PC keyboard to ASCII

[interak]

Hi I have recently finished writing some code in PICBASIC PRO which will read a PS/2 or AT keyboard and output 7-bit ASCII.
I know that this is not new but I have searched the Internet for a complete PIC working package and could not find one. (if I could I would have used it).

I have noticed that there are quite a few people who have asked for this code and I have also found notes to say it is a trivial matter to make a PC keyboard converter program with a PIC.
It is probably easier in assembler because there is more time to read and shift data but I found that once all the keyboard functions are in the right order it works very well with PICBASIC.
I have put the details here -
http://www.interak.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/PCtoASCII.htm

Alan

[mister_e]

Well done Interak! Sure there's a lot of people who'll learn a lot from it.

Welcome on the forum!

[Archangel]

Hi I have recently finished writing some code in PICBASIC PRO which will read a PS/2 or AT keyboard and output 7-bit ASCII.
I know that this is not new but I have searched the Internet for a complete PIC working package and could not find one. (if I could I would have used it).

I have noticed that there are quite a few people who have asked for this code and I have also found notes to say it is a trivial matter to make a PC keyboard converter program with a PIC.
It is probably easier in assembler because there is more time to read and shift data but I found that once all the keyboard functions are in the right order it works very well with PICBASIC.
I have put the details here -
http://www.interak.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/PCtoASCII.htm

Alan

Hi Alan,
Welcome to the forum, and thank you for this nice Code Example. Since you posted in PDF format someone had to retype it (I did) and it is posted below with configs for MPASM. This is a project many have discussed but never really brought to fruition, I am sure many who come here will find it useful.

'****************************************************************
'*  Name    : PCtoASCII.BAS                                     *
'*  Author  : Alan Paton                                       *
'*  Notice  : Copyright (c) 2009                                *
'*          : All Rights Reserved                               *
'*  Date    : revised Jan 2009                                  *
'*  Version : 1.0                                               *
'*  Notes   :MPASM configs added by Joe S.                      *
'*  http://www.interak.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/PCtoASCII.htm       *
'****************************************************************
@MyConfig = _HS_OSC  & _LVP_OFF & _WDT_OFF & _CP_OFF
@MyConfig = MyConfig & _BODEN_OFF & _MCLRE_ON & _PWRTE_ON  
@ __CONFIG   MyConfig
;@ device    INTRC_OSC_NOCLKOUT ;use internal oscillator
; DEFINE OSC 4
CMCON = 7
DEFINE OSC 20
PBIT VAR BYTE
D    VAR BYTE[12]
SC   VAR BYTE
CNT  VAR BYTE
J    VAR BYTE
CLK  VAR PORTA.0
DAT  VAR PORTA.1
CL   VAR BYTE
SH   VAR BYTE
AC   VAR BYTE
LN   VAR BYTE
LB   VAR BYTE
'initialise
PAUSE 1000 ' wait for keyboard to start up
TRISB = 0
TrisA = 0
SH = 0
CNT = 0
CL = 0
GOTO SCAN
START:
IF SC=$12 OR SC = $59 THEN ' shift key up
    SH = 0                 ' reset shift
    ENDIF
    IF SC = $14 THEN       ' control key up
    CNT = 0                ' reset control flag
    ENDIF
lb = 0                     'clear last-byte flag
'Setup ports to read keyboard ******************
' ************ SCAN shifts serial scancode into SC *********
SCAN:
    sc = 0                 ' clear scan code
    TrisA.1 = 1            ' set DAT to input
    TrisA.0 = 1            ' set CLK to input
' Wait for clock transistion
LP1:                       ' make sure clock is high
    IF CLK = 0 THEN        
    GOTO LP1
    ENDIF


LP2:
    IF CLK = 1 THEN        ' clock idles high
    GOTO LP2               ' wait for clock to go low
    ENDIF
    'clock now low - Start bit of scan code
    FOR J = 0 TO 9         ' get scan code

LP3:
    IF CLK = 0 THEN        ' make sure clock is high
    GOTO LP3
    ENDIF
    D(J) = DAT              'read data bit
    NEXT J
 ' shift bits into variable SC   
    FOR J = 7 TO 0 STEP -1  ' D(8) & D(9) are parity & stop bits
    SC = SC << 1            ' shift 1 place left
    SC = SC + D(J)          ' set bit 0 of SC LSB = 0 MSB = 7
    NEXT J
    
    TrisA.0 = 0             ' set CLK to output
    CLK = 0                 ' and hold it
    
    
    IF LB = 2 THEN          ' last byte of up - code - don't display
        GOTO START
    ENDIF  
        IF SC = $F0 THEN    ' Check for key-up code
        LB = 2              ' Set last byte flag
            GOTO SCAN
        ENDIF
            IF SC = $12 OR SC = $59 THEN  ' left and right shift keys
            SH = $80                      ' Set shift flag
                GOTO SCAN
            ENDIF
                IF SC = $58 THEN          ' Caps lock on
                    GOSUB CPLOCK
                    GOTO SCAN
                ENDIF
                    IF SC = $E0 THEN      ' Extended keys
                        GOTO SCAN         ' Get next byte
                    ENDIF
                        IF SC = $14 THEN   ' Left control key (& right . . $EO $14 )
                            CNT = 2        ' Set flag
                            GOTO SCAN
                        ENDIF
          ' and into SCAN CODE to ACSII conversion
          ' **************** CONVERT TO ASCII CODE ***************************
          
          ' scan code in SC
        ASCII:
            IF SC = $5A THEN   'is it CR ?
                AC = $0D
                GOTO ASOUT     ' Yes send it
            ENDIF
                SC = SC + SH   'SH=$80 if shift key down (0 if not)
                LN = $FF       ' Set List No. to high value
                
' convert to ASCII (codes from 20H to 7FH)                       
                LOOKDOWN SC,[$29,$96,$9E,$5D,$A5,$BD,$52,$C6,$C5,$BE,$D5,_
        $41,$4E,$49,$4A,$45,$16,$1E,$26,$25,$2E,$36,$3D,$3E,$46,$CC,$4C,$C1,$55,_
        $C9,$CA,$D2,$9C,$B2,$A1,$A3,$A4,$AB,$B4,$B3,$C3,$BB,$C2,$CB,$BA,$B1,$C4,_
        $CD,$95,$AD,$9B,$AC,$BC,$AA,$9D,$A2,$B5,$9A,$54,$61,$5B,$B6,$CE,$A6,$1C,_
        $32,$21,$23,$24,$2B,$34,$33,$43,$3B,$42,$4B,$3A,$31,$44,$4D,$15,$2D,$1B,_
        $2C,$3C,$2A,$1D,$22,$35,$1A,$D4,$E1,$DB,$DD,$66],LN


    IF LN = $FF THEN    ' Scan code not found
        GOTO NUMPAD     ' Now check number pad
    ENDIF
'matching scan code has been found
    IF CNT = 2 THEN     'Is control key pressed ?
        AC = LN - $40   ' Get ASCII code
        GOTO ASOUT      ' Send it
    ENDIF
' Caps Lock On - check for the following conditions
        IF LN>$40 AND LN<$5B THEN ' Caps lock on & (semi) colon selected
            AC = $3A              ' ASCII code for colon
            GOTO ASOUT 
        ENDIF
        GOTO AS2                  ' Send out to computer keyboard port
' Check number pad
NUMPAD:
        LOOKDOWN SC,[$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$2A,$2D,$2B,$2E,$09,$1B],AC
        GOTO ASOUT
AS2:
    AC = LN + $20                 ' Convert List No. to ASCII

ASOUT:
      PortB.7 = 1                 ' Strobe - normally high - pulse low
      PAUSE 2                     
      PortB = AC                  ' Send ASCII code to Port B
      PAUSE 2                     ' Bit 7 (strobe) is zero
      PortB.7 = 1                 
      GOTO SCAN
      
      END
' ********************* CAPS LOCK *********************************************     
CPLOCK:
     IF CL = 0 THEN               ' Toggle caps lock
        CL = 4                    ' 4 is Bit 2 0000 0100
     ELSE
        CL = 0
     ENDIF
     RETURN

original source code obtained from:
http://www.interak.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/PCtoASCII.htm

Any Typing errors are all mine !
Note: this program's author also generously provided the compiled hex code on the web site listed for those who do not own P Basic Pro compiler, making it useful to all. A heartfelt Thank You to you Alan. Your first post and it was to share something.

[aratti]

Alan, an additional welcome to the forum from my side, and thank you for the useful code you have shared.

Al.

[interak]

Hi Thanks for your kind words, it's good to know that it could be useful.
In case anyone noticed, I should mention that there is a few lines of the code which check if Caps Lock is on and if the colon/semicolon key has been pressed.
This is required when using an old 8-bit CP/M computer as it allows for changing drives when working in Caps (i.e A: C: etc) - this is a typical function of ASCII keyboards.
This code could be removed if it is not required.
Alan

[interak]

Hi again I have just noticed that the typed-in code is not quite correct at that point - it should be.....

'CAPS LOCK ON - check for the following conditions
if LN>$40 and LN<$5B then 'caps lock on & lower case selected
AC=LN
goto ASOUT
endif
if LN=$1B then 'caps lock on & (semi)colon selected
ac=$3A 'ASCII code for colon
goto asout
endif
goto as2 'send out to computer keyboard port
'check number pad

Alan

[Archangel]

Any Typing errors are all mine !

I didn't see them, but I knew they were there.
Here is the corrected code, Thank You again Alan !

'****************************************************************
'*  Name    : UNTITLED.BAS                                      *
'*  Author  : [Alan Paton]                                      *
'*  Notice  : Copyright (c) 2009                                *
'*          : All Rights Reserved                               *
'*  Date    : 2/17/2009                                         *
'*  Version : 1.0                                               *
'*  Notes   :                                                   *
'*  http://www.interak.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/PCtoASCII.htm       *
'****************************************************************
@MyConfig = _HS_OSC  & _LVP_OFF & _WDT_OFF & _CP_OFF
@MyConfig = MyConfig & _BODEN_OFF & _MCLRE_ON & _PWRTE_ON  
@ __CONFIG   MyConfig
;@ device    INTRC_OSC_NOCLKOUT ;use internal oscillator
; DEFINE OSC 4
CMCON = 7
DEFINE OSC 20
PBIT VAR BYTE
D    VAR BYTE[12]
SC   VAR BYTE
CNT  VAR BYTE
J    VAR BYTE
CLK  VAR PORTA.0
DAT  VAR PORTA.1
CL   VAR BYTE
SH   VAR BYTE
AC   VAR BYTE
LN   VAR BYTE
LB   VAR BYTE
'initialise
PAUSE 1000 ' wait for keyboard to start up
TRISB = 0
TrisA = 0
SH = 0
CNT = 0
CL = 0
GOTO SCAN
START:
IF SC=$12 OR SC = $59 THEN ' shift key up
    SH = 0                 ' reset shift
    ENDIF
    IF SC = $14 THEN       ' control key up
    CNT = 0                ' reset control flag
    ENDIF
lb = 0                     'clear last-byte flag
'Setup ports to read keyboard ******************
' ************ SCAN shifts serial scancode into SC *********
SCAN:
    sc = 0                 ' clear scan code
    TrisA.1 = 1            ' set DAT to input
    TrisA.0 = 1            ' set CLK to input
' Wait for clock transistion
LP1:                       ' make sure clock is high
    IF CLK = 0 THEN        
    GOTO LP1
    ENDIF


LP2:
    IF CLK = 1 THEN        ' clock idles high
    GOTO LP2               ' wait for clock to go low
    ENDIF
    'clock now low - Start bit of scan code
    FOR J = 0 TO 9         ' get scan code

LP3:
    IF CLK = 0 THEN        ' make sure clock is high
    GOTO LP3
    ENDIF
    D(J) = DAT              'read data bit
    NEXT J
 ' shift bits into variable SC   
    FOR J = 7 TO 0 STEP -1  ' D(8) & D(9) are parity & stop bits
    SC = SC << 1            ' shift 1 place left
    SC = SC + D(J)          ' set bit 0 of SC LSB = 0 MSB = 7
    NEXT J
    
    TrisA.0 = 0             ' set CLK to output
    CLK = 0                 ' and hold it
    
    
    IF LB = 2 THEN          ' last byte of up - code - don't display
        GOTO START
    ENDIF  
        IF SC = $F0 THEN    ' Check for key-up code
        LB = 2              ' Set last byte flag
            GOTO SCAN
        ENDIF
            IF SC = $12 OR SC = $59 THEN  ' left and right shift keys
            SH = $80                      ' Set shift flag
                GOTO SCAN
            ENDIF
                IF SC = $58 THEN          ' Caps lock on
                    GOSUB CPLOCK
                    GOTO SCAN
                ENDIF
                    IF SC = $E0 THEN      ' Extended keys
                        GOTO SCAN         ' Get next byte
                    ENDIF
                        IF SC = $14 THEN   ' Left control key (& right . . $EO $14 )
                            CNT = 2        ' Set flag
                            GOTO SCAN
                        ENDIF
          ' and into SCAN CODE to ACSII conversion
          ' **************** CONVERT TO ASCII CODE ***************************
          
          ' scan code in SC
        ASCII:
            IF SC = $5A THEN   'is it CR ?
                AC = $0D
                GOTO ASOUT     ' Yes send it
            ENDIF
                SC = SC + SH   'SH=$80 if shift key down (0 if not)
                LN = $FF       ' Set List No. to high value
                
' convert to ASCII (codes from 20H to 7FH)                       
                LOOKDOWN SC,[$29,$96,$9E,$5D,$A5,$BD,$52,$C6,$C5,$BE,$D5,_
        $41,$4E,$49,$4A,$45,$16,$1E,$26,$25,$2E,$36,$3D,$3E,$46,$CC,$4C,$C1,$55,_
        $C9,$CA,$D2,$9C,$B2,$A1,$A3,$A4,$AB,$B4,$B3,$C3,$BB,$C2,$CB,$BA,$B1,$C4,_
        $CD,$95,$AD,$9B,$AC,$BC,$AA,$9D,$A2,$B5,$9A,$54,$61,$5B,$B6,$CE,$A6,$1C,_
        $32,$21,$23,$24,$2B,$34,$33,$43,$3B,$42,$4B,$3A,$31,$44,$4D,$15,$2D,$1B,_
        $2C,$3C,$2A,$1D,$22,$35,$1A,$D4,$E1,$DB,$DD,$66],LN


    IF LN = $FF THEN    ' Scan code not found
        GOTO NUMPAD     ' Now check number pad
    ENDIF

'  Matching scan code has been found

    IF CNT = 2 THEN     'Is control key pressed ?
        AC = LN - $40   ' Get ASCII code
        GOTO ASOUT      ' Send it
    ENDIF
'  CAPS LOCK ON - check for the following conditions

    IF LN>$40 AND LN<$5B THEN   '  caps lock on & lower case selected
        AC=LN
    GOTO ASOUT
    ENDIF
    IF LN=$1B THEN        '  caps lock on & (semi)colon selected
        AC=$3A 'ASCII code for colon
    GOTO ASOUT
    ENDIF
    GOTO AS2 'send out to computer keyboard port

'  check number pad

NUMPAD:
        LOOKDOWN SC,[$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$2A,$2D,$2B,$2E,$09,$1B],AC
        GOTO ASOUT
AS2:
    AC = LN + $20                 ' Convert List No. to ASCII

ASOUT:
      PortB.7 = 1                 ' Strobe - normally high - pulse low
      PAUSE 2                     
      PortB = AC                  ' Send ASCII code to Port B
      PAUSE 2                     ' Bit 7 (strobe) is zero
      pORTb.7 = 1                 
      GOTO SCAN
      
      END
' ********************* CAPS LOCK *********************************************     
CPLOCK:
     IF CL = 0 THEN               ' Toggle caps lock
        CL = 4                    ' 4 IS BIT 2 0000 0100
     ELSE
        CL = 0
     ENDIF
     RETURN

[interak]

Hi Sorry Joe there is another bit not quite right. The PDF on the website definitely is OK because I printed it from the program listing.

Just above the CAPS LOCK ON code should be......

GOTO ASOUT 'send it
ENDIF
'''''''''''''''''''''''''insert
IF CL=0 THEN 'Caps Lock OFF
GOTO AS2 '& matching code found
ENDIF
''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'CAPS LOCK ON

[circuitpro]

Wow! Thanks! I've been looking for some sample code, and it looks like you've got it!

I did buy one of these (just to avoid the work and get my project done quickly), and must say that it works perfectly (if they only had a USB version!!) :
http://www.multilabs.net/ezKEY.html