WittyKeys

WittyKeys gives you a significantly enhanced control over your Newton from your OS2.1 keyboard.

With WittyKeys you can define your own key commands (sometimes called "keyboard equivalent" or "shortcut"). You like to open "Dates" with with "Command+D"? Just define it in WittyKeys. Or switch between running applications with "Command+Tab"? No problem.

There are lots of possible actions you can assign to any shortcut you like (unless the sequence is already defined): rotate the screen, turn the Newton off, open a pop-up with all packages in a folder of Extras, ...

WittyKeys features

Assign command key sequences to open
- applications,
- special actions (see below) or
- submenus with
  - a list of all currently running applications (fast task switching)
  - a list of all special actions available
  - a list of all applications located in a folder of Extras.
OS 2.1 required. Supports eMate keyboard including function keys.
Freely configurable: Assign the action you like to a key command you like.
Available special actions are:
- Next App: brings the next, already open application to the front.
- Prev App: is similar to "Next App" but moves the applications in the opposite.
- Default Store directly switches the default store (as in the "Card" slip)
- System Info performs a garbage collection and tells you about the state of the batteries, memory (heap, internal, card), ROM version, date and time. Perfors a garbage collection, too.
- Rotate changes the screen orientation. With OS2.1 you can specify the two orientations to use.
- Rotate 180° turns the screen upside down (OS2.1 only)
- Backlight Control switches the backlight on and off.
- Sound on/off
- Record starts a new sound recording. After closing the dialog the recorded sound will be added to the notepad (OS2.1 only)
- Keyboard opens the typewriter keyboard (there is a special action for each built-in keyboard)
- Align Pen Opens the standard pen alignment dialog
- Sleep turns your Newton off (like using the power switch)
- Reset reboots your Newton (like pressing "Reset" in the battery compartment). Newton will ask you, if you really want to reset.
- New Meeting opens "Dates" with the new meeting slip open.
Code sharing with i++ and Backyard saves memory space when using these apps.
Extendable: Third party applications can add "special actions" to WittyKeys.
With WittyKeys you can enable the hidden "freezing" feature of the Extras drawer to save heap space when using a lot of packages.
Frozen packages are activated on the fly and refrozen after they are closed.

Price and Registration

WittyKeys is shareware and cost US$15. The unregistered version has all features of the registered one but the more you use it the more you will get "registration reminders". There is no expiration date.

There are also two bundles available:

For US$25 you can register i++, WittyKeys and Backyard (saving US$20).
If you already registered one of these packages and register another one later you will receive the third code for free (saving US$15) automatically.

Registration can be done by sending cash, using CompuServe SWREG (ID 16249 or ID 16321 for the bundle) or Kagi (credit card, US checks,...).

Download

The files are compressed and binhexed using StuffIt from Aladdin Systems. So you need their (free) StuffIt Expander which is available for Mac and Windows. If you use a Windows-PC please make sure that you have set the cross platform preference to NEVER.

Download English version (V1.00e)

Download German version (V1.00d)

In case of any questions feel free to contact me.