The internal shift feature allows you to define a connection (or connections) which when activated, cause all other switch connections to send an alternate command.

This is rather like a keyboard shift key which, when held, causes the keyboard keys to send different characters. When the internal shift connection is activated and held, the Secondary function of all other keys is sent instead of the Primary.

EXAMPLE 1:

In a gaming controller you might wish to assign an admin function such as COIN INSERT and you don’t wish to have a dedicated button on the panel for this. You could make PLAYER1 START an internal shift connection. Then assign a secondary COIN INSERT function to the switch which is normally “PLAYER 1 FIRE”. So to insert a coin, hold PLAYER1 START and press PLAYER1 FIRE.

EXAMPLE 2:

You have a control panel which is used for two completely different functions and you wish these functions to be selectable using a toggle switch. You could assign a spare connection as an internal shift connection, and then connect a toggle switch to it. Then assign all Primary functions to your first control panel type and all Secondary functions to the second type. Switching the toggle would flip the panel from one mode to the other. (Be aware you can also achieve this by re-programming the board on-the-fly though!).

Defining Internal Shift Connections

Normally you would perform this on only one connection, which will act as the shift key.

Most users would only require to define this function once, so to avoid clutter on the display, it is hidden unless the connection is completely un-assigned. This means with the default configuration, which has all connections assigned, you won’t see this option.

To assign a connection as an internal shift:

Click on the connection and select “not used”. A check box will appear with the option “This is an Internal Shift Switch”.

Enable the check box. This will be highlighted in red and will remain visible while this connection is selected.

Checking this box limits what you can do with the other selections for this switch. You are limited to assigning a “Pulse action on Open” , or no action at all. Any other type of assignment is invalid for an internal shift connection.

You cannot assign this connection as an LED, Analog or Quadrature input.The ability to assign a “pulse on open” action means you can also have this connection perform its own function as well as being a shift key.

If the key is pressed and released, it will send its own function as a pulse, provided no other connection has been activated in the meantime. This is how Example 1 works, above. The Player 1 Start function of this key still works even though it’s a shift key as well. You can assign any number of the connections to be internal shift, but they all will enable the same shift functionality in addition to their own individual assigned code (if any).