Configuring the Keyboard in Thin Client (Windows CE 5.0)
The Windows Thin Client requires hot-key support for the user. You can leave the default hot key connection for each Windows Thin Client device in the registry, or you can modify these connections if you wish.
You must provide a UI in the Setup Property Sheets by which the user can enable hot-key support or make it unavailable. You have the option of making the hot keys configurable.
These settings also apply to any non-RDP application that transmits scan codes to a server.
For more information about keyboard hardware, see Thin Client Hardware Requirements.
Configuring Hot Keys
You must provide hot-key support to the user. At minimum, you must set the default hot key connection for each Windows Thin Client device in the registry. You can modify these connections if you wish.
You must also provide a UI in the Setup Property Sheets by which the user can enable hot-key support or make it unavailable. You have the option of making the hot keys configurable.
The following table shows the default hot-keys used to switch tasks between emulator sessions and process management. These keys are used when a user creates and ends sessions.
| Default Hot Key | Description |
|---|---|
| CTRL+ALT+END | Brings the Windows Thin Client Shell UI to the foreground.
|
| CTRL+ALT+UP ARROW | Switches to the next active session without bringing the shell forward. The next active session is the session that is above the current session, as viewed from the shell UI. |
| CTRL+ALT+DOWN ARROW | Switches to the next active session without bringing the shell forward. The next active session is the session that is below the current session, as viewed from the shell UI. |
| CTRL+ALT+HOME | Switches to the default connection, if it is running. If it is not running, then the shell starts the connection. |
The hot key settings are stored in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WBT\Shell registry key.
The following table shows the named values for this registry key. No restart is required when you change these settings.
**Note **The shell allows for three hot keys to be specified. You can enable either all three of them or none of them. You cannot enable one or two hot keys. For hot-key support to be enabled, all of the hot keys must be registered successfully. If any key fails to register as a hot key, then hot-key support is unavailable.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| HotKeyEnable: REG_SZ | Default setting is zero (0). This value specifies whether to enable hot-key support. If this value is greater than 0, then hot-key support is enabled. If this value equals 0, then hot-key support is made unavailable.. |
| HotKey1VKey: REG_DWORD | Default setting is 0x26 (VK_UP). This value specifies the virtual-key code of the hot key that delivers an "up" action. This hot key brings the next active session forward so that it is above the current session, relative to the shell UI. If the session reaches the top of the list, then it goes to the bottom of the list and continues upward. |
| HotKey1fMod: REG_DWORD | Default setting is 0x03. This value specifies the key-state modifiers for the hot key that is specified by the HotKey1Vkey value. The following list shows the key modifiers and their values:
You can specify any combination of these modifiers for the virtual key. You must run the OR operator on the desired modifiers to produce a single value. For example, to generate a hot-key message for the CTRL+ALT+PAGE UP key combination, you must specify the following hot-key values. |
| HotKey2VKey: REG_DWORD | Default setting is 0x28 (VK_DOWN). This value specifies the virtual-key code of the hot key that delivers a "down" action. This hot key brings forward the next active session that is below the current session, relative to the shell UI. If the session reaches the bottom of the list, then it goes to the top of the list and continues downward. |
| HotKey2fMod: REG_DWORD | Default setting is 0x03. This value specifies the key-state modifiers for the hot key that is specified by the HotKey2Vkey value. For more information, see the HotKey1fMod value. |
| HotKey3VKey: REG_DWORD | Default setting is 0x24 (VK_HOME). This value specifies the virtual-key code of the hot key that delivers a "home" action. This hot key brings forward the default session. If the default connection is not active, then the shell activates it and brings it forward. |
| HotKey3fMod: REG_DWORD | Default setting is 0x03. This value specifies the key-state modifiers for the hot key that is specified by the HotKey3Vkey value. |
See Also
Customizing a Thin Client | How to Develop a Thin Client
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