I hope someone can help me with this! I have a timer program that uses the space bar to start it. I want to start it remotely by a switch and not have to use the space bar on the keyboard. How do I do this?? I tried wiring directly to the keyboard tracks for SPACE but as they are mostly membrane types these days it's not successful. I know the matrix position for SPACE on this keyboard is scan 0x39 but that's all. Is there someway I can get in through the parallel port or serial port with my switch to simulate pressing the spacebar. I know little about these ports but someone must have some clues.

What's timer program? Did you authored it yourself? i_Xp/VistaUser

Remote desktop maybe. There use to be a way to send keyboard keys via script with dos. Sure there is still a way. Might be other ways like telnet or mmc. "Best Practices", Event viewer, host file, perfmon, are in my top 10

Consider that it may be ANY program that requires a push of the space-bar - in this case its a timer/countdown clock program. Somehow I need to link the space bar instruction across to the DSR line of the serial port and from there to a switch that grounds that line - I know this needs a routine written that opens the com port to enable this - but that it's it for my knowledge.

You need an old dos commnad I think. It should still be in there. It can be used to call a file to input any keystroke. I thought it was keyboard or something like that. Might also see ctty. "Best Practices", Event viewer, host file, perfmon, are in my top 10