[quote]I tried unloading DO, but that didn't seem to help.
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To my knowledge, DOpus does not, and cannot, change the functions of any special keys on any keyboard—that is, the keys outside of the standard 102 keys that all full-sized keyboards have. To my knowledge, DOpus currently has no way to assign hotkey sequences to buttons like My Pictures, E-mail, Search, etc. Such key assignments are the domain of the Windows-provided keyboard driver, or driver from the keyboard manufacturer.
I'm not familiar with your brand of hotkey managing software. But before I started really using DOpus, I used to use WinKey, a shareware/freeware hotkey manager. I liked WinKey primarily because it could assign hotkey sequences that made use of the otherwise largely under-utilized Windows key. However, since I purchased DOpus for Windows (starting with version 6.x), I have only used DOpus as my hotkey Manager, as DOpus can define system-wide hotkeys. I have only found three things that DOpus cannot facilitate system-wide, that WinKey could:[ul][li] Minimize Window (for all windows applications, not just DOpus)[/li]
[li] Maximize Window (for all windows applications, not just DOpus)[/li]
[li] Restore Window (for all windows applications, not just DOpus)[/li][/ul]Like, you I also use a keyboard with "extra functions". I have two PCs, one has a Microsoft Internet Keyboard Pro, the other a Logitech Elite. Both keyboards have extra buttons over and above the standard 102 that most full-size keyboards have. I'm using DOpus 6.x on one PC (with the Microsoft keyboard) and DOpus 8.x on the other (with the Logitech). And to boot on the Older PC with DOpus 6.x, I still have WinKey installed on it, though I have removed all but three hot-key sequences from it (the three above that DOpus cannot facilitate).
I have had no conflicts with any hotkeys, that I did not create myself. To my recollection, out-of-the-box DOpus only creates a single system-wide hotkey: + , which opens a new lister. All other DOpus hotkeys will only work while a DOpus lister has the system focus (is the active window).
My suggestion would be to do the following:
[ol][li] Completely uninstall Directory Opus and reboot.[/li]
[li] Document all of your current Hotkey Helper hotkey assignments.[/li]
[li] Completely uninstall Hotkey Helper and reboot.[/li]
[li] If your keyboard has software in addition to its driver, uninstall this software , and reboot.[/li]
[li] Uninstall your keyboard in Device Manager—do not reboot.[/li]
[li] Immediately Rescan for new hardware, which should find your keyboard again, and re-install its driver.[/li]
[li] If your keyboard has software in addition to its driver, re-install this software , and reboot.[/li]
[li] Ensure all of your keyboard buttons are working with only the keyboard driver and its software installed (if any).[/li]
[li] Re-install Directory Opus and reboot.[/li]
[li] Review (and clean up) the DOpus Out-of-Box hotkeys before creating your own new hotkey assignments.[ul][li]Make sure you turn on all the toolbars! Some out-of-box toolbar buttons, out-of-box menu buttons, and pre-defined commands have hotkey assignments. But as I recall, these assignments only appear in the Customize > Keys list, when the toolbar containing them is actually visible.[/li]
[li]Pay attention to hotkey assignments marked as System Wide, these work across your system, so long as DOpus is loaded into memory—a lister need not be open with the focus. All other hotkey assignments only work inside of a DOpus lister that has the system focus.[/li]
[li]I highly recommend removing all hotkey assignments from the DOpus toolbar buttons themselves. Instead, I recommend assigning all hotkey assignments directly in the Customize > Keys list. This helps eliminate duplicate assignments (when you drag the same button to multiple toolbars) as well as assignment conflicts (when attempt to use the same hotkey sequence for different functions). This also ensures you can always see all hotkey assignments in Customize > Keys, regardless if a toolbar is open or not.[/li][/ul][/li][li]Enter in all of you document Hotkey Helper hotkey assignments into DOpus Customize > Keys.[/li]
[li] Toss Hotkey Helper in the trash, and let your keyboard software manage its keyboard's special keys, and let DOpus manage your other hotkey assignments.[/li][/ol]
I just googled HotKey Helper. Its most recent version, v1.5, was released over a year ago on 2004-11-13. The author website is listed as: http://www.wpgsoft.com/, which has been taken over by someone trying to sell Internet advertisement. HotKey Helper is also either unrated or poorly rated (3 out of 5 or below) Shareware/Freeware utility. So you should not feel too bad about throwing it away, since it is no longer being supported or developed.