How to Toggle the CAPS LOCK and NUM LOCK Keys

ID: Q151715

The information in this article applies to:

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

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

Save the file as Capson.deb

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

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

Save the file as Capsoff.deb

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

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

Save the file as Numon.deb

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

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

Save the file as Numoff.deb

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

to the Config.sys file will turn off or turn on the NUM LOCK key.

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

Additional query words: capslock numlock caps num elite boot

Keywords : kbprg win95
Version : WINDOWS:95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto