Unknown Volume Slider

[Andres Medina]

Hi, I'm getting this volume slider when I press the (-) key on the NUMPAD.

I have no idea if this is a windows thing, or a Sonar thing.

I would like to unbind the (-) key from this slider.

Any ideas?

 

Thanks!

[Xoo]

Windows volume control.-

[Bristol_Jonesey]

Definitely Windows. Nothing to do with Sonar

[Andres Medina]

Thanks!

[Andres Medina]

mmm... didn't find a way to break the shortcut NUM- to audio mixer in windows.

 

So, I just reassigned the NUM- to a non used Sonar function -

[Amberwolf]

Might be something with your specific keyboard. 

If it's a laptop, many of them have hardware functions tied to certain keys, usually printed in a different color on the key, using the Fn key or some other key to switch to those functions.   

Some keyboards have media functions built in that work similarly. 

If you have any software that was installed for your keyboard, it may have macros or functionality in it that are doing this. 

[Starship Krupa]

1 hour ago, Amberwolf said:

If you have any software that was installed for your keyboard, it may have macros or functionality in it that are doing this.

Most likely this. What a nightmare for someone doing keypad math.

The software for my Logitech mouse has the (default) ability to throw a similar pop-up every time I switch on Caps Lock. Not so great in FP games where Caps Lock is used for "always run."

[Amberwolf]

Logitech...I once loved the company.  I still think their hardware is great, but for many years I have despised their software...someone should fire their entire staff and replace them with people that understand how people actually use their computers, and don't create bloatware that forces users to do things they don't want to do, and make it far too complicated to do many tasks.   And nowadays, you can't even use the hardware without the software (at least, not for more than the absolute basic functions). 

I also don't think much of their support or warranty departments these days.  

 

For a couple of years, until earlier this year I used a logitech "gaming" keyboard (cheap from goodwill or other thriftstores, yardsales, etc, like almost everything I use) because it had programmable backlighting****, but I had to firewall the software to keep it from autoupdating and losing all my programs every time, and sometimes even failing to operate the keyboard (requiring me to use the built in laptop keyboard to do stuff to undo the updates).  At some point the software, even without updating, "grabbed" a bunch of functions and key sets and refused to let me use them normally, and I had to wipe it out.  But the keyboard won't even turn on it's lights without it, so it became trash.  A shame because it had a great feel and was very useful.

 

However, it led me to a MUCH BETTER keyboard *with replaceable keyswitches*! that *also* had *individually programmable* colors (or even turn individual key lights off!), the Phantom by Tecware....also found at goodwill for like $5.  It's pretty noisy, but it has a good feel, and I love that I do NOT have to run the software to do anything except set it up.  It stores the stuff all in the keyboard, so the software can be closed and the keyboard still does what it does, and it remembers various presets, so I can use a key combo to change from all-one-color to the SONAR key layout color I made, etc.   Their software leaves a lot to be desired for ease of use, and it has some issues here and there, but once it's figured out then just save the stuff to the keyboard, shut off software, and I'm all set.  I can even move the keyboard to a computer that never had the Tecware software on it and it works just like it should.  

It's only real disadvantage for me is that it's body is just big enough to hold all the keys, so there's no "edge" to rest palms on, or grab it and pick it up without touching a key.  Thankfully it is very popular with people that have 3D printers, so some free models of casings have been created, and at some point I'll get around to printing a modified version of one of those for it in TPU.  

You can buy keycap sets for it, and keyswitch kits with various pushpressure and sound emission types.  

 

I also used to use a logitech trackball M570(?) that I got new for cheap on amazon (reboxed), but the wireless radio keeps failing (and they no longer make a wired version of the shape I like***) and logitech "cancelled" my warranty saying I must be doing something to them.  So I replaced that with a very similarly shaped Nulea M501 I ran across super cheaply, and that has not had any issues at all, and requires no software to run it.  (I wish there *was* software I could use to one-time-program it's functions, but it doesn't have that option), but the built in do the normal stuff, plus there's a button for "DPI" so I can use it for fine fiddly work in PRV/etc with a few clicks of that button, and go back to fast work with a few more clicks.)  

 

***My first logitech trackball was one I saw at Comdex97(?96?), the MarbleFX that you can see used as the control for the shuttles on Moya in Farscape, painted gold and silver instead of it's white and red.  I still have one, but it doesn't work with PS2/USB adapters, and nothing has PS2 ports anymore.   At one time I had wished for a 3D printer to make a new case for it that included a spot for a wheel, as that's the only thing I ever wanted to add to it. It was *perfect* fit for my hand and moved exactly like I needed it to; did everything I wanted even in Lightwave3D building models and PaintShopPro making textures for them.  

I've used a few other trackballs over time (including the Kensington someone recently posted up; I still have that one in my "emergency devices" drawer), and of those my other favorite shape was a Microsoft Trackball Explorer, whose only truly bad points were the flimsiness of the button plastics and the poor design of it's cabling that allowed it to internally short and blow out the transceiver chip in it (making it useless) (it's software was the least intrusive of any of them I've ever had, and later Windows versions didn't even need the software to be able to customize it's buttons). 

 

****I find it necessary to use backlit keyboards even in a lit room to see which keys I'm using in various situations; my eyesight isn't what it used to be.  Being able to adjust the color of at least the entire keyboard as a whole was helpful, because I often need the darkness to feel my way around a new song, or get a mood in my head without being distracted by things I can see, and picking an amber color (or red if that's not available) helps keep my eyes "free" to see outlines of other stuff in the dimness.  Can't just close my eyes because then I can't see the keys needed on the computer keyboard to do things in SONAR (record, etc) even if I have the monitor turned off.   (I can feel my way around a lot of things, but I am not always certain that I have the right key unless I can see it, and I don't want to miss recording something "great"....). 

My other favorite keyboard, until I wore it out (literally wore thru the keycaps on several keys; someday I should find or make a 3D model of them and print new ones) was the Microsoft Sidewinder x4.  Only had red color lights (there's an instructable on changing them out for another color but never got around to it), but didn't need software to use or light up, and a great feel, and a heel rest, etc.   

[Andres Medina]

Thanks for your answers! Very helpful!