The M61 Problem: a Partial Resolution
Vector 6:4, page 94
Transcribed from the printed issue; not yet reviewed. Read it in the PDF of the issue, page 94
The M61 Problem: a Partial Resolution¶
For readers who own (or are thinking of buying) a PS/2-M61, the keyboard problem highlighted in the last Vector has been partially resolved. Apparently, IBM have changed to a new keyboard controller, which affects the scan codes sent to your application. Of course there is a new keyboard handler to cope with this, so mostly you don’t notice a thing.
However, when APL*PLUS/PC attempts to flash the keyboard lights (e.g. if you hit Caps Lock), or if your code attempts a peek to see if Caps Lock is down, it resets the driver to the old version!! This totally screws the keyboard, as reported in Vector 6.3. The fix is:
… this appears to be OK in the APL*PLUS/PC standard system versions 8/9. Obviously, it needs to be the very first line in the very first function in INIO. It worries me slightly that on a couple of occasions I got the problem in a CLEAR WS before I had even touched a key, and on one occasion I got it in DOS having simply done )OFF. This suggests that there may be at least one more trigger in there somewhere, which will sooner or later catch me out!
As far as I can test, the extended system (APL*PLUS/PC or APL*PLUS II) does not show the problem. Watch this space.