Extended keyboard support in a run time environment for keys not recognizable on standard or non-standard keyboards

1. Field of the Invention A keyboard is programmatically adapted to enable an application in a run time environment to distinguish operator keys (ALT/CTRL), not otherwise recognizable on a standard keyboard and special keys not otherwise recognizable on a non-standard keyboard by the application, when actuated. In one embodiment, a native Dynamic Link Library (DLL) is created in memory to capture the keystroke stream and maintain state information about the keyboard. A Java Native Interface (JNI) is created in the DLL and provided to a Java application. At initialization time, the Java application loads the native DLL with extended program instructions relating to key recognition in its static constructor. The Java application receives notification when an ALT or CTRL key is actuated. At that time the Java application calls the native DLL to receive the extended program instruction to determine whether the right or left ALT or CTRL key was actuated. The DLL programmatically determines whether the right or left ALT or CTRL key was struck. The DLL provides the Java application a flag that allows the application to determine if a "right" or a "left" (ALT/CTRL) key was actuated. On a non-standard keyboard, the Java application calls the native DLL to receive the necessary information on the key that was actuated. Again, the DLL programmatically provides a flag and extended keystroke data that allows the Java application to determine if a special key was actuated.