SwitchWedge - Updated February 27, 2024

New: A 2-switch Spot Scan Method

New: Use Alt-m to reveal the current mouse location – helpful for constructing Custom Sequences

All New - SwitchWedge - Combines KeyboardWedge, JoystickWedge, ClickWedge

SwitchWedge the switch interface enhancer for any, and all switch interfaces

New features include:

> SwitchWedge supports up to 5 switches  (triggers) to comport with most commercially available switch interfaces

> SwitchWedge opens either suspended or enabled for easier setups, or for ready to go users

> SwitchWedge handles inputs from adapted mice, joystick/gamepads or keyboard emulators - all at once

> SwitchWedge auto-hides when activated, and is restored when it is suspended.

> SwitchWedge hides non-relevant settings in accordance with the Operating Mode.

> SwitchWedge remembers any setup changes including up to 10 hot-spots.

> SwitchWedge can save and load named setups for fast reconfiguration.

The new SwitchWedge has the same features as the original wedge series utilities for inputs 1 and 2, and adds 3 more inputs that permit sending any combination of key sequences and/or mouse clicks. SwitchWedge can now save setups with a names of your choosing for quick reconfiguration. SwitchWedge has a new keyboard shortcut for creating a named setup for the active window. SwitchWedge has a new and improved Help file that opens in a web browser.

The leftmost 2  switch inputs (triggers) provide enhanced functionality not offered on most switch interfaces, and some features like spot scanning are not found on any switch interface!

Here are the enhanced operating modes:

1.Single Switch mode - The Trigger menu defines which triggering event (keystroke, mouse click, or joystick button) starts and stops an auto-scan sequence. The Key Seq. Sent menus define which key(s) to use to highlight items while scanning (1st menu.) The second menu defines which key to use to select the highlighted item. For example, Tab and Space can be used to traverse some websites and select links. Highlighting proceeds automatically in accordance with the Scan Rate setting. Mask Time is ignored.

2. Two Switch mode - each Trigger sends an associated Key Seq. Sent. Use this mode for a user directed scan where one switch sends keystrokes for moving the highlight or focus from item to item, and the other switch sends what is needed to select the highlighted item.

3. One Click mode - The Trigger defines which input (keystroke, joystick button or mouse button) will send a  left click to a previously identified target. Hover the mouse cursor over the target and use the Alt-1 keyboard combo to record its position (Briefly hold the Windows key down and press the 1 key. If you release the Windows key before pressing the 1 key the Start menu will open.)  Key Seq. Sent  and Scan Rate are ignored. Mask Time defines how long after a click that additional key presses are ignored.This mode can be used to prevent switch users who may hit a switch repeatedly from advancing a slide show prematurely.

4. Two Click mode - The Trigger starts a sequence where left click is sent to a first target, and then, after a defined interval, another left click is sent to a second target. Hover the mouse cursor over target 1 and use the Alt-1 keyboard combo to record its position. Similarly, use Alt-2 to record target 2. Scan Rate sets the time between the two clicks, and Mask Time defines how long after a the 1st click that additional switch presses are ignored. This mode can be used to create cause and effect activities using YouTube or other media players.

5. Scan Mouse 1 mode -  the Trigger initiates a sequence of tool tips near the mouse cursor that describe mouse actions - either as move directions, or click actions. Once a direction (up, down, left, or right)  is selected the mouse cursor moves in the selected direction. Mouse click options are similarly presented by selecting 'Mouse Clicks' when it appears. You can select from 'Click', 'Dbl Click', 'Rt Click', and 'Drag'. The Mouse Speed menu defines how fast the mouse moves where smaller numbers yield a faster mouse. 100 is a good medium speed value. 

6. Scan Mouse 2 - Is just like Scan Mouse 1 but it copies the tool tip text to the clipboard so that it can be read out loud by a helper application that supports reading clipboard text like Deskbot SpeakEasy or Orato.

7. Spot Scan 1 and 2 - Spot scan allows you to define up to 10 hotspots that will be scanned in numerical order. Identify the first hotspot by hovering the mouse cursor over the first target and capturing the mouse position with the Alt-1 key combo. The second hotspot is recorded with the Alt-2 combo, and so forth up to the tenth hotspot that is recorded with the Alt-0 key combo. Use Alt-z to clear the spot scan sequence. Scanning occurs at the rate set with Scan Rate. Spot Scan 2 provides for auditory cues with the help of a clipboard text-to-speech utility like Deskbot, SpeakEasy or Orato. Spot Scan 1 does not offer auditory cues, but the application being scanned may be able to supply a cue as a result of a 'mouse-over' event. SwitchWedge needs to be enabled (not suspended) to record hotspots.

8. Remap - Each trigger sends clicks, keystrokes, or arbitrary character strings to the active application. The Mask Time can be set to filter out unwanted extra switch hits if desired for the two leftmost triggers.

9. -  Click List Mode - sends a click to one of up to 10 targets in a list. Each target is recorded in the same manner as with spot scanning. Hover the cursor over a target and use Alt-1 to record the position of the first target. Do the same using Alt-2, Alt-3, and so forth to record each additional target up to Alt-0 for the tenth target. Each switch trigger sends a click to the next target on the list. The list is recycled after the last recorded target is clicked. Alt-z resets the list.

10. - 2 Switch Spot Scan 1 & 2 – are just like Spot Scanning, except that Switch Trigger 1 moves the mouse cursor to the next hotspot, and Switch Trigger 2 sends click to the current hotspot. Like Spot Scan 2, 2 Switch Spot Scan 2 also puts user definable text for each hotspot into the clipboard allowing a clipboard text-to-speech app as described above to provide an auditory cue.

SwitchWedge has 3 more inputs that act as simple re-mappers capable of converting single switch hits into a custom, user defined sequence of keystrokes and/or clicks.

SwitchWedge remembers and saves your settings as you make them in a file called sw.ini which is included in the download zip file. Sw.ini must be in the same folder as SwitchWedge when you open it to avoid a raft of non-catastrophic error messages.  

SwitchWedge can save and load named setups for quick transitions between users or applications.

Please let me know if you need a trigger not included on the list of 24 standard triggers (or any other feature) by contacting me at: j a m j o l u @ g m a i l . c o m

Best of all SwitchWedge if free, and available on the Downloads page,