User's Manual

CHAPTER THREE - PL3000 BASICS

Punctuation marks you can insert using either the number one key or the key

marked with the dot. Using the key marked with the dash you can insert some

mathematical symbols.

The keys on the alphanumeric key segment are

mapped into twelve function keys through the ‘F’ key by

default (for more information about using the ‘F’ key,

see the section ‘Mode Selectors of Alphanumeric

Keypad’ on page 20). You can find these key mappings (as well as change them, if

need be) on the ‘Mappings’ property page in a NID Keypad control panel applet,

see the section ‘Mapping Key’s Functionality onto Another’ on page 101. If you

select ‘a key of the alphanumeric keypad’ in a Key field on the ‘Mapping’ area, and

after that select ‘Function’ in a Modifier field, a VK field tells you a virtual key code

the keypad driver sends to application. (Be aware that Windows Embedded CE

supports 24 function keys, that is, there are 24 virtual key codes for function keys.)

Auxiliary Keys

There are two keys on the bottom row of the

keypad that are classified here as auxiliary keys. A ‘u’

key is a shift key. In addition to its conventional use

(see the section ‘Mode Selectors of Alphanumeric

Keypad’ on page 20), if you hold down the key while

pressing the ‘ok’ key you can toggle between locked and unlocked keypad state.

Windows CE shell uses an ‘alt’ key as a shortcut one. For example, pressing

the key you can access the File menu of an application. In addition, you can switch

between programs with an ‘alt’-‘esc’ key combination, and an ‘alt’-‘tab’ combination

launches the task manager facility of Windows CE shell.

A NID Keypad control panel applet defines the ‘alt’ key as modifier together

with the shift and the ‘F’ keys. In theory, you can customize, for example, the ‘alt’-

‘esc’ key combination using the NID Keypad, but, in practice, the Windows CE

system captures those key presses before the customizing can reach them.

Power Button

As you need to power up your PL3000, you may

press a power button. In the same way, you may power

down your PL3000 by holding down the button until the

screen goes blank. Through the power button you can

also get system resets just pressing the power button

without holding down it when the Windows CE system is up and running. The

system resets are explained in the section ‘Rebooting Your PL3000’ on page 25.

Be aware that in some PL3000 configurations the power button also has a

hardware reset property.

Function Key

Mode