Key def.dat
From Populous Wiki
Change Populous default keys using programming or hex editor. The file was decoded on November 23rd 2013.
All the addresses are correct, but my typing is not. If there is a typo or wrong address let me know or correct it!
Introduction
Key def.dat is a file that you have to create by using the Populous Key editor included in the game (Key def download). Once you save, the file is created and located in ./save/Key def.dat. The file is structured similar to the Header Format. Each key is stored in a single hexadecimal address, the combination key is always 1 in front of it. So if 0x1 is pause 0x2 will be the combination key. The combination key is like shift + key but in the file format it reads key + shift.
Each key needs to be converted to hexadecimal to a integer. This can be done in programming by simply reading information from the address, else if you're using a hex editor (like HxD) you'll have to do it by hand using a converter like Paulschou (use the values from CHAR), once you got the number it should range from 1-105, if it exceeds that, you're reading the wrong location or you got your math wrong. In #In Programming you will be told how to convert the values from keycode (the integer number you just got) to ASCII using programming methods. If you want to change them by hand without programming, all the key definitions are on this list keycode list for US QWERTY, remember that you have to convert those numbers back to hex from the Paulschou's link, or by programming.
This is not a complete decode of the file, however its most of the common key commands for Populous, if you find more, feel free to add them!
Combination keys
The combination keys use a different keycode format. I don't know if there is a pattern to this or if the game has custom keycodes for these.
Not all of these are tested.
No Combo key = 0
Shift = 1
Shift + CTRL (or App button?) = 3
CTRL = 4
Shift + ALT = 5
Ctrl + alt = 6
Shift + ctrl + alt = 7
Alt = 20
Available keys
Toggle view key
0x23 = Key
0x24 = Combo key
Encyclopaedia key
0x38 = Key
0x39 = Combo key
Set Map Marker 1 key
0x35 = Key
0x36 = Combo key
Set Map Marker 2 key
0x68 = Key
0x69 = Combo key
Set Map Marker 3 key
0x83 = Key
0x84 = Combo key
Set Map Marker 4 key
0x88 = Key
0x99 = Combo key
Goto Map Marker 1
0x113 = Key
0x114 = Combo key
Goto Map Marker 2
0x128 = Key
0x129 = Combo key
Goto Map Marker 3
0x143 = Key
0x144 = Combo key
Goto Map Marker 4
0x158 = Key
0x159 = Combo key
Zoom view in key
0x173 = Key
0x174 = Combo key
Zoom view out key
0x188 = Key
0x189 = Combo key
Quick Load key
0x203 = Key
0x204 = Combo key
Quick Save key
0x218 = Key
0x219 = Combo key
Zoom to shaman key
0x233 = Key
0x234 = Combo key
Chat message key
0x248 = Key
0x249 = Combo key
Command Tracking key
0x263 = Key
0x264 = Combo key
* Had problems w/ this key
Release guarding people key
0x278 = Key
0x279 = Combo key
Toggle Level Stats key
0x293 = Key
0x294 = Combo key
Rotate building key
0x308 = Key
0x309 = Combo key
Assign people to group 1 key
0x323 = Key
0x324 = Combo key
Assign people to group 2 key
0x338 = Key
0x339 = Combo key
Assign people to group 3 key
0x353 = Key
0x354 = Combo key
Assign people to group 4 key
0x368 = Key
0x369 = Combo key
Assign people to group 5 key
0x383 = Key
0x384 = Combo key
Assign people to group 6 key
0x398 = Key
0x399 = Combo key
Select people in group 1 key
0x413 = Key
0x414 = Combo key
Select people in group 2 key
0x428 = Key
0x429 = Combo key
Select people in group 3 key
0x443 = Key
0x444 = Combo key
Select people in group 4 key
0x458 = Key
0x459 = Combo key
Select people in group 5 key
0x473 = Key
0x474 = Combo key
Select people in group 6 key
0x488 = Key
0x489 = Combo key
Zoom to people in group 1 key
0x503 = Key
0x504 = Combo key
Zoom to people in group 2 key
0x518 = Key
0x519 = Combo key
Zoom to people in group 3 key
0x533 = Key
0x534 = Combo key
Zoom to people in group 4 key
0x548 = Key
0x549 = Combo key
Zoom to people in group 5 key
0x563 = Key
0x564 = Combo key
Zoom to people in group 6 key
0x578 = Key
0x579 = Combo key
Zoom to Reincarnation site key
0x593 = Key
0x594 = Combo key
Toggle Local Selection key
0x608 = Key
0x609 = Combo key
Reselect last selection key
0x623 = Key
0x624 = Combo key
Reorient view key
0x638 = Key
0x639 = Combo key
Display last dialog key
0x653 = Key
0x654 = Combo key
Toggle auto deselect key
0x668 = Key
0x669 = Combo key
Call to arms key
0x683 = Key
0x684 = Combo key
Scatter people key
0x698 = Key
0x699 = Combo key
In Programming
VB .NET
This is code that will decode all the unknown keys seen above to ACSII, table
Also to copy this code click edit, because this wiki doesn't know how to handle a block of plain formatted text.
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.IO
Module Module1
Public Declare Function GetKeyboardLayout Lib "user32" (ByVal idThread As UInteger) As IntPtr
<DllImport("User32.dll")> _
Public Function GetKeyboardLayout(idThread As Integer) As IntPtr
End Function
<DllImport("user32.dll")> _
Public Function MapVirtualKeyEx(uCode As Integer, uMapType As Integer, dwhkl As Integer) As Integer
End Function
<DllImport("user32.dll")> _
Private Function GetKeyboardState(ByVal keyState() As Byte) As Boolean
End Function
<DllImport("user32.dll")> _
Public Function ToAsciiEx(uVirtKey As Integer, uScanCode As Integer, lpKeyState As Byte, lpChar As Integer, uFlags As Integer, dwhkl As Integer) As Integer
End Function
Dim strings = New String() {"Pause", _
"Toggle View", _
"Encyclopaedia", _
"Set map marker 1", _
"Set map marker 2", _
"Set map marker 3", _
"Set map marker 4", _
"Goto map marker 1", _
"Goto map marker 2", _
"Goto map marker 3", _
"Goto map marker 4", _
"Zoom in", _
"Zoom out", _
"Quick load", _
"Quick save", _
"Goto shaman", _
"Chat/Message", _
"Command tracking", _
"Release Guarding", _
"Toggle level stats", _
"Rotate building", _
"Assign units to group 1", _
"Assign units to group 2", _
"Assign units to group 3", _
"Assign units to group 4", _
"Assign units to group 5", _
"Assign units to group 6", _
"Select units to group 1", _
"Select units to group 2", _
"Select units to group 3", _
"Select units to group 4", _
"Select units to group 5", _
"Select units to group 6", _
"Goto units to group 1", _
"Goto units to group 2", _
"Goto units to group 3", _
"Goto units to group 4", _
"Goto units to group 5", _
"Goto units to group 6", _
"Goto reincarnation site", _
"Toggle local selection", _
"Reselect last selection", _
"Reorient view", _
"Display last dialog", _
"Toggle auto deselect", _
"Call to arms", _
"Scatter people"}
Dim keys = New Integer() {8, 23, 38, 53, 68, 83, 98, 113, 128, 143, _
158, 173, 188, 203, 218, 233, 248, 263, 278, _
293, 308, 323, 338, 353, 368, 383, 398, 413, _
428, 443, 458, 473, 488, 503, 518, 533, 548, _
563, 578, 593, 608, 623, 638, 653, 668, 683, _
698}
Dim populousin As String = My.Computer.Registry.GetValue("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bullfrog Productions Ltd\Populous: The Beginning", "InstallPath", "")
Sub Main()
Dim i = 0
For Each Strs In strings
Dim combokey = Reader(keys(i) + 1).ToString
On Error Resume Next
If combokey = 0 Then
combokey = "NONE"
ElseIf combokey = 2 Then
combokey = "CTRL"
ElseIf combokey = 3 Then
combokey = "SHIFT + CTRL"
ElseIf combokey = 5 Then
combokey = "SHIFT + ALT"
ElseIf combokey = 6 Then
combokey = "CTRL + ALT"
ElseIf combokey = 7 Then
combokey = "SHIFT + CTRL + ALT"
ElseIf combokey = 3 Then
combokey = "APP"
ElseIf combokey = 20 Then
combokey = "ALT"
ElseIf combokey = 1 Then
combokey = "SHIFT"
Else
combokey = "NONE"
End If
Console.WriteLine(Strs & " = " & combokey & " +" & (scan2ascii(Reader(keys(i)))).ToString & vbNewLine)
i = i + 1
Next
Console.ReadLine()
End Sub
Public Function scan2ascii(ByVal scancode)
Dim hKL As IntPtr = GetKeyboardLayout(0)
Dim State = New Byte(255) {}
If GetKeyboardState(State) = False Then
Return 0
End If
Return MapVirtualKeyEx(scancode, 1, hKL)
End Function
Private Sub Writer(ByVal value As Byte, ByVal position As Integer)
Dim Keysconfig As Boolean = My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(populousin & "\SAVE\key_def.dat")
If Keysconfig = False Then
Console.Write("Error: Populous keys configuration file could not be loaded, download it off the wiki and place it into ./saves/ file of pop.")
Console.ReadLine()
End
End If
Dim writer As New BinaryWriter(New FileStream(populousin & "\SAVE\key_def.dat", FileMode.Open))
writer.BaseStream.Position = position
writer.Write(value)
writer.Close()
End Sub
Function Reader(ByVal position As Integer)
Dim Keysconfig As Boolean = My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(populousin & "\SAVE\key_def.dat")
If Keysconfig = False Then
Console.Write("Error: Populous keys configuration file could not be loaded, download it off the wiki and place it into ./saves/ file of pop.")
Console.ReadLine()
End
End If
Dim breader As New BinaryReader(New FileStream(populousin & "\SAVE\key_def.dat", FileMode.Open))
breader.BaseStream.Position = position
Dim output = breader.Read
breader.Close()
Return output
End Function
End Module