Alternative keyboard

[walker2]

I am looking for a way to import data from a special keyboard and mouse combi yet to be developed.

The idea is, that data from the new keyboard/mouse via some application using APIs or other could be sent to the system and used instead of the 'normal' keyboard in all other applications and the Windows system itself.
(password at login must be dealt with on 'normal' keyboard.)

But is something like this at all possible, without digging into writing a driver? Got nada idea how to write drivers!
Data from the special keyboard is thought to come in via an USB-COM interface from an Arduino thing.

 

[softhemc]

Back in the days when assembler was the only language widely available, I had a similar situation in that I was required to write a DOS driver. I was not told what it was for - just given the various port details and the type of information to be passed backwards and forwards. The inventing company were writing a C higher level interface, but they couldn't get their driver to work. So I wish you the very best of luck as I think that a driver would be the only/best way to go - and unfortunately I wouldn't have a clue how to write a Windows driver. Bring back DOS - life was so much easier!!!!!

 

[TonHu]

Most commercial bar-code scanners connected to a PC are identifying themselves as a USB keyboard, so they are (automatically) handled in parallel to the standard keyboard by Windows. Similarly is supported with mice. Just connect another USB mouse to your system, or a graphic digitizer tablet for that matter. It's just a matter of the correct device identification.

 

[walker2]

Well, TonHu, maybe that is what makes this little project tick?

Unfortunately his code is in C, which is not a lingo I am all too familiar with. Plus assembly in the built-in driver, of course.