Question

How Disable the Windows Key in Windows Xp

Asked by: Spetson

Is possible to disable the Keyboard "Windows" key while my application is running under Windows Xp?

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Asked On
2004-12-06 at 04:39:23ID21231656
Tags

windows

Topic

Delphi Programming

Participating Experts
4
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: MFriesePosted on 2004-12-06 at 05:04:44ID: 12753561

create or modify the following entry in your registry:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
Scancode Map

to

00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 5B E0 00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00

Type is REG_BINARY.
In Delphi use TRegistry to do that.

 

by: SpetsonPosted on 2004-12-06 at 05:39:20ID: 12753804

I have write something like this:

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
  R : TRegistry;
  buffer: pointer;
 Const
  SubKey  : String = 'SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout';
  Data: array[0..23] of byte = ($00,$00,$00, $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$03,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$5b,$e0,$00,$00,$5c,$e0,$00,$00,$00,$00);
 begin
 buffer := @data;
 R := TRegistry.Create;
  with R do
  begin
  RootKey := HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
  OpenKey(SubKey,false);
  WriteBinaryData('scancode map', buffer, sizeof(buffer));
 Free;
 end;
end;

The result in the registry was a REG_BINARY Entry like:
40 fd 44 00

The Windows Key, still enabled!
I have made something wrong?

 

by: MFriesePosted on 2004-12-06 at 05:54:01ID: 12753912

Oh, sorry.. that's what I forgot. You have to relogin to make it work.
I don't know if there's another way maybe over keyboard-hooks, to deactivate the key at runtime - which I think is what you need?

 

by: SpetsonPosted on 2004-12-06 at 05:58:05ID: 12753942

Yes... i need change this at runtime (if is possible).
I just want disable the Windows Key while the my program is running.
When the user close the application, the Keyboard Must be Restored to the original state.

 

by: MolandoPosted on 2004-12-06 at 07:19:28ID: 12754680

As far as I know this is not possible, well probably not possible.  
The windows key can not be blocked in a keyboard hook, it can not be intercepted by your program. A device driver VXD may be able to stop it, I think microsoft had some documentation on their website. Or maybe a keyboard driver that does not have the windows key in it.

Only idea I have is to have a low level hook, capture wm_keydown messages, and if the windows key has been pressed, send another key press before the key up message, (e.g. ctrl). The second key will kill the functionality of the windows key.

 

by: geobulPosted on 2004-12-06 at 07:50:20ID: 12755016

Hi,

Your writing proc is wrong. I'm not sure whether data is correct but if you want to write that binary data to registry use:

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
  R : TRegistry;
  buffer: pointer;
 Const
  SubKey  : String = 'SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout';
  Data: array[0..23] of byte = ($00,$00,$00, $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$03,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$5b,$e0,$00,$00,$5c,$e0,$00,$00,$00,$00);
 begin
 buffer := @data;
 R := TRegistry.Create;
  with R do
  begin
  RootKey := HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
  OpenKey(SubKey,false);
  WriteBinaryData('scancode map', buffer, sizeof(buffer));
 Free;
 end;
end;

Regards, Geo

 

by: geobulPosted on 2004-12-06 at 07:51:56ID: 12755035

Sorry, posted wrong code. Here it is:

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
  R : TRegistry;
 Const
  SubKey  : String = 'SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout';
  Data: array[0..23] of byte = ($00,$00,$00, $00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$03,$00,$00,$00,$00,$00,$5b,$e0,$00,$00,$5c,$e0,$00,$00,$00,$00);
 begin
 R := TRegistry.Create;
  with R do
  begin
  RootKey := HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
  OpenKey(SubKey,true);
  WriteBinaryData('scancode map', Data, sizeof(data));
 Free;
 end;
end;

 

by: UdzzisPosted on 2005-01-03 at 06:55:33ID: 12943894

Hi.

To disable Windows key (and other system keys) at runtime you must hook keyboard.
Unfortunately to do this system wide it must be done in dll.

There is a source code and sample app in Pieter's Delphi Corner: http://home.hccnet.nl/p.zylstra/downloads.htm
Winhook v1.00 source download: http://home.hccnet.nl/p.zylstra/downloads/winhook.zip

Also I found a small, working and freeware app that do this very well (tested on Windows XP):
http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/majorgeeks/input/wkeykill17.zip

Best regards, Udzzis.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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