[OT] PC software that would listen to my own USB HID device

[kender]

Colleagues,

Is there a clean way of making a PC program listen to a PIC18F2550-based HID device The PIC only needs to send status of one (1) switch. My first thought was to use a hot key approach, but the regular keyboard should continue to work like a regular keyboard. This could be wishful thinking, but I think that it would be cleaner if my device were neither a keyboard nor a mouse. What would be a good approach to software on the PC side If it's possible at all, it should be possible to do with C++. Do you think it's possible with C# and .NET too

Any suggestion, insight, reference is appreciated!
(Already reading USB Complete.)

- Nick
_________________
Read the label, before opening a can of worms.

[Ttelmah]

Your original approach is fine.
Try a simple experiment. Take a second USB keyboard and attach it to your computer. You will find you can type on either keyboard, and the PC accepts it. I quite commonly have two keyboards, and three mice on a single machine!. (actually a touch screen, separate mouse, and a digitiser tablet, together with a normal keyboard, and a separate control pad).
The 'hot key' approach, would be just like the control pad I have.

Best Wishes

[FvM]

The CCS HID demo (Borland Delphi) or the Microchip HID demo (Microsoft C++) show, how it cab be easily done.

[kender]

[FvM]

It's contained in the "MCHPFSUSB Framework", downloadable from Microchip.com.