I recently picked up a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 since I prefer to have a wired keyboard, but wanted to try out an ergonomic keyboard for a while. I've only been using it for a day, but overall I'm quite pleased with it. The only thing I found fairly useless was the Zoom button in the middle of the keyboard. I very rarely zoom anything, especially a webpage. What I do frequently do though, is scroll. Using the IntelliType software you can change the functionality of all the extra keys, but you can't modify the Zoom button behavior.
Zoom Button
Luckily you can edit commands.xml (\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliType Pro\commands.xml) and change the action performed by the Zoom button. Open up commands.xml with a text editor and replace the following lines:
<C319 Type="6" Activator="ZoomOut" /> <C320 Type="6" Activator="ZoomIn" />
With:
<C319 Type="6" Activator="ScrollUp" /> <C320 Type="6" Activator="ScrollDown" />
I replaced it for the following applications:
<Application UniqueName="IEFrame" AppName="Internet Explorer"> <Application UniqueName="IEFrame7" AppName="Internet Explorer 7.0"> <Application UniqueName="MozillaUIWindowClass" AppName="Mozilla Firefox 1.5">
Once the changes have been made you need to reload the keyboard driver. From the Start menu choose Run and type mskey and press enter. Microsoft Keyboard Diagnostics should load. From the Actions menu choose Close IntelliType Pro. Then re-launch IntelliType (Start, Run, "C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliType Pro\DPLaunch.exe" keyboard cpl) or by choosing Microsoft Keyboard from the Microsoft Keyboard Start Menu group. Adjusting the Zooming speed in IntelliType will also control the Scrolling speed.
Tags: Ergonomics, Keyboard, Microsoft
October 8th, 2008 at 8:13 am
I've been wondering how to do this and your post was a an awesome tip – it's working beautifully. Thanks!
February 5th, 2009 at 6:05 am
I had been wondering how to do this ever since I picked up the exact same keyboard. Thank you so much! And for those of us new to Vista, here's accompanying materials for the last steps:
To edit any file in system or program folders as administrator:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/add-run-as-administrator-to-any-file-type-in-windows-vista/
To find the run command:
It's in All programs -> Accessories.
Hope you don't mind these tips, I did not know of them in Vista…
March 1st, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Is there a way of doing this for Microsoft Office Word???
There is no such entry under Word to be edited as you suggested.
Great post, btw… just wondering if you can make this work for MS Office Programs as well.
Thanks a lot
March 1st, 2009 at 2:25 pm
oh… I just figured it out :) …hence sorry for the prior post
There is a section in the second half of the commands.xml document called
I guess this affects all programs that are not specified in the first section. In this section starting with you can replace the two lines just like in your guide.
with
and then… (drum roll)… it works in Microsoft Word as well :)
Thanks a lot for your little tutorial… made me very happy :D
Cheers
December 5th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I just bought this keyboard, and my zoom button doesn't do a thing! The little instruction folder (and I mean little) says that it won't work if you have the keyboard hooked up to a serial port. I don't; I have it hooked up through a USB port. Also, when I try to run the driver CD that came with the keyboard, my computer tells me that it cannot run the CD, since I already have better drivers installed (I previously had the Microsoft Natural Medial Keyboard. Any suggestions for actually getting the zoom button to work? I am running Vista Premium Home Edition. Thanks.
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