How to Toggle the CAPS LOCK and NUM LOCK Keys

• Microsoft Windows 95

SUMMARY

This article describes how to create MS-DOS-based programs to toggle the CAPS LOCK and NUM LOCK keys on and off.

MORE INFORMATION

To Toggle the CAPS LOCK Key On

1. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to create the following file:

         a 100
         mov ax,0040
         mov ds,ax
         or byte ptr [0017],40
         mov ah,1
         int 16
         mov ax,4c00
         int 21
   

         r cx
         0013
         n CAPS_ON.COM
         w
         q
   

2. Save the file as Capson.deb

3. Type the following line at a command prompt:

         debug < capson.deb
   

   This creates an MS-DOS-based program named Caps_on.com that toggles the CAPS LOCK key on.

To Toggle the CAPS LOCK Key Off

1. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to create the following file:

         a 100
         mov ax,0040
         mov ds,ax
         and byte ptr [0017],bf
         mov ah,1
         int 16
         mov ax,4c00
         int 21
   

         r cx
         0013
         n CAPS_OFF.COM
         w
         q
   

2. Save the file as Capsoff.deb

3. Type the following line at a command prompt:

         debug < capsoff.deb
   

   This creates an MS-DOS-based program named Caps_off.com that toggles the CAPS LOCK key off.

To Toggle the NUM LOCK Key On

1. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to create the following file:

         a 100
         mov ax,0040
         mov ds,ax
         or byte ptr [0017],20
         mov ah,1
         int 16
         mov ax,4c00
         int 21
   

         r cx
         0013
         n NUM_ON.COM
         w
         q
   

2. Save the file as Numon.deb

3. Type the following line at a command prompt:

         debug < numon.deb
   

   This creates an MS-DOS-based program named Num_on.com that toggles the NUM LOCK key on.

To Toggle the NUM LOCK Key Off

1. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to create the following file:

         a 100
         mov ax,0040
         mov ds,ax
         and byte ptr [0017],df
         mov ah,1
         int 16
         mov ax,4c00
         int 21
   

         r cx
         0013
         n NUM_OFF.COM
         w
         q
   

2. Save the file as Numoff.deb

3. Type the following line at a command prompt:

         debug < numoff.deb
   

   This creates an MS-DOS-based program named Num_off.com that toggles the NUM LOCK key off.

Using the Toggle Programs

Place the appropriate command in the Autoexec.bat or Config.sys file to automatically toggle the keys you want. For example, adding

   NUMLOCK=OFF

   -or-

   NUMLOCK=ON

NOTE: You must be using MS-DOS version 6.x or later. This function was retained in Windows 95.