Aha! You really are an Anykey aficionado! Thanks for the input. I think the problem should not be mechanical because if I remap the letter "N" to (for example) the "Y" key, then I get the "NNNNNNNN...." repeat whenever I push the "Y" key. (And the suspect "N" key works fine, as long as I've remapped a different letter to it.)

So I'm reluctant to do the soapy water, but completely baffled as to why these two letters (not keys) are affected.

Ah! I misunderstood that part, didn't read carefully enough. It would appear that the problem is electronic, then. All I can suggest is to re-do the Ctrl-Alt-SuspendMacro function a few more times, and hope that it makes things better. That has fixed things for me more than once.

tanstaafl.

Yeah, that, and/or a full hard reset/reinit of the keyboard firmware back to square-1, if that is possible.

Yes I'm inclined to think it is electronic, in the "impulse" (probably the wrong term) that the Anykey sends to the computer. Tried multiple Ctrl-Alt-Suspend Macro maneuvers with and without disconnections (effectively "powering off" the keyboard), but no luck. It may be difficult if I don't replace the electronics entirely. Anyway if there are any "eureka" flashes please tell me, and I will update if I find a fix. Thx.

You can do this to straighten out your n & p keys:
hold down the suspend macro key and while keeping suspend macro pressed hit the reset button. Keep holding the suspend macro button until Windows finishes booting. Now you can carefully reprogram your keyboard. Hint: backup your anykey personality file from time to time. Best will to you all, JL_Cog.

Way to go, for a first post.

It's been a long time since you posted on this topic and I wonder if you still read this Forum! I too have a need to use the ‘anykey’ functionality indefinitely – I think we are a dying breed!
Forgive me if I missed something but I saw at one time you were contemplating re-typing all the Macros into a replacement/working keyboard. Did you have a good reason not have a copy of the Macros backed up by the Anykey30 utility to save all the retyping and to avoid the possibility of transcription errors? I know this little utility needs to run under DOS and I have kept an old PC which runs DOS especially to manage this. A few questions here:-
1. Have you found a way to run Anykey30.exe under Windows and I don’t mean DOSBOX, it is too clumsy?
2. Have you heard of anyone rewriting Anykey30.exe such as to run under a Windows OS?
3. I have compromised my choice of replacement PC because I wanted ‘native PS2’ functionality for my keyboard and thus needed a PS/2 connection. I may not be able to find what I want when I next upgrade. Do you know exactly what I need (software/hardware) to a ‘augment USB’ connector so as to achieve the required results using USB connection?

Yes.

The Anykey30 utility won't run on anything except a 16-bit computer. I have a newer version (Anykey34) but it is still 16-bit only.

Now that I am running 64-bit Windows 8.1, there is no chance.

No. We have people on this bbs with the talent and skills that they could do so, but the likelihood of taking on that task to hep the dozen or so people in the world who still use the AnyKey is not high.

No. At this time, I don't know whether the AnyKey will work through a USB adapter, but can think of no reason why it wouldn't. Nonetheless, I had my new computer built with a PS2 connection, and the computer shop had to look long and hard to find a 64-bit motherboard to meet the requirement.

I would be interested in finding out if the AnyKey will work through a USB adapter. Hmmm... I guess I could find that out for myself by purchasing an adapter and plugging the AnyKey into it.

tanstaafl.

Would the backup utility run in a VM? I don't know how it communicates with the keyboard but I'm guessing it's fairly low level to talk via a PS/2 port and is probably hitting the hardware directly?

Edit: Seems highly unlikely... I'm just a bit of a fan of VMs lately.

What about AutoHotKey and run the macros on the PC itself. It should be capable. I use a very simple one to generate middle mouseclicks on my two button laptop mouse pad.

The "on-the-PC" macro storing programs I have seen have such a clumsy interface as to make them unusable except for very complex macros that will be run many times.

The beauty of the AnyKey is that it is so quick and easy to make a simple macro that even if the macro will only be used three or four times ever and then discarded, it is worth the trouble.

For a silly example, an Excel spreadsheet where I have ten cells in a column and for whatever reason every cell needs to have a comma inserted before the last word in the cell: I would press the "Program Macro" key on the keyboard, press the key in which I wanted to store the macro (by default, my temporary macro key is the "/" key on the number pad), and then type "F2 Ctrl-LeftArrow Comma Enter" and press the "Program Macro" key again to turn off recording. Then, each time I press the "/" key it updates that cell and proceeds to the next. The whole job, including modifying all 10 cells, would take far less time than it took to read this. [Just to be pedantic, I made a spreadsheet and timed how long it took to create the macro and do the job outlined above: 12.2 seconds.]

"In-PC" macro programs are too complex, where you find the macro program, start it up, tell it to start recording, save the keystrokes, tell it to stop recording, then give the macro a filename and save it, exit the macro program. To run the macro, you find the program, start it up, and tell it to find the macro you want to run, execute the macro, finally exit the macro program. Now, it has been a few years since I last looked at macro recorders, maybe they've gotten a lot better since then. But as long as I can keep my AnyKeys working, I think they are a better solution.

tanstaafl.

I had the Northgate OmniKey equivalent of this keyboard for ages. Until my (then) wife spilled a coke in it, anyway. I didn't think to wash it out with soapy water, alas!

It was a fabulous keyboard. Easy macros. Clicky, too! Clicky is so much better than squishy, even if it annoys the neighbors. ("Tactile" was the jargon of the day.) I still miss it...

-jk

I agree the recording method on something like AutoHotkey is a bit more geared towards permanent macros but I'd be 99% sure there is a way to implement what you have currently in it or some other macro program without the rigmarole you mention, some of which I don't think is realistic ("find", "start", "exit" for example - it should always run in your system tray - you're just being difficult ).

Saving/loading etc should be doable on any fixed key with just need a special keystroke to start the recording needed to replace your special macro key.

Thank you for the comprehensive answers to my previous questions - very kind of you!
I feel I may be exposing myself to ridicule in asking the question which follows regarding the 'washing of the keyboards'. (Gateway2000 Anykey with the dreaded melted plastic rivets). I can't see, in the posts, a definitive statement of exactly what is swished around in warm soapy water! It goes against all instincts to even allow 'dampness' near electrical components - even if one takes the drying out very seriously. I have to ask because the cause of the fault is unidentified and the remedial action, while sometimes sucessful, not being completely understood, it just might be the case that unusual and apparently contra-conventional action is required?
What is washed? Is it what remains after removing the printed circuit board or does it include the printed circuit board?

Everything.

Electrical components are not harmed by water, IF you can get them completely dry before putting power to them. They don't melt or dissolve in water; the potential for damage is that if there is power to them while still wet, the water will conduct electricity to places you don't want it to go.

I have disassembled a "Gateway2000 Anykey with the dreaded melted plastic rivets" and successfully reassembled it. I don't recall what I did about the drilled-out rivets, it was years ago, but it wasn't anything high-tech. Possibly a few dabs of RTV Silicone or something, or maybe even some good quality strapping tape.

In the case of the riveted keyboard, I wouldn't wash it without disassembling it, because it would be difficult to get it completely dry while it was all sealed up.

Don't do what a fellow I ran into at the local computer shop did... he spilled soda pop into the keyboard of his Macbook Pro, wiped it off and then powered it up to see if it had been damaged. It probably hadn't been -- until he hit that power button. It made a few bad sounds (not from the speakers) and that was the end of it.

The AnyKey doesn't have any transformers or other difficult to dry components in it. You can wash it as much as you want as long as you get it completely dry afterwards.

tanstaafl.

Thank You again for taking the time to explain everything. I hate myself for being so pedantic, but . . .
When you said you would not wash the Gateway 2000 Anykey keyboard without disassemling it, did you mean without drilling out the 'dreaded rivets' (as you had done in the past) so as to open things up as far as is possible or wash it without removing the rivets?
I can imaging the washing working on boards which have dirt between contacts etc, but have you any idea what process could take place in order to get 'magical' results from including the Printed Circuit Board in the wash?
I will try never to trouble you again - I sincerely Thank You for your patience!

I think if you washed it without drilling out the rivets so as to enable complete disassembly it might prove difficult to get it completely dry.

What failure mode is the keyboard operating in? If it is groups of keys that are not responding, then the problem is almost certainly the interface between the circuit board and the Mylar sheet with the circuit traces on it. This must be very carefully cleaned without rubbing so hard that the black carbon traces are damaged. These can be refreshed with a soft pencil. But, to do so you have to take out the rivets to get to them. Proper alignment of this interface upon reassembly is absolutely crucial.

tanstaafl.

Just a final Thank You! I think I now have all the info' required to make a decision - Thanks