Project 64 1.6 - Escape key does not close emulator

PilotWings 64 does not work correctly on Project 64 2.0, but works well enough 1.6

While version 2.0 allows you to remap shortcut keys (like escape to close), 1.6 does not offer this.

I launch Project 64 from XBMC, and I need to be able to hit the escape button on my remote to close the app. The simplest way to accomplish this is to do the following:

1. Create an AutoIT file that will remap Escape to ALT + F4 (to close the emulator)
2. Launch this AutoIT file when you launch Project 64

My AutoIT file to close looks like this:

HotKeySet("{ESCAPE}","replace")

Func replace()
   If WinActive("[CLASS:Project64 Version 1.6]") Then
   Send("!{F4}")
   Exit
   Else
   HotKeySet("{ESCAPE}")
   Send("{ESCAPE}")
   HotKeySet("{ESCAPE}","replace")
   EndIf   
EndFunc
while 1
 Sleep(10)
WEnd

I converted this from an au3 -> exe.
Then I created a batch file that launches the project64Closer.exe and Project 64

@echo off
start D:\project64Closer.exe
"D:\Games\Project64 1.6\Project64.exe" %1

and finally, the RomCollectionBrowser file looks like this

<RomCollection id="1" name="Nintendo 64">
      <emulatorCmd>D:\AutoIT_scripts\project64launcher.bat</emulatorCmd>
      <emulatorParams>%ROM%</emulatorParams>
...

Note: Only downside I have experienced with this is that I have to rename the ROM files so that they do not contain any spaces (I replace them with underscores)