Key Binding Server Controls

**[Insta]-Loque** · 10-23-2008, 11:27 AM

Hey guys'n gals,

Im just wondering if its possible to bind admin controls to keys?

The main reason im asking is not only would it be alot easier to take out the typing when im trying to enjoy the game, but like a complete nob i've given away the admin login already by pressing "t" instead of "tab" or "F10" and had to change it lol..

thanks..

**[Insta]-Loque** · 10-25-2008, 08:19 AM

Any ideas?

**UnrealGrrl** · 10-25-2008, 10:45 AM

i hate it when that happens - just bash the "t" key till it doesnt work anymore

when im at home playing i run webadmin on my other machine right next to me so if i want to hit an admin command i do it there, but if you dont have 2 pcs that doesnt help you much.

**{DvT}JonahHex** · 10-25-2008, 09:45 PM

When I 1st got our server, I tried to bind keys to admin commands and was not successful. My best guess is that this was due more to not doing it right than to "you can't do that."

My solution was to get a Logitech G15 keyboard and then program the "G" keys for my server admin commands. The G15 k/b is rather expensive, but a lot cheaper than a second PC.

**JD8** · 10-26-2008, 10:28 AM

I was able to bind the admin login to my control key by adding this line to my local input.ini

Bindings=(Name="LeftControl",Command="adminlogin *****")

I suppose you could use the execute command in a similar fashion to call on a text file which contains a particular command. At least this is how we used to do it for 2k4 so maybe it will work for UT3?

**{DvT}JonahHex** · 10-26-2008, 11:11 AM

The nice part about using the G15 k/b G-keys is that they can be programmed to do an entire admin command sequence with a single key stroke.

One keystroke (G11 for me - I have an 'old style' G15, which has 18 G-keys), for example, does all of the following:

~ (open the console)
adminlogin *****
admin servertravel next (change to the next map in the rotation)
adminlogout
~ (close the console)

Without going thru the open console, adminlogin, etc. parts, my admin keys are:
G1: adminlogin
G10: restart the current map
G11: change to the next map in the rotation
G14: change to a specific map (admin servertravel <mapname>)
G16: kill all bots
G17: add 'x' bots

additionally,
G2: exit the game
G3: stat fps
G4: disconnect from the server
G8: reconnect to the server
G9: sniper rifle
G12: avril
G15: impact hammer

Thus far I have not had the need for keys that kick or kickban a player, but I have unused G-keys available for these if I need them.

Needless to say, I'm quite unhappy that Logitech changed the 'new style' G15 so it only has 6 G-keys.

**JD8** · 10-26-2008, 11:55 AM

I also use an older G15 JonahHex (the silver and black one) though I haven't taken the time to set up the macros as you suggest. I might just do that thanks to your suggestion but I realize that we G15 owners are few and far between. BTW have you ever figured out what the heck that switch does in the upper left middle of the keyboard, the one with a graphic of a computer and a joystick?

**{DvT}JonahHex** · 10-26-2008, 12:10 PM

Yeah. It disables the Windows Keys -- the ones between the Ctrl and Alt keys -- so if you accidentally press one of them it won't minimize the game and bring up the Start button menu.

UT3 does not seem to respond to the Windows Keys in this way...nothing happens when you press them while in UT3...however, in UT2004 they do minimize the game and bring up the Start menu. I imagine quite a few other games behave as 2K4 does. Logitech thoughtfully provides the switch to eliminate this problem. (damn! I sound like a marketing director or something.

)

The G-keys are great for admin commands. You will also notice that G9, G12, and G15 are quite convenient for more weapon selection with the little finger of your left hand...if you use WSAD or EDSF (as I do).

**[Insta]-Loque** · 10-26-2008, 07:09 PM

ok, well he keyboard sounds kewl an that, but what information do you have to tell it? I mean how does it know to enter text into the UT3 console? thanks

**{DvT}JonahHex** · 10-26-2008, 09:21 PM

The k/b comes with a Profiler program that allows you to associate an entire set of G-keys with any program on your system. IOW, when you run a particular program, it loads the profile you defined for that program and uses the G-key assignments you have defined for that program. For example, my default profile (when I'm just in Windows) has the G18 key defined as Alt-F4 (convenient for closing a window with a single keystroke), but when I'm in UT3, the G18 key is undefined and doesn't do anything.

Here is my profile for UT3:

Clicking on a key here opens a menu for making assignments to that key...

Here is what the G11 assignment looks like for the change-to-the-next-map sequence that I posted above:

The keystrokes in the right-hand pane were entered by simply clicking on the Start Recording button and typing.

**[Insta]-Loque** · 10-26-2008, 09:31 PM

Oh right, niceone! i'll have to get me one of those

Thanks for doing the pics as well, much appreciated.

**{DvT}JonahHex** · 10-26-2008, 10:10 PM

You're welcome. The 2 pics saved me 2000 words.

The 18 G-key versions aren't being made anymore so they are hard to find.

The new version only has 6 G-keys (one vertical row instead of three). However, if you noticed the Mode buttons in the upper right of the 1st pic ... M1, M2, M3 ... these act kind of like Shift, Ctrl, and Alt keys. IOW, M1/G1 can be assigned to one function, M2/G1 to another, etc., giving the new version 18 G-key variations -- the old version has the M-buttons too, giving 54 G-key variations. This could be why Logitech changed to the 6-key version: it doesn't take up quite as much space and 54 G-keys is something of overkill.

The problem with the M-buttons is remembering which M-button is active in the heat of the game (they do have lights on the k/b) and possibly having to do 2 key presses to activate the function that you want.

**sinx** · 10-27-2008, 08:30 PM

Another option, which requires you to also head down a different route, is to use MapMixer to host your game.

Each Client of a MapMixer hosted game has an optional Auto-Admin-Login function that stores passwords for each server (stored encrypted). It then automatically logs you in for each match in the session.

This is a screenshot of the MapMixer Client Menu showing the Auto Admin Login section.

MapMixer is just about to go from Alpha into Beta stage where development will centre on making sure that all bugs are ironed out for a final 3.00 release.

FYI: Those interested in Map Voting, MapMixer currently does not have any internal Map Vote system (marked for 3.1) although it is designed to allow external map switching. The theory is that it should work with current map voters, however this has not been tested. MapMixer takes total control over the session map list, so it needs to actively recognise when a map switch is invoked by another entity - this is why it gets a little tricky.