[muglo] Re: fn key substitute?

  • From: Dave Knight <dave@xxxxxxx>
  • To: muglo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2010 18:37:38 -0400

The Fn key shows up on keyboards where the Function (F1 through F12) keys have 
been re-purposed, ie their primary role is now to control screen brightness, or 
volume, or Entourage functions. The Fn key overrides those new functions and 
turns them back into regular old Function keys. If your keyboard lacks an Fn 
key it could be for the very straightforward reason that the Function keys have 
not been repurposed and you can just go right ahead and use them. Have you 
tried just hitting F8 on its own? 

If you are in fact in the situation where the Function keys have a new purpose 
and you have no Fn key to let you press the real F8 key you can switch off the 
extended features, as follows:

System Preferences -> Keyboard
        Set "Use all F1, F2, etc keys as standard function keys" to ON

like so

TIFF image


This will disable all of the fancy features of the Function keys and let them 
behave as plain old function keys. 

Note that if you do have an Fn key you its behaviour is inverted when you 
enable this option, holding it will now temporarily restore the extra functions 
of the Function keys.

dave


On 2010-07-05, at 5:50 PM, Bob McDaniel wrote:

> With help from Dean and Dave I did get Windows XP installed and running on my 
> MacBook Pro using VirtualBox.
> 
> Now I'm trying the same on my grandson's iMac (Leopard OS). When required to 
> agree to the XP licence by pressing the F8 key I was told to press "fn + F8" 
> and it worked. However, the iMac's keyboard has no fn key (unless my eyes are 
> failing me!) and so, again, I am stuck. Is there a substitute key for fn or 
> some other work-around.
> 
> Thanks for suggestions on this one.
> 
> Bob
> 
> ---
> Manage your account options at //www.freelists.org/list/muglo

Other related posts: