Control by keyboard - use of buttons

[aplman]

I have done a lot with wonderful PTE, but never a manually controlled show with optional paths through the slides.  Now I face a challenge.

I have a slide with several buttons that allow me to select and launch other shows, and when I control the presentation with a mouse, everything works nicely.

However, for my eventual presentation to a class of ninety people, I will need to use a hand-held presenter, so I have to specify "Control by keyboard" in PTE's Project Options.

Now, may I ask please  -  with control by keyboard,  how do I see which button has the focus?  How do I select a button?,   How do I press it?

Perhaps buttons are not suitable in this circumstance?  Is there another way, without using the mouse?

I will be grateful for assistance.  Can't help thinking I must be missing something elementary!

Ken T.

 

[Guest Yachtsman1]

2 minutes ago, aplman said:

I have done a lot with wonderful PTE, but never a manually controlled show with optional paths through the slides.  Now I face a challenge.

I have a slide with several buttons that allow me to select and launch other shows, and when I control the presentation with a mouse, everything works nicely.

However, for my eventual presentation to a class of ninety people, I will need to use a hand-held presenter, so I have to specify "Control by keyboard" in PTE's Project Options.

Now, may I ask please  -  with control by keyboard,  how do I see which button has the focus?  How do I select a button?,   How do I press it?

Perhaps buttons are not suitable in this circumstance?  Is there another way, without using the mouse?

I will be grateful for assistance.  Can't help thinking I must be missing something elementary!

Ken T.

 

Hi Ken

I don't think PTE will do what you want. It won't control the focus of the projector. You can control the show via the PC/Laptop mouse or keyboard. As I have just said to Mike, I'm off to bed now but will come back tomorrow if someone else hasn't come up with a better explanation.

Yachtsman1.

[aplman]

G'day Yachtsman!

Thank you for your extremely speedy response to my distress call!

In this case, "having the focus" is computer jargon meaning the currently selected button on the computer screen, the button that keyboard and mouse interact with.  It's not related to projector focus.

I hope this will now be clearer to all.

Ken T.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Ken

I've never heard "Focus" being used in the context you have. Could it be an Americanism?

However, it would appear I had the wrong end of the stick, it was late. All the multi action menus I have constructed have required access to the keyboard or mouse. The only time I've heard of a remote mouse was when Peter Appleton mentioned using an infra red remote mouse, which I mentioned when someone had a similar query, however I don't recall him coming back & enlightening us further. I seem to believe what you are wanting is available in Powerpoint? Try PM'ing Peter if he doesn't come back. The screen shot is the construction of a multi function menu of mine controlled by the mouse.

Yachtsman1

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Back from hospital now, had a quick look at remote mouse. Several ideas here.

http://remotemouse.net/

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SODIAL-Wireless-Remote-Control-Mouse/dp/B008JV3N9W

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hungrybolo.remotemouseandroid

 

Yachtsman1.

[tom95521]

You want to see the focus of the button/text like you can in a DVD menu with a remote? Not quite the same as mouse over. I'm not near a Windows PC with PTE installed but if you read the docs maybe it will help figure out how to set focus.

http://docs.picturestoexe.com/en/techniques/button#properties_of_the_button_text

Tom

[denisb]

Hi,

with the keyboard, you can control mouse move:  http://windows.microsoft.com/fr-fr/windows7/use-mouse-keys-to-move-the-mouse-pointer

My Windows is in French and this link is in French, but I suppose it will be in English for you.

I test this method and it works for PTE buttons. The change for the button which has "focus" (in France we said the same thing) is not sufficient in PTE, I think, but you can see with the mouse pointer.

 

Denis

 

[aplman]

My thanks to you all, Eric, Tom, Denis.  Between you, you have given me enough ideas to move forward.

Ken T.

 

[aplman]

I need to revisit this matter  -  please forgive!

I have several reasons for wanting to use the keyboard (rather than the mouse) for control of my slideshow, so I have ticked "Permit Control by Keyboard" in Project Options..

Running the show, I can quickly and easily move to next slide or previous slide with left and right arrow keys, I can pause or resume the show with the space bar, and I can exit with the escape key.

What I am unable to do is to use buttons.  I have a slide with several buttons so I can choose what to show next.  I really want to avoid using the mouse.  I need to be able to select a button and press it, and to move between buttons, all using the keyboard.  Clearly the arrow keys do not achieve that.  I was hoping to use Tab and Shift-Tab to reach the next or previous button, or to assign a shortcut key to each button.

Am I missing something?  Or is this a functional enhancement I should suggest in the appropriate sub-forum?

Thanking you all ...

Ken T.

 

[landsberger]

Hi Ken

Have you considered a wireless keyboard like the Logitech Dinovo mini which has a built-in mousepad, otherwise your best option may be to assign shortcut keys.

Regards

john 

[aplman]

Thank you for the suggestions.  However, I see no provision defining a shortcut key in the properties of a PTE button object   Am I looking in the wrong place?

Ken T.

 

[Contentawarephil]

Ken, 

Have you considered a wireless TRACKBALL mouse?

It would allow you to use your thumb to select links and the left and right mouse buttons action them.

I have never used one for this purpose but in theory it does what you need.

Phil

P.S. check range of wireless version. Wired versions are available.

[Jean-Cyprien]

Hi alpman,

If you have ticked the check box "Turn on Mouse Keys" as suggested by Denis

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/use-mouse-keys-to-move-the-mouse-pointer

you'll be able to move the pointer with the numbers 1234 6789 and click with the number 5, as described  (not the arrows).

(I think the speed of the pointer is also to be changed)

Jean-Cyprien

[Contentawarephil]

Remote pointer with cursor control:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kensington-Presenter-Wireless-Joystick-Backlight/dp/B009K1PYG0/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1454410327&sr=8-19&keywords=kensington+remote+powerpoint+presenter

Phil

[Guest Yachtsman1]

40 minutes ago, Jean-Cyprien said:

Hi alpman,

If you have ticked the check box "Turn on Mouse Keys" as suggested by Denis

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/use-mouse-keys-to-move-the-mouse-pointer

you'll be able to move the pointer with the numbers 1234 6789 and click with the number 5, as described  (not the arrows).

(I think the speed of the pointer is also to be changed)

Jean-Cyprien

Hi Ken

This is what Jean-Cyprien is referring to see screen shots. Then click apply, I think? Hope that solves things.

Eric

Yachtsman1

[Contentawarephil]

Now, I could be wrong, but after reading Ken's OP a couple of times I think that Ken does not want to use a Keyboard

However, he contradicted his OP in a more recent post.

He needs to specify "Control by Keyboard" in order to use a Presenter (a remote device). But not all Presenters allow for Cursor Control.

So he needs a Presenter which also allows for cursor control.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kensington-Presenter-Wireless-Joystick-Backlight/dp/B009K1PYG0/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1454410327&sr=8-19&keywords=kensington+remote+powerpoint+presenter

Phil

 

 

[Guest Yachtsman1]

11 hours ago, landsberger said:

40 minutes ago, Contentawarephil said:

Now, I could be wrong, but after reading Ken's OP a couple of times I think that Ken does not want to use a Keyboard

However, he contradicted his OP in a more recent post.

He needs to specify "Control by Keyboard" in order to use a Presenter (a remote device). But not all Presenters allow for Cursor Control.

So he needs a Presenter which also allows for cursor control.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kensington-Presenter-Wireless-Joystick-Backlight/dp/B009K1PYG0/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1454410327&sr=8-19&keywords=kensington+remote+powerpoint+presenter

Phil

 

 

Hi Ken

Have you considered a wireless keyboard like the Logitech Dinovo mini which has a built-in mousepad, otherwise your best option may be to assign shortcut keys.

Regards

john 

 

11 hours ago, aplman said:

I need to revisit this matter  -  please forgive!

I have several reasons for wanting to use the keyboard (rather than the mouse) for control of my slideshow, so I have ticked "Permit Control by Keyboard" in Project Options..

Running the show, I can quickly and easily move to next slide or previous slide with left and right arrow keys, I can pause or resume the show with the space bar, and I can exit with the escape key.

  I need to be able to select a button and press it, and to move between buttons, all using the keyboard. 

Ken T.

 

I think there is some confusion between activating buttons & keyboard in PTE Project Options & Windows Control Panel. If he adopts the Control Panel route as suggested by Jean-Cyprien he can achieve this.

Yachtsman1.

[nobeefstu]

Ken,

There is a Slide Option to Run External Application that may serve your needs for just keyboard control without need of the mouse. I have used the Slide Option| Run External Application setting with great success in a number of mixed auto & manual control projects. (There is  no Run SldeShow feature ... which I find would be useful.)

I think once you  grasp the basic concept and slide configurations  ...  you can achieve the  keyboard only desired effect for playback results.

* You will use the Menu Slide with buttons multiple times in between each of your next Slide of a predesignated slide show that you want  to run externally. The Menu Slide will be manually activated by the keyboard using the Slide Timing Option - Wait for Key Press to show next slide which is the Slide containing the Slide Option - Run External Application which has the Slide Timing Option set to Show Next Slide after indicated time.

*With a little experimentation in slide configurations .... you will have a keyboard only control Menu effect. Its not the optimal way of simulating  button execution without use of a  mouse, but it does work considering PTE  has limited features/options for Manual slide show operation. I suspect most  PTE users need  only  Auto  slide show  operation features.

Read this Topic : Its about auto linking slide shows ... but the concept can be easily adapted to use manual with auto operation combined in the same slide show.

 

 

 

 

[aplman]

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 6:10 AM, nobeefstu said:

Ken,

There is a Slide Option to Run External Application that may serve your needs for just keyboard control without need of the mouse. I have used the Slide Option| Run External Application setting with great success in a number of mixed auto & manual control projects. (There is  no Run SldeShow feature ... which I find would be useful.)

I think once you  grasp the basic concept and slide configurations  ...  you can achieve the  keyboard only desired effect for playback results.

  etc etc.

Hearty thanks to you, Stu, for the most appropriate reply.  I will progress from there.

I am relieved to know that I had not overlooked an obvious way of solving my dilemma.  The need for your work-around convinces me that I should ask Wnsoft for improved keyboard support, so I shall do that in the Suggestions sub-forum when I have some spare time.

Thanks too to all the others who tried to help me.  I thought my questions were clear enough, but apparently not.

Ken T.