diff --git a/examples/APCmini.midizaprc b/examples/APCmini.midizaprc
index 377293c..f3e4672 100644
--- a/examples/APCmini.midizaprc
+++ b/examples/APCmini.midizaprc
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ JACK_PORTS 2
 
 # The APCmini's dedicated shift key is used to provide alternative functions
 # to some of the buttons and the faders.
-?D8 SHIFT RELEASE SHIFT
+D8 SHIFT RELEASE SHIFT
 
 # transport (assigned to the topmost 5 "scene launch" buttons on the right)
 A#6 A7  # Stop
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ CC53[] PB[129]-6
 CC54[] PB[129]-7
 CC55[] PB[129]-8
 # master fader
-?CC56[] PB[129]-9
+CC56[] PB[129]-9
 
 # faders become encoders when shifted (CC16..CC23, incremental mode)
 ^CC48= CC16~
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ G#7 D7
 # 1 yellow and 1 red LED seems to work reasonably well, but you might want to
 # adjust the colors and the mapping of the meter values to your liking.
 
-?CP[16] C2{0,1} G#2{0:3,1} E3{0:6,1} C4{0:9,5} G#4{0:12,3}
+CP[16] C2{0,1} G#2{0:3,1} E3{0:6,1} C4{0:9,5} G#4{0:12,3}
 
 # NOTE: We only report the values as we receive them here, there's no
 # automatic decay of the meters like with real Mackie hardware.  Thus we
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ G#7 D7
 # does *not* do that automatically.)  NB: We use CC0 as a macro here,
 # hopefully this won't occur as real feedback?
 
-?CC0[1] $CP{0} $CP{16} $CP{32} $CP{48} $CP{64} $CP{80} $CP{96} $CP{112}
+CC0[1] $CP{0} $CP{16} $CP{32} $CP{48} $CP{64} $CP{80} $CP{96} $CP{112}
 
 # This decodes the least significant digit in the time display (CC69) to count
 # off time on the 4 bottommost scene launch buttons.  Note that the digits are
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ G#7 D7
 # lists below to skip over all the non-digit characters at the beginning of
 # the ASCII table.
 
-?CC69[] F7{0:49,1,0} E7{0:50,1,0} Eb7{0:51,1,0} D7{0:52,1,0}
+CC69[] F7{0:49,1,0} E7{0:50,1,0} Eb7{0:51,1,0} D7{0:52,1,0}
 
 # no feedback for faders (faders aren't motorized)
 
@@ -211,42 +211,42 @@ G#7 D7
 # mode, so that the (shifted) bank/channel left/right keys work as expected.
 
 # rec: color = red (vel. 3)
-?C0  C0[3]
-?C#0 C#0[3]
-?D0  D0[3]
-?D#0 D#0[3]
-?E0  E0[3]
-?F0  F0[3]
-?F#0 F#0[3]
-?G0  G0[3]
+C0  C0[3]
+C#0 C#0[3]
+D0  D0[3]
+D#0 D#0[3]
+E0  E0[3]
+F0  F0[3]
+F#0 F#0[3]
+G0  G0[3]
 
 # solo: color = green (vel. 1)
-?G#0 G#0[1]
-?A0  A0[1]
-?A#0 A#0[1]
-?B0  B0[1]
-?C1  C1[1]
-?C#1 C#1[1]
-?D1  D1[1]
-?D#1 D#1[1]
+G#0 G#0[1]
+A0  A0[1]
+A#0 A#0[1]
+B0  B0[1]
+C1  C1[1]
+C#1 C#1[1]
+D1  D1[1]
+D#1 D#1[1]
 
 # mute: color = yellow (vel. 5)
-?E1  E1[5]
-?F1  F1[5]
-?F#1 F#1[5]
-?G1  G1[5]
-?G#1 G#1[5]
-?A1  A1[5]
-?A#1 A#1[5]
-?B1  B1[5]
+E1  E1[5]
+F1  F1[5]
+F#1 F#1[5]
+G1  G1[5]
+G#1 G#1[5]
+A1  A1[5]
+A#1 A#1[5]
+B1  B1[5]
 
 # select (will light up in red)
 # NOTE: Ardour apparently doesn't update these when changing banks.
-?C2  E5
-?C#2 F5
-?D2  F#5
-?D#2 G5
-?E2  G#5
-?F2  A5
-?F#2 A#5
-?G2  B5
+C2  E5
+C#2 F5
+D2  F#5
+D#2 G5
+E2  G#5
+F2  A5
+F#2 A#5
+G2  B5
diff --git a/examples/Maschine.midizaprc b/examples/Maschine.midizaprc
index 7da82ef..d74785a 100644
--- a/examples/Maschine.midizaprc
+++ b/examples/Maschine.midizaprc
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ SYSTEM_PASSTHROUGH # pass through MCP feedback
 
 # We use the Mk3's dedicated SHIFT button as our primary shift key, to provide
 # alternative functions to some of the buttons and the faders.
-?F2  SHIFT ^F2 RELEASE SHIFT ^F2
+F2  SHIFT ^F2 RELEASE SHIFT ^F2
 
 # transport (assigned to the transport section on the bottom left)
 F#5  A7  # Stop
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@ C2   E8  # Zoom
 # buttons as additional shift keys. These are "Caps Lock"-style keys which
 # stay on until pressed again.
 
-?F#4 SHIFT2 ^F#4
-?G4  SHIFT3 ^G4
-?G#4 SHIFT4 ^G#4
+F#4 SHIFT2 ^F#4
+G4  SHIFT3 ^G4
+G#4 SHIFT4 ^G#4
 
 # top row, unshifted: track select
 G6  C2
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ C3  PC6-10
 C#3 PC7-10
 
 # big encoder assigned to MCP jog wheel
-?CC0~ CC60~
+CC0~ CC60~
 
 # encoders mapped to MCP channel faders
 # (MC uses pitch bends here, use 129 as step size to get full range)
@@ -229,8 +229,8 @@ C#7  D#5
 F4   C#6
 
 # channel left/right keys
-?C4  E6
-?C#4 A5
+C4  E6
+C#4 A5
 
 # row above grid (track/pan/send/instr)
 E3   G#3
@@ -250,14 +250,14 @@ E8   C#2[4] D2[4] D#2[4] E2[4]
 
 # select
 # NOTE: Ardour apparently doesn't update these when changing banks.
-?C2  G6
-?C#2 G#6
-?D2  A6
-?D#2 A#6
-?E2  B6
-?F2  C7
-?F#2 C#7
-?G2  D7
+C2  G6
+C#2 G#6
+D2  A6
+D#2 A#6
+E2  B6
+F2  C7
+F#2 C#7
+G2  D7
 
 # no feedback for encoders, only touchstrip
 PB[128]{0}-9 CC9'
@@ -267,35 +267,35 @@ PB[128]{0}-9 CC9'
 
 # rec/solo/mute
 
-?C0[]  C0
-?C#0[] C#0
-?D0[]  D0
-?D#0[] D#0
-?E0[]  E0
-?F0[]  F0
-?F#0[] F#0
-?G0[]  G0
+C0[]  C0
+C#0[] C#0
+D0[]  D0
+D#0[] D#0
+E0[]  E0
+F0[]  F0
+F#0[] F#0
+G0[]  G0
 
-?G#0[] G#0
-?A0[]  A0
-?A#0[] A#0
-?B0[]  B0
-?C1[]  C1
-?C#1[] C#1
-?D1[]  D1
-?D#1[] D#1
+G#0[] G#0
+A0[]  A0
+A#0[] A#0
+B0[]  B0
+C1[]  C1
+C#1[] C#1
+D1[]  D1
+D#1[] D#1
 
-?E1[]  E1
-?F1[]  F1
-?F#1[] F#1
-?G1[]  G1
-?G#1[] G#1
-?A1[]  A1
-?A#1[] A#1
-?B1[]  B1
+E1[]  E1
+F1[]  F1
+F#1[] F#1
+G1[]  G1
+G#1[] G#1
+A1[]  A1
+A#1[] A#1
+B1[]  B1
 
 # meter values
-?CP[] CP
+CP[] CP
 
 # NOTE: We only report the values as we receive them here, there's no
 # automatic decay of the meters like with real Mackie hardware.  Thus we
@@ -303,16 +303,16 @@ PB[128]{0}-9 CC9'
 # does *not* do that automatically.)  NB: We use CC0 as a macro here,
 # hopefully this won't occur as real feedback?
 
-?CC0[1] CP{0} CP{16} CP{32} CP{48} CP{64} CP{80} CP{96} CP{112}
+CC0[1] CP{0} CP{16} CP{32} CP{48} CP{64} CP{80} CP{96} CP{112}
 
 # timecode
-?CC64[] CC64
-?CC65[] CC65
-?CC66[] CC66
-?CC67[] CC67
-?CC68[] CC68
-?CC69[] CC69
-?CC70[] CC70
-?CC71[] CC71
-?CC72[] CC72
-?CC73[] CC73
+CC64[] CC64
+CC65[] CC65
+CC66[] CC66
+CC67[] CC67
+CC68[] CC68
+CC69[] CC69
+CC70[] CC70
+CC71[] CC71
+CC72[] CC72
+CC73[] CC73
diff --git a/readconfig.c b/readconfig.c
index 59f01a4..0df12e3 100644
--- a/readconfig.c
+++ b/readconfig.c
@@ -1377,14 +1377,14 @@ start_translation(translation *tr, char *which_key)
   int k = 0, offs = 0;
   if (isdigit(which_key[0]) && which_key[1] == '^') {
     offs = 2; k = which_key[0]-'0';
-    if (k<1 || k>N_SHIFTS) {
+    if (k<0 || k>N_SHIFTS) {
       fprintf(stderr, "invalid shift key: [%s]%s\n", current_translation, which_key);
       return 1;
     }
   } else if (*which_key == '^') {
     offs = k = 1;
-  } else if ((anyshift = *which_key == '?')) {
-    offs = 1; k = 0;
+  } else {
+    anyshift = 1;
   }
   if (parse_midi(which_key+offs, buf, 1, 0, &status, &data, &step, &n_steps, &steps, &incr, &dir, &mod, &swap)) {
     int chan = status & 0x0f;