Today, I found myself installing several software packages onto 45 computers. (and no, I could not mirror the drives) What I will have to design, if it is not available, is a USB Data entry device. This device would look similar to the digital thermometers currently available. One end would be a USB plug, and the other would have a button, a wheel, and a 30 character digital readout.
This device would plug into the USB port on the Mac keyboard, (or via supplied cable) into the USB port on the PC Case) It would capture keystrokes, and allow me to store several different text strings. I could then move to a different computer. Whenever the appropriate data entry prompt occurred, I would select the appropriate string, using the wheel at the top, then press the button to cause the data to be inserted. (Picture to follow)-- senatorjam, Mar 13 2003 (?) Not quite as nifty but available immediately. http://www.sunmax.c...il.asp?catalogID=56Keyboard Wedge Scanner (USB adaptor available). But, you would have to carry around a piece of paper with a bunch of barcodes on it. [half, Oct 05 2004] (?) USB Data Entry Pen http://www.geocitie...am1/halfbakery.htmlHow it would look, (adapter cable not included) [senatorjam, Oct 05 2004] The software it should run http://www.roboform.comTalk to this guy and see if e can whip something up.. Does what you want, but just in software for now [JackandJohn, Oct 05 2004] I could use one of these.... (+).-- brenna, Mar 13 2003 Could be useful. I wonder about the form factor in your design. I certainly appreciate the compactness but it seems like the display will be covered up when you're using the thumb wheel (assuming 1 handed operation).
Seems like a PDA might be persuaded to handle this job. Not sure about the keyboard emulation part.-- half, Mar 13 2003 [half] yeah, it could be a problem, especially for right handed people. oh well, back to the drawing board-- senatorjam, Mar 13 2003 Why not just send an e-mail with the text to all the computers and then copy and paste the commands. Or use a floppy disk with the text file on and again copy and paste...-- DRudge, Mar 13 2003 Active Directory.-- phoenix, Mar 13 2003 Because he's installing and doesnt have the email up yet. He needs a hardware keyboard with memory.-- pashute, Jan 27 2006 Because he's installing and doesnt have the email up yet. He needs a hardware keyboard with memory.-- pashute, Jan 27 2006 [pashute] appears to be using one of these already...-- Minimal, Jan 27 2006 yup-- pashute, Aug 02 2012 yup-- pashute, Aug 02 2012 [JackandJohn]'s link give's a fantastic idea to implement this!!! a smartphone PC keyboard device! with snippets!!
Everybody has a smartphone. No need to buy any new hardware. The smartphone has memory on it.
All that's needed is for the smartphone to be connected to the PC with the USB, but when this application is on, the smartphone is detected as a keyboard. (Not sure if that's possible because of security issues, so hardware people whadya say?)
The UI is a keyboard with lists of snippets that you can flip through, or just type right now.
If there are less than 12 snippets they can be shown on a "wheel" for easier input, with Y N and Enter Esc as well.-- pashute, Aug 02 2012 A much, much more complicated method would be to have a machine that covers the keyboard and physically presses keys to enter the text.-- DIYMatt, Aug 02 2012 An alternative to having replayable commands would be to have the smartphone keyboard emulator replay through the USB an entire recorded 'session' - so it would just replay your keystrokes as you typed them, with the same intervals between commands, etc.-- hippo, Aug 02 2012 random, halfbakery