I have a program that runs out of DOS and after the program starts it requires that the hotkeys be used.  I've sucessfully run the program on some older AT machines in the past.  On newer PS2 style computers the program starts but using the hotkeys causes the screen to go blank.  I can use ctrl break to stop the program and return to DOS after that happens.  I thought that maybe it was something to do with the AT style keyboard vs the PS2 style however I just rebuilt an older AT machine and the hotkeys do the same thing.

I'm beginning to think it may be something in the video card or video setup that doesn't recognize the hotkey function and causes the screen to go blank.

Does anyone have any experience with this?
 
What program ? ?
We thrive on details here...It's a program written for a specific software platform I have that I use to control test machines.  I own a small testing lab and we use an older test controller called an Interlaken 3200 for controlling hydraulic actuators. The platform is older (vintage 1990) and runs out of DOS.  We love it because it never, ever crashes.  Each controller is it's own box with signal conditioning cards, power supply, computer board, etc.  We use an AT level machine to program the box and communicate with the controller. There is one piece of software ( called UTP Universal Test Program) which is launched to actually program tests and dsiplay feedback from the controller box.  The software basically provides a screen with pull down tabs where the operator can input test parameters such as test frequency, number of cycles, loads. strains,etc.  Sometimes the computer will lose communications with the controller box.  When this happens communications are reestablished through the RS232 data link by running a Basic Intertest program called TERMINAL.  This is where the problem starts.  TERMINAL is started from a DOS prompt and when it starts requires the use of the function keys f1 thru f6.  Some AT machines will do this fine other respond with a blank screen.  I can't put my finger on what is DIFFERENT.

A couple more details, none of the function  keys seem to work when I am using a computer that has this problem.  The function key f2 is set up to RUN the program.  The manual says I should just be able to type RUN but this doesn't seem to get anywhere either.

I know that the program I am trying to run is an Intertest Basic Program.  Intertest Basic is a language based on PDOS Basic form Eyring adapted for this controller platform.

I have had a local computer repair shop basically clone the drive from a working AT machine onto a different AT machine and I run into this problem using the function keys.  If communication is already established with the Controller box then the new machine finctions fine in all other regards,  I jst can't run the TERMINAL program to re-establish communication if necessary because it requires the function keys.
 Have you compared the autoexec and config.sys files between the working and non working ones ? ?No I had not , but I just did and there are a few differences.  Since I'm limited in characters in these responses I  listed what was in the working and nonworking HOT KEY machines and attached it as a doc file to this response.

You could be on to the problem as some of these differences look suspect.  If you happen to know the significance of each line it would be nice to narrow it down to exactly what the problem is before I just go making changes.

Thanks,

[year+ old attachment deleted by admin]OK for the record.

I copied the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files from the working HOT KEY machine to the non working one , rebooted and tried the program and same symptom.

So it looks like that might not be it.  When I run my TERMINAL.EXE program I get a screen that looks like the attachment,  I need to choose option 2 which loads a communications program from the computer to the controller processor board via the RS232 port.  I am suposed to hit "F2" key and then I should get a command line response asking me to enter 0=LOAD or 1=CLOAD which is just asking if I want to clear out the old program first, then it should ask the name of the program I want to load,  Anyway the screen just goes blank when I hit "F2" and I have toi use CTRL BREAK to get back to a DOS prompt,

[year+ old attachment deleted by admin]I admit i'm slightly baffled by this one...
Have you by chance replaced older keyboards with newer USB ones on the problem PC's ? ?
If so check in the BIOS and make sure USB legacy support mode is enabled...

This is just a stab in the dark here...What are the specs of the newer machine you are trying to run this program on?
What version of DOS are you using on the old & new machines?

If DOS isn't setup the same on all machines, config & autoexec will not function properly.

AUTOEXEC.BAT  (Non Working Hot Key System)

C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE  /X
ECHO OFF
PROMPT $p$g
Path C:\DOS
SET TEMP=C:\DOS
MOUSE


AUTOEXEC.BAT  (Working Hot Key System)

ECHO OFF
PROMPT $p$g
VERIFY ON
PATH C:\DOS;C:\PCTOOLS
SETTEMP=C:\TEMP

LH /L:0;1,45456 /S C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE /X
LH /L: 1.6384 C:\DOS\DOSKEY
CD NEWUTP
CLS

CONFIG.SYS (Non Working Hot KEY Syatem)

DEVICE=C:\DOS\SETVER.EXE
DEVICE=C:DOS\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH
FILES=30

CONFIG.SYS ( Working Hot KEY Syatem)

DEVICE=C:DOS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
BUFFERS=15,0
FILES=30
DOS=UMB
LASTDRIVE=E
FCBS=4,0
DOS=HIGH
DEVICEHIGH /L:1,2592 =C:\DOS\BURNOUT\BURNDCV.SYS 5460 F6 H+ V+


The DOS version is 6.22 and is the same on both AT machines (on one AT machine the hot keys work and on the other they do not)

I originally stumbled upon this problem when I had one of my working AT machines cloned to a newer computer with a PS2 keyboard connection.  The drive was cloned so all the software and settings should in theory be the same?  I thought that maybe it was something to do with the PS2 style keyboard and I have never been able to get a machine with a PS2 style keyboard to work with the hot keys.  (I have 2 or 3 clones like this).  So I got an adaptor that would let me use the old AT style keyboard with the machine that has the PS2 keyboard port.  This didn't fix anything.  Also going the other if I took a PS2 keyboard and used an adaptor to plug it into an AT machine that had hot keys working it worked so it wasn't the keyboard type.

So all I know for sure at this point is that I have a couple old AT machines with AT keyboards that can use the hot keys.  I have one AT machine with an AT keyboard which won't function with hot keys.  And I've never been able to get a newer clone using a PS2 keyboard to work with the hot keys.  I've copied the AUTOEXEC and CONFIG files from a working AT to the nonworking AT and that didn't fix things.  It seems like when I hit F2 the program response can't be displayed?



the "AT Style" keyboard with the LARGER connector is quite literally electrically the same as the Mini-DIN connector used for PS/2, so it can't be that. However, I believe there are differences with some later systems and how they handle the A20 line, which is usually dealt with by the keyboard controller on the motherboard.

I was unable to find any REFERENCES to Intertest BASIC or PDOS BASIC. If they are old enough however they may very well have been designed for use on XT or earlier machines, for which the keyboard interfacing was somewhat different, though I don't see how those differences would manifest themselves in this fashion.

The AT keyboard has two sets of scancodes. Known as Set 3 and Set 2. Many references will tell us that the scancode for F1 is 07h. In actuality, 07h is the set 3 scancode for the leftmost function key in the row of function keys immediately above the numbers. If the function keys are on the LEFT, as on the earlier 83-Key A keyboards, then F1 is in a different place and so returns a different scancode (05h). This MAY be the problem, if the program was designed for XT or early AT systems and isn't allowing the BIOS to translate the scancodes for it and instead reading them directly it could be misinterpreting the values. AT keyboards with the function keys on the top will return a scancode of 0x0f for F2; but those with the function keys on the left side will return a scan code of 0x6f. Usually, these are translated by the keyboard controller, and the BIOS makes the appropriate adjustments as needed for application compatibility. But some applications that take shortcuts or try to directly read from the keyboard controller may misinterpret scancodes If they are designed against a single keyboard architecture.


Thanks for your help.

I tried one of my newer machines (mini DIN keyboard connector) cloned from the original DOS  ( Hot Keys working ) AT and when I entered f2 got the message:

"VAL string isn't a proper number"

and then it exited the Terminal program back into DOS.   It repeated this several times.  So I agree something is different that it doesn't recognize the scancode for that key.

Fortunately I have a friend who knows the programmer who back in 1990  wrote the TERMINAL and Intertest program which I am trying to load so maybe I can get a work around.