09 Jun 16 01:56, you wrote to me:   
      
    ml>> remember to keep it simple and straightforward...   
      
    JL> I think I know the problem.   
      
   [trim]   
      
    JL> See the "#8 : begin" ? I don't think that's right. Any idea what I   
    JL> change it to?   
      
   that's a zero, not an eight... that zero is the null character and must be   
   used to detect double-character keycodes like the F-keys and the arrow keys...   
      
   change your routine to a completely stand alone program so you can test it   
   easier... watch your formatting, too... below is such a standalone with an   
   added key displaying routine so you can see which key has been pressed... you   
   can remove that one entire routine and the two calls to it and the program   
   should operate like what you already have that you are having troubles with...   
      
   WARNING: some keys may not return the expected codes (eg: the END key) and   
   others may be taken over by your terminal (eg: ALT-F?? keys)...   
      
   ===== snip test_position.pas =====   
   program test_position;   
      
   uses crt;   
      
   var   
     ch1 : char;   
     ch2 : char;   
      
   procedure displaykey(var thechar1, thechar2 : char);   
      
   begin   
     case thechar1 of   
       #00 : begin   
               write('  double character key - ');   
               case thechar2 of   
                 #16 : writeln('ALT-Q');   
                 #17 : writeln('ALT-W');   
                 #18 : writeln('ALT-E');   
                 #19 : writeln('ALT-R');   
                 #20 : writeln('ALT-T');   
                 #21 : writeln('ALT-Y');   
                 #22 : writeln('ALT-U');   
                 #23 : writeln('ALT-I');   
                 #24 : writeln('ALT-O');   
                 #25 : writeln('ALT-P');   
      
                 #30 : writeln('ALT-A');   
                 #31 : writeln('ALT-S');   
                 #32 : writeln('ALT-D');   
                 #33 : writeln('ALT-F');   
                 #34 : writeln('ALT-G');   
                 #35 : writeln('ALT-H');   
                 #36 : writeln('ALT-J');   
                 #37 : writeln('ALT-K');   
                 #38 : writeln('ALT-L');   
      
                 #44 : writeln('ALT-Z');   
                 #45 : writeln('ALT-X');   
                 #46 : writeln('ALT-C');   
                 #47 : writeln('ALT-V');   
                 #48 : writeln('ALT-B');   
                 #49 : writeln('ALT-N');   
                 #50 : writeln('ALT-M');   
      
                 #59 : writeln('F1');   
                 #60 : writeln('F2');   
                 #61 : writeln('F3');   
                 #62 : writeln('F4');   
                 #63 : writeln('F5');   
                 #64 : writeln('F6');   
                 #65 : writeln('F7');   
                 #66 : writeln('F8');   
                 #67 : writeln('F9');   
                 #68 : writeln('F10');   
      
                 #71 : writeln('HOME');   
                 #72 : writeln('UPARR');   
                 #73 : writeln('PGUP');   
      
                 #75 : writeln('LFARR');   
      
                 #77 : writeln('RTARR');   
      
                 #79 : writeln('END');   
                 #80 : writeln('DNARR');   
                 #81 : writeln('PGDN');   
                 #82 : writeln('INSERT');   
                 #83 : writeln('DELETE');   
      
                 #104 : writeln('ALT-F1');   
                 #105 : writeln('ALT-F2');   
                 #106 : writeln('ALT-F3');   
                 #107 : writeln('ALT-F4');   
                 #108 : writeln('ALT-F5');   
                 #109 : writeln('ALT-F6');   
                 #110 : writeln('ALT-F7');   
                 #111 : writeln('ALT-F8');   
                 #112 : writeln('ALT-F9');   
                 #113 : writeln('ALT-F10');   
      
                 #133 : writeln('F11');   
                 #134 : writeln('F12');   
      
                 #139 : writeln('ALT-F11');   
                 #140 : writeln('ALT-F12');   
               else   
                 writeln('  unknown double character key = #',ord(thechar1),'   
   #',ord(thechar2));   
               end; {case thechar2}   
             end; {begin thechar1 = #00}   
     else   
       begin   
         write('  single character key - ');   
         case thechar1 of   
           #01 : writeln('CTRL-A');   
           #02 : writeln('CTRL-B');   
           #03 : writeln('CTRL-C');   
           #04 : writeln('CTRL-D');   
           #05 : writeln('CTRL-E');   
           #06 : writeln('CTRL-F');   
           #07 : writeln('CTRL-G');   
           #08 : writeln('BCKSPC');   
           #09 : writeln('TAB');   
           #10 : writeln('LF');   
           #11 : writeln('VT');   
           #12 : writeln('FF');   
           #13 : writeln('ENTER');   
           #14 : writeln('CTRL-N');   
           #15 : writeln('CTRL-O');   
           #16 : writeln('CTRL-P');   
           #17 : writeln('CTRL-Q');   
           #18 : writeln('CTRL-R');   
           #19 : writeln('CTRL-S');   
           #20 : writeln('CTRL-T');   
           #21 : writeln('CTRL-U');   
           #22 : writeln('CTRL-V');   
           #23 : writeln('CTRL-W');   
           #24 : writeln('CTRL-X');   
           #25 : writeln('CTRL-Y');   
           #26 : writeln('CTRL-Z');   
           #27 : writeln('ESC');   
           #28 : writeln('FS');   
           #29 : writeln('GS');   
           #30 : writeln('RS');   
           #31 : writeln('US');   
           #32 : writeln('SPACE');   
         else   
           writeln(chr(byte(thechar1)),' = #',ord(thechar1));   
         end; {case thechar1}   
       end; {begin else}   
     end;   
   end;   
      
   Begin   
     writeln('>> do show routine <<');   
     writeln('press any key to continue or ENTER to quit.');   
     Repeat   
       ch1 := #00;   
       ch2 := #00;   
       if keypressed then   
         begin   
           writeln('>> display onen.ans here <<');   
           ch1 := readkey;   
           case ch1 of   
             #00 : begin   
                     if keypressed then   
                       begin   
                         ch2 := readkey;   
                         displaykey(ch1,ch2);   
                         case ch2 of   
                           #80 : writeln('>> do bot_bar routine <<');   
                           #72 : writeln('>> do top_bar routine <<');   
                         end; {case ch2}   
                       end; {if keypressed}   
                   end; {begin ch1 = #00}   
           else   
             displaykey(ch1,ch2);   
           end; {case ch1}   
         end; {if keypressed}   
     until ch1=#13;   
   end.   
   ===== snip =====   
      
   )\/(ark   
      
   Always Mount a Scratch Monkey   
      
   ... 48. Sympathy is a crutch, never fake a limp.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)