L3 Systems KeyAT-5 User manual

KeyAT-5
Version 5.0
RS232 to USB Copyright 2006-2010
Keyboard/Mouse L3 Systems, Inc.
Port Adapter Redmond, WA

Command Description Pg
Connections & Pin-Outs 2-4
Turn off Commands ~@ Turn off commands 5
Reset (10 tildes ‘~’) ~~~~~~~~~~ Reset & Load Defaults 5
Send scan code ~:nn Sends scan code nn 6
Shift Keys ~A~C~S~G Prefix Alt, Ctrl Shift or GUI 6
Raw Mode ~R Enter Raw Mode 7
Move Mouse ~M+xx+yy Move mouse +/-xx, +/-yy 8
Mouse Button ~Bnn Mouse buttons nn 9
Line Mode ~L Data buffered until <ENTER> 10
Immediate Mode ~I Data interpreted as received 10
Send CR mode ~F Sends <CR> through 11
Status request ~? LEDs = n, Boot/OS Mode 11
Sleep ~Znn Sleeps nn seconds 12
Test ~T Test KeyAT LED Control 12
Help & Version ~H & ~V ~H for help, ~V for Version 13
Setup Mode ~*SETUP Setup Mode, Commands: 14
Command Pg Command Pg
LC Load Config 16 LK
Load Scan CodeTable 19
PC Print Config 14 PK Print Scan Code Table 20
D Config to default 18 EK Erase Key Scan Codes 20
LP Load Power-On 21 H Display Help Info 21
PP Print Power-on 22 Q Exit Setup Mode 14
Special Characters ^C send Ctrl “C”, ~41 Sends ASCII 41Hex 22
Recovery methods Loading & Setting KeyAT Defaults 23
Examples Examples of KeyAT Commands 24
Scan Code Table Table of Scan Code values 25
ASCII Table Table of ASCII Characters & Scan Codes 30

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Introduction
The KeyAT-5 keyboard port adapter allows you to
send keyboard keystrokes and/or mouse
instructions to a computer via an RS-232 interface.
Typical uses for the KeyAT-5 are:
Testing software - With a KeyAT-5, you
can send keys and mouse movements that
simulate user input from another computer
using RS-232 communications.
Remote Access - The KeyAT-5 allows
remote access to a system where the
software does not provide any other
method.
Attaching input devices – Allows you to
attach RS-232 devices to the keyboard port
such as bar code readers, scales, and credit
card readers.
Note: The KeyAT-5 also operates during boot mode,
for use with BIOS menus. However, mouse
commands are supported for this use. The Status
command (~?, pg 11) denotes boot or OS mode.

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Connections
The following illustrates a typical connection of the
KeyAT-5.
1. The USB connector connects to the target
computer either directly, or via a USB extension
cable, such as L3 Systems part number
CL0017.
2. The RS-232 connector connects to an RS-232
port on the host system either directly, or via an
RS-232 extension cable, such as L3 Systems
part number CL0015.
KeyAT-5 RS232
to USB Adapter
Target PC
CL00 15 US BEx tensionCabl e
Host PC
3
Systems
3
Systems
CL0017
RS-232 Cable
The above example shows two extension cables,
one on each connector of the KeyAT-5. Generally
only one extension cable is used.

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Serial Port Connector
The port is configured as a DCE device. On the 9
pin DB-9S connector, it transmits data on pin 2
and receives data on pin 3. No other RS-232 signal
is required for it to operate.
Pin 6
Pin 9
Pin 1
Pin 5
Pin Signal KeyAT-5 Function
1 DCD Not Used
2 RX (Receive) from KB232 RS-232 Output
3 TX (Transmit) to KB232 RS-232 Input
4 DTR Not Used
5 Signal Ground Ground
6 DSR Not Used
7 RTS Not Used
8 CTS Not Used
9 RI Not Used.

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KeyAT-5 USB Connector
The following connector shows the pin definitions
for the KeyAT-5 USB connector. Note that this
provides power to the KeyAT-5 Adapter.
Gnd
Pin 4
Data+
Pin 3 Data-
Pin 2
+5V
Pin 1
USB Series A Connector
Sending Data
The main job of the KeyAT-5 is to transfer data from
the RS-232 port and send it through to the
computer's keyboard port. Data can be sent using
ASCII, ASCII control codes, HID keyboard scan
codes or ASCII hex. A line can have a maximum
length of 80 characters and should end with an
<ENTER> (CR, hex 0D). When using immediate
mode, data and commands are interpreted as
received with buffering up to 80 characters. If you
get more than 80 characters ahead of the
computer, the additional characters will be ignored.

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In line turn-around mode, the KeyAT-5 sends a
colon prompt after the data has been processed,
signaling that it is ready for another command.
Below shows the ASCII characters ‘DIR<ENTER>’
being sent via the KeyAT-5.
Example: KeyAT, V5.0x1, [C]L3 Systems, Inc.
2010 :DIR^M<ENTER>
:
Commands
Commands are instructions to the KeyAT-5 to do
something other than just pass data through to the
computer. All commands begin with a ~ (tilde, hex
7E) character followed by a command character,
and in some cases additional data.
~@ Disable Commands – All commands are
disabled until 10 consecutive tildes
(~~~~~~~~~~) or reset/power cycle.
~~~~~~~~~~ Reset/Enable Commands – If
commands are disabled, sending 10
consecutive tilde (~) characters will enable
commands. If commands are enabled, this
will reset the KeyAT-5 (& run power-up string
if loaded).

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Send a scan code
If you want to send a scan code without going into
scan code mode, then use the ~:nn command to
send the hexadecimal scan code value. This is
useful for function keys, arrow keys or any other
keys that don’t have an ASCII equivalent. See the
“Scan codes” table later on for valid scan codes.
~:nn Send Scan Code – This scan code nn.
Examples: :~:4B<ENTER> (sends PgUp)
:~:E1~:4B<ENTER> (sends Shift-PgUp)
Modifier Keys
The following commands allow you to prepend a
modifier key to a subsequent key. You can prepend
multiple modifiers to a single key. Capitalized
command letter specifies the left key, lower case
specifies the right key
~S Left, ~s Right Shift – Apply Shift to next key
~C Left, ~c Right Ctrl – Apply Ctrl to next key
~A Left, ~a Right Alt – Apply Alt to next key
~G Left, ~g Right Gui – Apply Gui to next key
Ex: :~Sa<ENTER> (Sends a Shifted “A” key)
:~CX<ENTER> (Sends a Ctrl-X key)
:~a~:3A<ENTER> (Sends an Right-Alt-F1 key)
:~S~A~:3B<ENTER> (Sends a Shift-Alt-F2 key)
:~C~A~:4C<ENTER> (Sends the Ctrl-Alt-DEL key)

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Raw Mode
The ~R command enters a special mode, called Raw
Mode, where the KeyAT sees all serial input as
bytes of data directly interpreted as scan codes. For
example, hex 41 is the letter “A” in ASCII, but in
Raw Mode it is interpreted as the “F8” key. (See the
Scan Code Table towards the end of this manual.)
The only two bytes that are not considered scan
codes are hex 02 (Ctrl B), which is interpreted as
an end-of-line, and hex 03 (Ctrl C), which is
interpreted as a command to exit Raw Mode. In
Raw Mode commands are effectively disabled, and
the bytes received are not echoed.
Note that this mode is not practical to use from the
command line with Tera Term or Hyperterm. It is
designed to work with a script (such as the Tera
Term macro language) or a programming language
(such as C/C++ or Visual Basic).
Example:
:~R<ENTER>
:<Byte 04><Byte 05><Byte 02> (Send keys A & B)
:<Byte 1E><Byte 1F><Byte 02> (Send keys 1 & 2)
:<Byte 03><Byte 02> (Exit Raw Mode)
:

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Mouse Commands
The KeyAT-5 allows you to send commands that
mimic mouse usage.
Move mouse
This command allow you to move the mouse
pointer.
~Mxxyy Move Mouse – Moves the mouse xx
increments in the x-axis and yy increments
in the y-axis.
Examples: :~M+07-32<ENTER> (Moves mouse right 7
and up 32 )
:~M-12+23<ENTER> (Moves mouse left 12
and down 23 )
Note that mouse sensitivity is controlled by host
computer settings. For Windows, look for mouse
settings in the control panel.