AutoHotkey Community

bobbo · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 14

I've got a 1-year-old boy that's just starting to bang on the keyboard to this kind of game:
http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2601&e=gamesByAge&mcat=game_infant&site=us

I've also got a 4-year-old girl who's starting to move up to side-scrollers:
http://www.nickjr.com/playtime/index.jhtml

My problem was they tended to bump the Windows key, or an Alt key, etc., and the game's window lost focus. (Or the 1-year-old somehow re-arranged all the desktop icons.) I looked for a long time for a kid's keyboard, or an overlay, or something, but it just doesn't exist.

So my answer was this simple script that does just two things: (1) disables all keys except the alpha-numerics and direction keys, and (2) for a held-down key, only sends a single key-press.

Dave72 · Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 26 Location: Canada

Fantastic.. I hadnt even thought of using ahk to lock-down the wife's pc like that for our 4 yr old to use..

Ill prob compile and install it tomorrow.

Thanks for thinking outside the box !

PhiLho · Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:00 am Post subject:

Good idea. In the past, I had found a freeware locking the Windows key using a hook DLL, and displaying fancy graphics depending on the key hits.
I also found that Tux Paint is a nice playing field for kids...
That said, I have found (in France) keyboard covers for kids, never bought one though.
_________________

vPhiLho := RegExReplace("Philippe Lhoste", "^(\w{3})\w*\s+\b(\w{3})\w*$", "$1$2")

badmojo · Joined: 11 Nov 2005 Posts: 185

great work, bobbo! previously i used Toddler Keys but this is very good and since it's in AHK i can easily adapt it to my needs.. hope you don't mind.. Wink

airjrdn · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 37

Be sure to check out the KidzCD's. I mirror them on my freeware site http://www.MissingBytes.net in the Kids section, but the main site can be found at http://www.kidzcd.com

Mine are 5, 4, 1.5, & 6mo, so I've been where you are now, but the tool you put together will be very useful, thanks for taking the time to do it.

bmazic · Guest

I know this is an old topic, but the theme is an everlasting one. I needed a slightly different thing, so I adapted the bobbo's script to suit my needs.

The idea behind the script is to disable all keyboard keys and mouse buttons by default, but allow the keyboard and mouse input by using a specific keyboard modifier - the left shift key. Whenever you need to use the keyboard or a mouse button, just hold the left shift key down. Read the comments in the script for the fuller description of the script's features.

What this means in practice is that you can surf the net, watch a movie, read a document, etc. while your dearest human being is banging against the keyboard. It is most useful for tasks that require few and occasional keyboard input.

Boris

jtuttle · Joined: 06 Nov 2008 Posts: 19

Frankie · Joined: 02 Nov 2008 Posts: 823

Haha nice one. Ill try this out on my little brother. That windows key can get in the way of his key mashing...
_________________
Click here to join #AHK channel in IRC for general chat and quick help.

bqw371 · Joined: 26 Nov 2008 Posts: 19

jtuttle · Joined: 06 Nov 2008 Posts: 19

This does not block the scrollpad on my laptop. Not a big deal, just an fyi Very Happy

PlaceboZA · Guest

Great stuff, guys. Thanks!

I now took it a step further and rewritten it all to combine features from all the above versions, and have a UI to work with.

I called it Toddler Friend and it's in version 0.9b (beta, not tested enough)

Features:
- Override key (as before - defaulted it to NumLock but easy to change)
- Convert blocked keys to space (for 'hit any key' games)
- Ability to allow mouse, alphanumerics, arrows independently
- Prevent key repeat (not working quite right though)
- Hotkeys to toggle all features
- UI to modify the features in a user friendly way
- Easy to change settings

PlaceboZA · Joined: 30 Apr 2009 Posts: 1

Be careful to make sure of your override key before running the script!
If you're using a laptop where e.g. NumLock is accessed with a function key, make sure you change the key first.
Otherwise you'll be rebooting Smile

Hannibal_32 · Joined: 15 May 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Tulsa, OK

Instead of disabling all the keys, I believe I will search for a bunch of funny .wav sounds and just assigning all of the keys out.. OR, I guess I could make it a learning tool and find .wav sounds of the letters and numbers. Lots of applications..

NICE SCRIPT!

H

DreymaR · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 39 Location: Bærum, Norway

Beholder · Guest

Guys, I found this thread too late, didn't occur to me to search for "toddler". I searched only for "block keyboard", "lock keyboard" and of course "block input".

Here is a solution that I am most pleased with:

I found the "KidKeyLock" application (KKL) very useful. Setup the program to lock mouse clicks, wheel and also whole keyboard.
Then autohotkey can be used to run the program via keyboard shortcut.
Just type "kklquit" (or the password you set up on your own) to end the keyboard/mouse blocking and quit the KKL.

EASY!

Get the KKL app here: http://www.100dof.com/kidkeylock.html

The only thing this does not block is the CTRL+ALT+Del combination, mouse movement and a few keys on my Gyration Remote.