New Keyboards and F-key combination

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Quaid
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New Keyboards and F-key combination

Post by *Quaid »

Hi all,
In almost all new notebooks, and in some wireless keyboard, the original F-key is replaced with multimedia and multimedia-like functions,
so for use TC functions you need press FN+F-key, and this may be a pain for "older" users... or only for me ?

Is there a trick for make FN button every pressed until inside TC ?

My idea is, if possible, to add in new releases a simply "FN pressed button" in the interface like "Block Num pressed spy led",
so who has an FN function keyboard can press that button and use the F-key like in the past.
I think multitasking is also possible if the FN function result pressed only inside TC and other programs in the background can use the default layout keybord with FN function and multimedia keys associated available where needed whitout issues.

What do you think about ?
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Horst.Epp
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Post by *Horst.Epp »

There are many keyboard macro programs available.
You can also use Autohotkey for your wish.
I don't think that a file manager should fidle around with special keyboard settings.
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MVV
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Post by *MVV »

Problem is that Fn key is handled by hardware, not software. So, no one program knows about Fn key, keyboard just sends keypresses of final keys (F-key or mmedia key, but not Fn+key). Well, it seems to be possible to remap keys with some keyboard remapping or scripting tool (just to remap mmedia keys with F-keys that must be sent instead).

AFAIK some notebooks and keyboards with such ala-office F-keys replacements provide additional switch key (like Numlock or Capslock) for switching keys that work w/o Fn key: standard F-keys or mmedia ones. So you should try to find such switch key. E.g. here (just a first googled image of keyboard with office keys) I've located a key named F-lock (right to the F12 key, and additional led presents on the keyboard).
Last edited by MVV on 2014-12-30, 16:30 UTC, edited 1 time in total.
Quaid
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Post by *Quaid »

Ok, thanks for replay !
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HolgerK
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Re: New Keyboards and F-key combination

Post by *HolgerK »

Quaid wrote:In almost all new notebooks,
...
Is there a trick for make FN button every pressed until inside TC ?
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/disable-fn-key-laptop-54924.html
... and in some wireless keyboard, the original F-key is replaced with multimedia and multimedia-like functions...
I'm relative sure that most of the keyboard configuration apps/drivers allow to revert to the old behavior.
e.g.: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/articles/11650

If all of this does not help, this one should:
https://sharpkeys.codeplex.com/

Regards
Holger

Edit btw: TC has already some support for multimedia keys mapping:
F1, 4.b wincmd.ini wrote:MediaRemote=0 1: Use windows media center remote to control TC:
<- Backspace,
i : directory hotlist,
>| : Tab,
|< : Ctrl+Tab,
Play/Pause : Command menu,
Stop: ESC in dialogs, select file in lists
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