Posted by RandyT on 19, 2001 at 1:02 AM:
In Reply to: Just noticed something important is missing in the FAQ about wiring buttons posted by Matthew C. Waterman on 18, 2001 at 5:54 AM:
You haven't mentioned what you are trying to hook your buttons to! As Eradicator stated, you want to hook 2 wires to the buttons, one on "common" and one on "normally open".
If you are using an encoder that doesn't use a matrix, you will most likely connect all the "commons" together and hook them to "ground" on your encoder module. Then run a line from each input on the encoder to the "normally open" side of the switch you want to associate with it.
If you are using a keyboard encoder, you have to hook a wire from each side of the matrix (row and column) that corresponds to the key you want sent, to the 2 poles on the switch. For example; if you want your switch to send the ALT key, and your keyboard encoder matrix has it at Column 4,Row 13, you hook one side of the switch (common) to whatever pin on the encoder that is Column 4, and the other side of the switch (N.O.) to whatever pin is Row 13. After you do this, pressing the button will have the same effect as pressing the ALT key on your keyboard.
All Keyboard encoders are different, and you will need a multimeter (preferably one with an audible tone for checking continuity) to bug out what keys use which pins on the encoder.
Randy
: Maybe you can point it out to me, but I poked around, and I couldn't find information quickly about exactly how to wire up a button. Found some stuff about what kind of buttons to buy, but nothing that actually tells you what prongs which wires go to. I think this needs to be added, and if it really isn't here, a couple of you owe apologies to sinfestboy. By the way, I answered your question about this further down the page.