# MEL typewriter challenge

**URL:** https://forum.highend3d.com/t/mel-typewriter-challenge/7522
**Category:** Maya
**Tags:** mel
**Created:** [January 2, 2001, 3:56am UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/mel-typewriter-challenge/7522 "2001-01-02T03:56:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![bacongreez](https://forum.highend3d.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@bacongreez](https://forum.highend3d.com/u/bacongreez)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2001, 3:56am UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/mel-typewriter-challenge/7522/1 "2001-01-02T03:56:21Z")

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ok, from the people ive asked this sounds like a very hard thing to do. and i know next to zero about mEL, but ive had some C++ experience. i have a typewriter and i want to basically create a motion capture sequence from myself typing on the keyboard and having the typewriter animate itself. i figure if i create a pose for eack letter, involving the typewriter mechanics and placement of my characters arms, then when a letter is pressed, maya will be instructed to move the character to that position. but i need a MEL script that will initiate a "recording sequence" of what keys i press and the timing between them, only stopping when 'escape' is hit. is this possible? or is it as hard as others have tried to convince me?

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### Author: ![firas-ershead](https://forum.highend3d.com/user_avatar/forum.highend3d.com/firas-ershead/32/217_2.png) [@firas-ershead](https://forum.highend3d.com/u/firas-ershead)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2001, 1:05pm UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/mel-typewriter-challenge/7522/2 "2001-01-09T13:05:19Z")

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i think its possible .. using the Devices .. u can make MAYA watches the keyboard to save the keys ..  
see mayaClockDemo.MEL inside maya to understand how ..

firas
