The MouseKeys Feature

Some users do not have the physical control to operate a pointing device such as the mouse, yet need to access software which requires them to use the pointing device. MouseKeys provides a means to control the mouse cursor on the screen by using the numeric keypad on the keyboard. You turn MouseKeys on or off by simultaneously pressing the left ALT key, the left SHIFT key and the NUM LOCK key. When MouseKeys turns on, you will hear an up-siren if you have sounds enabled. (If you are using only one finger, a mouthstick, or a headpointer to operate the computer, the easiest way to activate MouseKeys is to first activate StickyKeys by tapping either SHIFT key 5 times. You can then hit the three keys in sequence rather than simultaneously.) Once MouseKeys is turned on, the numeric keypad becomes a mouse control pad. Each key on the keypad performs a different mouse function. The "5, +, 0, and ." keys operate the buttons on the mouse. Use the "5" key when you want to click a mouse button once. To double-click a mouse button, use the "+" key. When you want to hold a mouse button down while you use the mouse (as for dragging), press the "0" key to lock the mouse button down and the "." key to release the mouse button. On 101-key keyboards, the "/" makes the left mouse button the currently active button, the "-" makes the right mouse button the currently active button, and the "*" makes both mouse buttons the currently active button. On older keyboard with fewer keys, it may not be possible to make both mouse buttons active. The keys "1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9" are used to move the mouse cursor around the screen in the directions suggested by their location on the numeric keypad. For example, pressing the "1" key will move the mouse cursor down and to the left while pressing the "8" key will move the mouse cursor straight upward on the screen. Holding a direction key down will cause the mouse cursor to continue to move in the respective direction, slowly at first, and then increasing to the maximum speed. The mouse pointer will then continue at maximum speed until the key is released. Both the maximum speed of the mouse cursor and the time it takes to get to maximum speed are adjustable in the MouseKeys dialog box under the "Adjust" menu.

	(NOTE:  If SlowKeys is active, all the MouseKey control keys 
		will respond according to the amount of "Acceptance Delay"
		selected.) 

While MouseKeys is on, you can use the NUM LOCK key to toggle the MouseKeys control pad back to a numeric keypad and vice versa. This feature is especially useful if you are using a laptop or notebook computer which doesn't have a separate numeric keypad. On these computer keyboards, the numeric keypad is usually overlaid on top of the standard "qwerty" keyboard. Tapping once on the NUM LOCK key to toggle between either a numeric keypad or a mouse control pad makes it very convenient for the user. When toggling between a mouse control pad and the numeric keypad, the numeric keypad will be in the state it was in before MouseKeys was started. For example, if you were using the numeric keypad for number entry before starting MouseKeys, when you toggle out of MouseKeys with the NUM LOCK key, you will be able to enter numbers with the numeric keypad. If you were using the numeric keypad as a cursor keypad before starting MouseKeys, when you toggle out of MouseKeys using the NUM LOCK key, you will have a cursor keypad. MouseKeys will work in Windows 3.0 and Windows 3.1 in conjunction with the standard Microsoft or IBM PS/2 mouse. You can use the standard mouse to move quickly about the screen and then use MouseKeys to move more precisely (unit by unit) to your final destination. Some people cannot use the standard mouse while simultaneously holding down the mouse button. You can use MouseKeys to lock down the currently active mouse button, move the mouse cursor using MouseKeys or the real mouse, and then release the mouse button using MouseKeys.

	Note:  This version of the Access Utility (3.0.a) does not require
	       the user to have a Microsoft or PS/2 mouse connected to the
	       computer in order for MouseKeys to work while running
	       Windows.

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