Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Is there a clever way of determining from the online catalogue if a laptop keyboard has a break key?
I made a mistake with my current laptop - it does not have a Break key, and since I develop programs in Office VBA, Ctrl-Break is close to a necessity for me.
I'm still undecided as to whether to get the screen fixed or buy a new latop.
I went into three stores this morning looking at laptops.
It's easy enough in the store to walk past a row of laptops and stop ONLY at those that sport a Break key to check the price and note down the model number.
The CPU, RAM and HD specs don't interest me at all - I'm not running or developing games and movies- just doing two-fingered typing of interesting little applications.
Store clerks all tell me to go off to their web sites - microsoftstore.ca thesource.ca bestbuy.ca and so on, but none of these sites tell me whether the laptops have a Break key.
Is there a clever way of determining from the catalogue if a laptop keyboard has a break key?
My only sure way of knowing right now is to inspect the laptop, physically, in the store.
I know that as a developer I am in a very small minority - most consumers want to browse the web and watch movies.
TIA
Chris
I made a mistake with my current laptop - it does not have a Break key, and since I develop programs in Office VBA, Ctrl-Break is close to a necessity for me.
I'm still undecided as to whether to get the screen fixed or buy a new latop.
I went into three stores this morning looking at laptops.
It's easy enough in the store to walk past a row of laptops and stop ONLY at those that sport a Break key to check the price and note down the model number.
The CPU, RAM and HD specs don't interest me at all - I'm not running or developing games and movies- just doing two-fingered typing of interesting little applications.
Store clerks all tell me to go off to their web sites - microsoftstore.ca thesource.ca bestbuy.ca and so on, but none of these sites tell me whether the laptops have a Break key.
Is there a clever way of determining from the catalogue if a laptop keyboard has a break key?
My only sure way of knowing right now is to inspect the laptop, physically, in the store.
I know that as a developer I am in a very small minority - most consumers want to browse the web and watch movies.
TIA
Chris
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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- 5StarLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
How about using AutoHotKey and map the break key to a key combination your computer has? For example ...
maps the Windows Key + Shift + b to {break}
One warning: once you start using AutoHotKey you can't stop! You'll keep finding new key combinations, hot strings, etc. to add to your little script!!!!
Code: Select all
#InstallKeybdHook
#+b::send {break}
One warning: once you start using AutoHotKey you can't stop! You'll keep finding new key combinations, hot strings, etc. to add to your little script!!!!
PJ in (usually sunny) FL
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- PlatinumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
A few suggestions were:
Fn + Delete
Ctrl + Alt + Esc
Or a reg addition. ( it says Desktop but are you daring? )
(Option)
If you want you can copy/Paste the text below into a *.txt file.
Save the file onto your desktop and rename as New_Reg_Key.reg because of the *.reg extension you can then double_click the file to add the new registry key.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,46,e0,44,00,00,00,00,00
OR Google "Laptop keyboard replacement for Break key."
Fn + Delete
Ctrl + Alt + Esc
Or a reg addition. ( it says Desktop but are you daring? )
(Option)
If you want you can copy/Paste the text below into a *.txt file.
Save the file onto your desktop and rename as New_Reg_Key.reg because of the *.reg extension you can then double_click the file to add the new registry key.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,46,e0,44,00,00,00,00,00
OR Google "Laptop keyboard replacement for Break key."
BOB
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If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Hi PJ. I made a small script:-PJ_in_FL wrote:How about using AutoHotKey
Code: Select all
#InstallKeybdHook
#+b::send {break}
Return
Code: Select all
Sub test()
While True
MsgBox "I am in a loop"
Wend
End Sub
Sooooo ... Is there a clever way of determining from the online catalogue if a laptop keyboard has a break key?
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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- gamma jay
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Sorry...can't answer your catalog question, but my suggestions are:
1. Use an on-screen keyboard
2. Plug in a peripheral keyboard
1. Use an on-screen keyboard
2. Plug in a peripheral keyboard
Regards,
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Thanks Bob.viking33 wrote:A few suggestions were:... OR Google "Laptop keyboard replacement for Break key."
With the ScanCode in place, what keyboard keys would I press to effect a Ctrlk-Break?
I tried the other suggestions again (I tried them a month or two ago) and worked through the Google hits.
No success.
It was a little terrifying because on this laptop the <Blue Fn> combined with the <F2> key turns off wireless connection.
Terrifying because if you aren't paying attention, you have no wirelss and no internet all of a sudden.
Sooooo ... Is there a clever way of determining from the online catalogue if a laptop keyboard has a break key?
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Thanks Rudi.Rudi wrote:Sorry...can't answer your catalog question, but my suggestions are:
1. Use an on-screen keyboard
2. Plug in a peripheral keyboard
My guess is that online store catalogues don't cater to developers who insist on having a <Break> key.
Plug-in keyboards (and external CD burners and ...) are ruled out. I can't see the point of carrying around even more junk in my shoulder bag.
All stores I visited di have laptops with Break keys, but they tended to be in the stratospheric level ($700-$1500) which means, for me, I'm better off staying with a $150 screen repair and just being miserable about the lack of a Break key.
FWIW over the years (various hardware and OS) I have had very little success with key-substitutes, including the infamous Sendkeys devices.
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
PDF copies of owner's manuals for most things are on the Internet these days. If you see a laptop listing in a catalogue that looks promising, download its manual and search for "Break", or for a picture of the keyboard.
Another alternative is to post a question on the laptop's page at Amazon.com to ask other users whether they have a Break key. Amazon will email customers who have reviewed that model, asking them to look at your question.
Another alternative is to post a question on the laptop's page at Amazon.com to ask other users whether they have a Break key. Amazon will email customers who have reviewed that model, asking them to look at your question.
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- gamma jay
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
What about #1?ChrisGreaves wrote:Plug-in keyboards (and external CD burners and ...) are ruled out. I can't see the point of carrying around even more junk in my shoulder bag.Rudi wrote:Sorry...can't answer your catalog question, but my suggestions are:
1. Use an on-screen keyboard
2. Plug in a peripheral keyboard
The on-screen K/B can do the job if you need a Break key.
Regards,
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
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- 5StarLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Try WINDOWS-KEY plus SHIFT plus B...ChrisGreaves wrote:Hi PJ. I made a small script:-PJ_in_FL wrote:How about using AutoHotKeyand wrote a small VBA moduleCode: Select all
#InstallKeybdHook #+b::send {break} Return
Executed the AHK script, started the VBA macro, but "Shift-B" did not interrupt the execution of the VBA script.Code: Select all
Sub test() While True MsgBox "I am in a loop" Wend End Sub
Sooooo ... Is there a clever way of determining from the online catalogue if a laptop keyboard has a break key?
PJ in (usually sunny) FL
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- 5StarLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
If you're still looking Chris, I spotted a couple of ASUS notebooks from their X series that had pause break keys on the keyboard. They were the X553 and the X555. I know that Scotland's a long way to come, but they might have the same model in Toronto...
John
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Two good suggestions; thanks Jay.Jay Freedman wrote:... PDF copies of owner's manuals... post a question on the laptop's page at Amazon.com ...
I spent part of Thursday wandering through PC-repair shops on College Street getting quotes for screen repair ($50-$150) and looking at second-hand (i.e. older with Break keys) laptops.
Then I realised that I didn't really know how much GB disk I was using so came home to think.
(About 100GB it turns out).
Tomorrow I'm dropping this DELL off for screen repair and heading out of town Wednesday for lunch, so by Thursday the world should be sunny and shining again!
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Maybe.Rudi wrote:The on-screen K/B can do the job if you need a Break key.
I've never used an on-screen keyboard.
Wouldn't that reduce the amount of VBA code my eyes can scan through?
Real-estate on this screen is precious.
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Ahaha!PJ_in_FL wrote:Try WINDOWS-KEY plus SHIFT plus B...
I shall file this post under "Traps for young players"
Thanks PJ. I'll give 'er a whirl tonight ...
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Thanks jon.jonwallace wrote:If you're still looking Chris, I spotted a couple of ASUS notebooks from their X...
I saw a few ASUS-Break books last Wednesday (was it?) and passed them by because they didn't have a DVD-burner drive.
The sales clerk assured me all too quickly that one could boot from a USB external drive, but I felt he lacked confidence.
(signed) "Still-looking" of Toronto.
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- PlatinumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Chris, what you need for your development work is:
- a 27" external screen (say 2560x1440)
- an external keyboard, which will include a Break key
- a nice USB optical mouse
- ... and a PC system unit
John Gray
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
Absolutely correct!John Gray wrote:Chris, what you need for your development work is:Stop faffing about with thoughts of laptops!
- a 27" external screen (say 2560x1440)
- an external keyboard, which will include a Break key
- a nice USB optical mouse
- ... and a PC system unit
While I was still working (or at least, being paid to be working) (actually, being promised to be paid ...) I had switched from a desktop to a laptop for ease of visiting client sites.
Last week I kicked a few tyres on desktops thinking "I do most of my stuff offline at home now, why not get a Proper System".
I'd fall back on my ACER netbook (jukebox) to visit WiFi, d/l stuff (as I do now) and u/l stuff and then retreat home for a nice cuppa and a cookie and a desktop.
Thanks for the reinforcement.
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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- gamma jay
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
You wouldn't use the keyboard unless you need to use the CTRL+Break button. If you are stuck in an endless loop...access the K/B and use it to break the code. Then close or minimize it again. Just another option....ChrisGreaves wrote:Maybe.Rudi wrote:The on-screen K/B can do the job if you need a Break key.
I've never used an on-screen keyboard.
Wouldn't that reduce the amount of VBA code my eyes can scan through?
Real-estate on this screen is precious.
BTW: Its lighter than carrying around any shortcut keys!
Regards,
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
I was wondering whether the Pause (Break) key on the on-screen keyboard would really work to stop running code, so I performed a little test. It does work! Clicking Ctrl then clicking Pause did pause the code.
Best wishes,
Hans
Hans
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- gamma jay
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Re: Laptop(maybe?) - but does it have a BREAK key?
I work almost exclusively on a laptop, although at work and home I plug in an external K/B and a second monitor. While travelling though, I've used an on-screen keyboard a few times before to stop code. However, I have strangely (and on occasion) been able to break code by pressing several times on the Escape key too... Escape is a mystery as it only seems to work intermittently??
Regards,
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.
Rudi
If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.