FAQ for developers
How can I include the on-screen keyboard into my own installer?
1) Copy the following set of files to the end users’ computers:
CKeys.exe
CKeysCm.exe
CKeysCm64.exe
CKeysH.dll
CKeysH64.dll
bass.dll
COptions.exe
Keyboards – the folder containing on-screen keyboards (one text file per keyboard)
Lang – the folder with the application’s interface translated into different languages
Skins – the folder with skin images
Background – (optional) the folder containing images for the keyboard background
Icons – (optional) the folder containing shortcut icons for different applications
Sound – (optional) the folder containing Wav files
CKeysDeskBand.dll, CKeysDeskBand64.dll – (optional) the DLL files for displaying the application’s toolbar in the taskbar
Common – (optional) the folder containing predefined data on word frequency and word order for the most popular languages
*.dic – Text Suggestions dictionaries. The folder for storing these dictionaries is specified in the Data directory field in the Dictionaries section of the application’s settings. If you prefer, you can move dictionary files to the application installation folder.
2) If you turned on the displaying of the on-screen keyboard prior to the system login:
Backup.ini – the pre-login settings file for the on-screen keyboard (Data folder)
You also need to copy the following four files to the Windows\system32 system folder: runcosk.exe, CsCredentialLogon.dll, CsCredentialLogon64.dll, and cskeyboardlogon.dll
3) If you have configured special shortcuts, you also need to copy the file for them to the same folder as on the source computer. You can find the full path and filename in the title of the Keyboard Shortcuts Settings window.
4) To transfer the application’s settings, do the following:
Save the settings to a file. To do that, click the Save to File... button in the Advanced section of the Settings window.
After copying the ini-file to the end user’s computer, start CKeys.exe with the /RESTORE parameter.
Command format: CKeys.exe /RESTORE "file name"
For example: CKeys.exe /RESTORE "C:\Program Files\ComfortKeys\Settings.ini"
How can I switch between several on-screen keyboards?
Add a key to each on-screen keyboard (in the Edit Keyboard Type window), and then assign the Activate the next keyboard type action to that key in the Keyboard Shortcuts Settings window. If you assign a keyboard switch action to the key, a button for configuring the list of switchable keyboards will be displayed.
How can I create a key with the “.com” text?
The easiest way to add special keys is by using the Edit Keyboard Type window.
1. | Add a key to the on-screen keyboard via the Edit Keyboard Type window. You can use unassigned keys defined by a hexadecimal code (for instance, 00D9). |
2. | Select the key and press the Action... button. In the new Keyboard Shortcuts Settings window, assign the Paste text action to that key. Enter your text (in this case, “.com”) into the Text field. Set the Show text on the on-screen keyboard checkbox under the Text field as desired. |
After configuring these settings, save them and close the window.
Can I configure the pre-login on-screen keyboard to be different from the regular one, used after the login?
The settings of the on-screen keyboard for entering the login password are stored in the Backup.ini file, located in the application installation folder (in the Data subfolder). When you change the application’s settings in the Settingswindow, they are saved in the Backup.ini file (and in the registry).
If you don’t want the Backup.ini file to change, make it “Read-only.”
How can I paint keyboard keys in different colors?
Select the necessary key in the Edit Keyboard Type window, click the Picture / Color... button, and then specify the color for each state in the Color fields.
How can I change keyboard parameters from my program?
Our application’s settings are stored in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ComfortSoftware\CKeys registry key.
If your software changes any of these settings in the system registry, our application will need to load them again. It can be done by sending a windows message containing the WM_USER + 196 code to our application:
WM_CSRELOADOPTIONS = WM_USER + 196;
PostMessage(FindWindow('TFirstForm', 'CKeysFirstForm'), WM_CSRELOADOPTIONS, 0, 0);
This command allows you to do the following:
• | Change the interface language (labels on system keys) according to the current input language |
• | Change the keyboard transparency |
• | Change the keyboard size |
• | Temporarily disable the Show the on-screen keyboard when the text cursor is visible option |
• | Temporarily disable the Text Suggestions feature |
• | Change the limitation on access to our application’s settings without reloading the program |
How can I transfer your application’s settings and data to another computer?
Sorry, you cannot do it in one click.
You will have to do the following:
1. | Save the general settings: All Settings –> Advanced –> Save to File... |
2. | Save the keyboard file (the name of the file and its full path can be found in the caption of the Edit Keyboard Type window). |
3. | Save the hotkey settings file (you can find its name and full path in the title of the Keyboard Shortcuts Settings window). |
4. | Save the templates file (you can find its name and full path in the title of the Template Manager window). |
5. | Save the folder with clipboard data (you can find the path to this folder in the Clipboard Manager section of the Settings window). |
6. | Restore all these data on the target computer. |
The application doesn’t start and shows an error message each time I try to run it!
1. | Our application works on Windows 2000 or above only. Sorry, but Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows CE are not supported. |
2. | Maybe some of the application’s components have not been installed. Please try reinstalling the application. |
3. | Make sure to install the application to the Program Files folder. It’s a security-related requirement for new operating systems. |