Back after long hiatus

[clickypens]

I've been a member of this forum for a while, and an orbinaut for an even longer while, but my windows machine died on me about a year ago and I haven't been able to play since then. Recently I bought a new netbook with XP on it and the first thing I did was install orbiter.

It's amazing how much I'd forgotten. I can't even remember some of the buttons (add that onto the fact that I'm using a laptop keyboard). I used to be able to orbit, sync, dock, reenter and go to the moon without even thinking about it, and now I am working out the details on getting to orbit.

My plan is to set up my install with all historical addons and a few future things (like some station parts from the French) and do 100 years of space flight or something like that.

Anyway, to resume, I just wanted to say hey to everyone and thanks, as well, for making Orbiter such a great community.

 

[Aeadar]

back to the forum! A laptop, eh? Oh, the dreaded 'Fn' key.

 

[Carmen A]

How does one manipulate the keypad RCS controls on a laptop? I wouldn't try flying with the touchpad...

 

[Spacethingy]

Someone should come up with an "Fn lock" addon...

:hello:

 

[IronRain]

back

 

[Tex]

Hi clickypens, welcome back mate! It's good to see you back enjoying Orbiter.


EDIT - Concerning numpad for laptops, it is very hard using the function key for that. I bought a USB numpad which I plug into my laptop. Works great and is wireless, so I can control the spacecraft from the kitchen while refreshing my beer... err, mission control didn't hear that.. of course I meant tea! :lol:

 

[Stevodoran]

First welcome

And secondly i have no problems with a laptop.

 

[clickypens]

Yeah, it's kind of a pain to get it going. I was thinking of either getting a USB numpad or an adaptor from keyboard to USB for an old full-size keyboard.
I definitely second the Fn-Lock request (though turning on NumLock is almost the same...)

But yeah, I'm having a good time nonetheless and eventually hope to get up to a more advanced level then where I was.

 

[Izack]

Welcome back, Clickypens. :hello:

Thirded for the Fn-lock request. Heck, I'd want that outside of Orbiter. Has anyone heard of a way to reverse the button's use (IE pressing Fn allows you to use the brightness/battery hotkeys instead of this idiocy of pressing it for the function keys?)

 

[River Crab]

Welcome back! I haven't been here long, but enough to know your name.

@Izack: Fn is hardware-specific, it's a level above what gets sent as scancode input (it controls what scancode the key will send), so it can't be changed in software AFAIK.
That being said, my laptop (HP DV7, a desktop replacement) has a built-in numpad and I love it.

Okay, the numpad is the only thing I like about the design, but that's off-topic. :lol: