Apple ii Keyboard setup
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@caver01 I wish I could lay my hands on that mac+ keyboard now and transform it into a modern USB mech keyboard to blow my friends' minds (or just piss off my wife).
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@caver01 I love hearing stories like that! just stories like that about old Apples are the best. no one ever has stories like that for an IBM lol...
This is exactly why I want to be able to play a few games on the pie with an apple keyboard . to make it like it was. just for a little bit.so if I need a joystick for some/most games, what would be the best option for that. is there anything that hooks up via to the keyboard? or does it have to be usb? or back to what I was hoping, changing values to use the keyboard
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@briandamico Oh man, You have a lot of options, but my experience with this is limited to digital (switch-based arcade hardware) which is easy to wire up to GPIO pins and use a GPIO driver for that, or a USB keyboard controller (like IPAC). I think you should just take a tour through the controllers section of the wiki.
@edmaul69 maybe has suggestions, as he's actually using his Apple II shell/keyboard. What do you use for a joystick?
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@caver01 you can. I do it everyday with my apple iie pi. I have a mac m0110A keyboard attached to it with this adapter:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=72052.0
It also has all the keys including f keys with using the | \ key as an fn key.
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I like this usb conversion idea. I may try that at some point.
but let me ask you both something.
without getting crazy with having 2-3 keyboards, a mouse, controller, joystick lol. lots of stuff here.now, am I correct in saying each game will offer different values and keys to play it for all apple ii games?
now if that is the case, could a Nintendo wii pro controller which has 2 joysticks a left and right be used for games like ALF, and if so, does it need to be specifically configured? and I say this for exiting, OR use the keyboard for that.now if they controller is ok for some games that need joystick compatibility, they making sure the keyboard is capable of basic functions for the games that do need the keyboard and also exiting the game.
does this make sense?
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@edmaul69 said in Apple ii Keyboard setup:
Ha ha ha. I figured folks were using TMK. I think there is another mech keyboard project in my future!
I use a Minivan as my main keyboard now. It's cool, but I miss the apostrophe and hyphen more than I want to admit.
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@briandamico @caver01 they have adapters here for an apple iie joystick and and adapters for using an apple iie or iic built in keyboard.
@briandamico i would get a keyboard that has f keys or use adapters like i use that have hidden f keys and all missing keys.
@caver01 is your apple iie enhanced?
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@edmaul69 ok well I just bought an apple II extended keyboard today. gonna be a few days till I get it. and that will for now hook up to that imate usb adaptor I bought.
so I know I keep fixating on ALF, but I am since it a game needing a joystick. if I opt to not want to use an actual joystick, a controller would not be an option? nor the keyboard with or without the F keys.
kind of a pitty there is no true how to video on this anywhere in all the years of emulation.
I thank you both for the continuous support by the way
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@briandamico i also forgot, you can use the wii controller just fine. Set up the joystick config the way i told you. Also in the config you can set up a 1 or 2 button exit key. If you use a controller the f keys are only really needed in linapple to switch disks if you use a multi disk game. All other f key setting can be set in the configuration file.
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@briandamico read previous post. A controller and a joystick are the same in todays world. They didnt have direction pads back then so all controllers were called a joystick
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@edmaul69 ok. I guess I will wait till I get the keyboard to continue with you further on this.
but I assume you mean there will be configure files the linapple emulator and ill be able to use my wii controller for other games and emulators just fine, it won't affect the mapping on those correct? just changing the config file for linapple 2 will make using a game like alf playable?and when you say switch disks thats going back to the game list screen right? and if not, what would we do to simply exit the emulator whether I'm done or loading another disk
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@briandamico yeah the apple2 config folder has an linapple.conf file that lets you completely set up the controller for just linapple. Wont affect any other system.
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@edmaul69 said in Apple ii Keyboard setup:
@caver01 is your apple iie enhanced?
It is, and now that you mention it, I think THAT was the reason for the return. . . We got one that wasn't enhanced at first, and maybe not a Rev A board. In any case, mine boots up with the Apple //e name instead of the Apple ][ which is supposed to be an indicator. We rarely ran 80 columns, as this was hard to read on a composite color CRT.
True Story: I am still planning to release an adventure I have been building using Adventure Construction Set. This will be an ACS adventure some 30+ years in the making!
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@caver01 you better tag me when you release it. :)
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@edmaul69 Yeah, my grade school friends have basically given up on this request! It is a running joke, actually. But about a year ago, I pulled out all of my notes on it and started working on it again in emulation. It was a real treat when I was able to capture my floppy to a disk image.
When it is done, I was hoping to spread the word around, maybe to the Retro-computing Roundtable podcasters, or let people know about it via Kansas Fest etc. It will definitely be anti-climactic, but will be as good any ACS adventure can be. It should make for some fun stories. I am currently separated from my notes on the adventure, but come August, I can get back into it.
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Folks are looking at this thread wondering, "what the heck can they be discussing about an Apple II keyboard that is worth 43 posts?"
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@caver01 lol. When i get the last parts from china that should show up any day now i will tag you in my thread of my raspberry pi modded apple iie.
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@caver01 they are prob thinking this Brian guy is a complete idiot lol
But at least the topic will get a break till my keyboard arrives :)
Thanks again to you both for your help and just simply enjoyment reliving some apple software fun!
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@briandamico if you wanted to stick with the adb options here are some joystick options.
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@edmaul69 thank you!! you read my mind as i was thinking about it just in case. i will look at these.
do you have a preference?
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