- Fn+ScrLK keycode combo TOGGLES num-lock on then off, on then off, etc.)

The Ctrl+Enter is much better than that. Photoshop got that code because Photoshop also works on MACs and iMACs. and a special code was needed because those computers used a special key everything Adobe made for both Apple and PCs uses CTRL for PC where Apple uses a special symbol key as part of a combo.

I wonder if you get a light going on and off on your keypad entry thing if you press num-lock and release it? If not, it may not be working as intended.

BTW, the W520 interprets according to IBM keycode mapping, any TI (Texas Instruments) entry device for its computers would use TI's mapping which is different code meanings. This is because both IBM and TI wanted to patent their keycodes where they could, in order that they could patent the keyboard chip software they used. TI, when they realized their computers were selling poorly, made keyboards with switches that would shift to an IBM keycode mapping and had to pay IBM to make and sell a device that would map to IBM keycodes. Ti is a Texas Instruments logo.

Straight_Man

http://www.amazon.com/IBM-Numeric-Keypad-For-Thinkpad/dp/B00004Z7F0

This is a good USB numeric keypad for ThinkPads

CB

I've used MapKeyboard for several remapping needs. It is safe and effective.

Also, just [function]+enter might work. That's usually the case on that style keyboard, but I'm not familiar with yours specifically.

Tushon

CB said:

I've used MapKeyboard for several remapping needs. It is safe and effective.

So many things that could go before that last sentence. SO MANY!