Keyboard commands suddenly not working

[Martok]

This is both bizarre and annoying...


So I went to fire up UM5 just now to load my current Federation campaign, only to discover that most keyboard commands (I/O for the map zoom, HJKL for the galaxy map navigation, T for ending the turn) no longer work. The only keys that still seem to function normally are the arrow keys for moving around the map.

Everything worked just fine a couple hours ago when I last played BOTF, and I've made absolutely zero changes to the game between then and now. What's even more odd is this problem appears to affect all mods plus the vanilla game, not just Ultimate Mod 5.

My keyboard otherwise seems to be working normally, both with regular computer operations (e.g., typing/word-processing) and keyboard commands in other games; it's only with BOTF that I appear to be having issues with. Any idea what could be causing the problem? And is my only recourse to try uninstalling/reinstalling the MMI to see if that fixes the issue? Gah!

[thunderchero]

some keyboards have f-lock key? it sounds like you might have a stuck F12 key. that key is the switch for botf/mpr input modes.

[Martok]

Well I ended up shutting my computer down for several hours (I was out running errands this afternoon/evening), and when I started my computer back up, the keyboard commands were working again. So at this point I don't know if it was the f-lock/F12 key or not, but I'll definitely bear it in mind for the future. Thanks thunderchero.

[Flocke]

doubt that's been the mpr++ input mode when this applied to all the mods
when you restart botf the mpr++ input mode is gone
maybe the ctrl or some other key has been locked on the keyboard or windows failed to recognize it's release till you restarted the pc
but then strange again no other applications were affected

[thunderchero]

doubt that's been the mpr++ input mode when this applied to all the mods

I thought it was his F12 key stuck on keyboard (not related to MPR++) but was preventing other keys from working

I just tested held F12 key while starting game, "i" and "o" shortcut did not work. note after first press of "i" key "mpr input mode" popped up (top center), but "i" and "o" still did not work.

so think about getting new keyboard... lol

[slickrcbd]

Well I ended up shutting my computer down for several hours (I was out running errands this afternoon/evening), and when I started my computer back up, the keyboard commands were working again. So at this point I don't know if it was the f-lock/F12 key or not, but I'll definitely bear it in mind for the future. Thanks thunderchero.

This is why techs tend to tell you to try rebooting the computer, or to "turn off the computer, wait 60 seconds, and turn it back on again".
Although honestly I haven't heard of a case of the latter working when the former did not since before the start of the 21st century, at least with home desktops and laptops. Cell phones are another matter, as are tablets.

That said, the keyboard problem you described with the same solution is something I've seen happen on rare occasions with at least a dozen different games over the last 28 years, across many different platforms from the Apple II (especially the IIGS with GS/OS based games), Mac OS System 6.0.8 and later, to MS-DOS 3.30 and later, and all flavors of Windows. I think I saw it on the Apple IIe once or twice at school too, I swear Gertrude's Secrets did that once to somebody in 4th grade and me suggesting they try "turn the computer off, wait 60 seconds, and turn it back on again" allowed the keyboard to work again. It might have been another educational program however. I just recall

[Flocke]

I just tested held F12 key while starting game, "i" and "o" shortcut did not work. note after first press of "i" key "mpr input mode" popped up (top center), but "i" and "o" still did not work.

just gave it a test with keeping f12 pressed while starting the game
the game starts without focus and mpr++ input mode is not activated since mpr++ only reacts on key toggle
only once I give it focus by clicking into the window with the mouse mpr++ input mode is activated and you see the top label informing about (since windows then sends a key event once I guess)
if however I give it focus switching the window with the tab key mpr++ input mode is not activated and i and o on the map work just fine while still holding the f12 key
further with mpr++ input mode activated the arrow keys don't work either

no that must be some other key or a keyboard or windows failure

[Martok]

doubt that's been the mpr++ input mode when this applied to all the mods
when you restart botf the mpr++ input mode is gone
maybe the ctrl or some other key has been locked on the keyboard or windows failed to recognize it's release till you restarted the pc
but then strange again no other applications were affected

Yeah, I'm sure it can't have had anything to do with mpr++, especially since I had the issue with vanilla BOTF as well. I just find it strange that the problem suddenly popped up a couple hours later when I'd made no changes to the game or my computer.

This is why techs tend to tell you to try rebooting the computer, or to "turn off the computer, wait 60 seconds, and turn it back on again".
Although honestly I haven't heard of a case of the latter working when the former did not since before the start of the 21st century, at least with home desktops and laptops. Cell phones are another matter, as are tablets.

That said, the keyboard problem you described with the same solution is something I've seen happen on rare occasions with at least a dozen different games over the last 28 years, across many different platforms from the Apple II (especially the IIGS with GS/OS based games), Mac OS System 6.0.8 and later, to MS-DOS 3.30 and later, and all flavors of Windows. I think I saw it on the Apple IIe once or twice at school too, I swear Gertrude's Secrets did that once to somebody in 4th grade and me suggesting they try "turn the computer off, wait 60 seconds, and turn it back on again" allowed the keyboard to work again. It might have been another educational program however. I just recall

Interesting. I wonder what (if any) commonalities those scenarios might('ve) shared.

[slickrcbd]

I don't know, it is extremely rare, and since "turn it off, turn it back on again" worked I never investigated as it did not exactly happen again any time soon. It would be months before it happened again.

[KrazeeXXL]

I think it occurred to me in another game at some time. My guess is an UI/Fullscreen/Windowed bug. May be in correlation with Windows Aero.

Usually, tabbing out and focussing the program back to primary fullscreen mode should do the trick.

[adi]

I had those sometimes; mouse click not working either; i can get it to work again sometimes after a few ESC-> Continues but it always comes back; it usually ends up with abandoning the game.

[jlberner13]

while i am no expert or BOTF, i enjoy a casual game here and there...and i think to myself - there are shortcut keys!? in vanilla or just in the mods?

[adi]

Arrow keys to move the map; I/O for zoom in/out; there are others, but these are the ones i use

[Martok]

HJKL keys likewise navigate around the map. Left & right arrow keys also move between colonies if you're in the Colony screen. T key ends the turn. There's at least a couple more than I'm blanking out on (since I don't use them that much).

[slickrcbd]

while i am no expert or BOTF, i enjoy a casual game here and there...and i think to myself - there are shortcut keys!? in vanilla or just in the mods?

It is in vanilla.
They are all listed in the manual.
https://www.armadafleetcommand.com/get- ... file_id=19
http://replacementdocs.com/download.php?view.4712
(for completeness, here is the tutorial manual