Want complete instructions for changing keyboard calculator program

So I want to invoke a different program than calc when the keyboard "Calculator" key is pressed. There are somewhat vague points made elsewhere about editing the registry. As in
Edit this registry key:

HKLM/software/microsoft/windows/currentversion/explorer/appkey/18/ShellExecute

If it does not exist, create a String Value with name ShellExecute and as value the path to your program.

and

On Windows 10 HKLM/software/microsoft/windows/currentversion/explorer/appkey/18 is empty. Edit: ShellExecute is a String Value that you have to make, and it's value should be the full path. These instructions are (to me) not clear. Do I create a key? Or a string value? Can someone clarify? Do I right click on
HKLM/software/microsoft/windows/currentversion/explorer/appkey/18/
and create a key called shellexecute?

Thanks.

Try3 said:

Such special keys are set up by the keyboard maker. Windows has nothing to do with it.

My long, sad experience in things is that Windows has something to do with EVERYTHING.

Microsoft's keyboard software is, at least for the ergonomic sculpt keyboard, inadequate. Allows you to modify the action of 5 keys or so. And the calculator key is not one of them. So: Limited function. Hard/frustrating to use. But stylish. And it keeps you where microsoft thinks you should be, not where you (silly, misguided child!) think you should be. Sigh.

I believe that the registry key above modifies the default app for the calc key if done correctly. That is, the default value for the key allows the calc.exe program in windows to be opened. Adding another key (I think) called ShellExecute allows one to specify a string (somehow - the exact things are what I'm asking) that specifies another program, say C:\Programs\HP15\HP-15C.exe.

I downloaded autohotkey. Interesting, but my experience with winmove, x, y in that program is that changing x or y does some very weird things when you change x and y. Not sure that I understand what its doing, or if it's making an error, or if the app itself is partially overriding the winmove x and y.
Has anyone actually DONE the mod of that registry key?

My next step is to rename calc.exe to old_calc.exe, and to copy HP-15C.exe to the Windows directory and renaming it calc.exe.

Actually, I'm going to reboot to Ubuntu to see if its easier there....

Thanks, all.

Thanks, Denis.

Try3 said:

Just out of nosiness, by 'HP-15C' do you mean this HP-15C Simulator?

Yup, that's the one.