[bamchum]

Haven't seen this mentioned anywhere but my new Powerbook 15" has function keys 8, 9, 10 devoted to adjustments to the backlit keyboard (in much the same way that function keys 1 and 2 are devoted to screen brightness).

Needless to say, this interferes with the proper functioning of Expos� in Panther. I know you can assign the expos� functions to other function keys but there just aren't enough good candidates available that aren't already taken up with either volume or screen brightness.

Anyone know of a way to assign the hardware control functions (volume, screen brightness, keyboard backlighting) to a key combination like "fn-f9" and to have the expos� functions come up on a simple keypress (i.e., f9)?

I hope this is at least a little bit clear.

[korn]

I moved Expos� to F7, F11 and F12. At last I use all the F keys!

[nagromme]

Good question. But hot corners is easier than keys anyway!

[mrwalker]

You can set the little used (for me anyway) fn key to actiate expos� too

I have: fn - show all windows, f11, show windows for current app, f12 show desktop

I'm using a 17" Powerbook

-mrwalker

[11011001]

Originally posted by nagromme:
Good question. But hot corners is easier than keys anyway!

If you got a mouse, I find it awkward on a trackpad.

[docholiday]

Originally posted by bamchum:
Haven't seen this mentioned anywhere but my new Powerbook 15" has function keys 8, 9, 10 devoted to adjustments to the backlit keyboard (in much the same way that function keys 1 and 2 are devoted to screen brightness).

Needless to say, this interferes with the proper functioning of Expos� in Panther. I know you can assign the expos� functions to other function keys but there just aren't enough good candidates available that aren't already taken up with either volume or screen brightness.

Anyone know of a way to assign the hardware control functions (volume, screen brightness, keyboard backlighting) to a key combination like "fn-f9" and to have the expos� functions come up on a simple keypress (i.e., f9)?

I hope this is at least a little bit clear.

Since I use multiple Terminal windows or do have multiple cpp files in project builder, I had put the fn button as the "show windows of one app" button and the other 2 as f11 and f12... if you don't use the fn button that much, that might be a thing to consider

[nagromme]

Does it only trigger on RELEASE of Fn, so you can use Fn-plus-another-key still, without triggering Expos�?

That Fn key IS handily placed! But I use it a lot for F keys.

[bamchum]

Nope: triggers as soon as you press fn.

I'm in the habit of hitting fn-down arrow to page through e-mails in Mail (even though the new version now, finally, allows paging with the space bar) and in Word, so the fn key might not be a solution for me.

[Ryan1524]

see, to activate expose, you ahve to do Fn-F9-11. otherwise it'll activate the backlight controls. can you somehow reverse this? so it's FN-F9-11 to control the backlights...sicne i imagine i'd use Expose more than raising or lowering the beightness of the keyboard.

[riverfreak]

Originally posted by docholiday:
Since I use multiple Terminal windows or do have multiple cpp files in project builder, I had put the fn button as the "show windows of one app" button and the other 2 as f11 and f12... if you don't use the fn button that much, that might be a thing to consider

That sounds like a pretty good combo. I find the lower function keys akward to use on the PB, but 11 and 12 are "up and away" so yuo can't get to them easily.

But on my Ti, F12 does not work in expose. Perhaps it collides with its assigned eject function.

edit: I see, I have to hold down fn-f12 in order to get it to show the desktop.

[tritonus]

Originally posted by Ryan1524:
see, to activate expose, you ahve to do Fn-F9-11. otherwise it'll activate the backlight controls. can you somehow reverse this? so it's FN-F9-11 to control the backlights...sicne i imagine i'd use Expose more than raising or lowering the beightness of the keyboard.

I'd be interested in this, too.

What about the key next to the right "Apple key"? Could we use this for Expos�? I've never used this key (switched to Mac in March 2003).

Example:

^ = all windows (Expos� animation)
F11 = current app windows
F12 = desktop

[tooki]

I set mine to

F12 - all windows
Option-F12 - application windows
Control-F12 - desktop


tooki

[tooki]

Originally posted by tritonus:
What about the key next to the right "Apple key"? Could we use this for Expos�? I've never used this key (switched to Mac in March 2003).

That's the "enter" key.

tooki

[dialo]

Originally posted by tooki:
That's the "enter" key.

tooki

Not on all powerbooks

It really is too bad that you can't set it to anything you want. I'd love to have it as ctrl+option+x/c/v

[moofman]

Originally posted by Ryan1524:
can you somehow reverse this? so it's FN-F9-11 to control the backlights...sicne i imagine i'd use Expose more than raising or lowering the beightness of the keyboard.

I totally agree... I know you could in OS 9, but I haven't seen that option in OS X. Anyone know about this?

[tritonus]

Originally posted by tooki:
That's the "enter" key.

tooki

What's the difference between this "enter" key and the enter/return key at the right? It seems to do the same, why a separate key?

[threestain]

And what does F7 do on a TiBook? looks like two rectangles behind each other, but dunno what they do!

[tritonus]

Originally posted by threestain:
And what does F7 do on a TiBook? looks like two rectangles behind each other, but dunno what they do!

Probably switch between internal and external monitor view.

[bonk]

On the 17" it switches between mirroring the second monitor or not.

[swiz]

I use:
Press mouse scroll wheel to show all windows,
and lower right hot corner to show desktop only.

[tooki]

Originally posted by dialo:
Not on all powerbooks

In case you didn't notice, the title of this thread specifies that we are talking about the 15" AlBook.

tooki

[tooki]

Originally posted by tritonus:
What's the difference between this "enter" key and the enter/return key at the right? It seems to do the same, why a separate key?

The Return key (which turns into an Enter key when being used in numeric keypad mode [fn key or num lock]) does, in fact, behave differently than the Enter key.

On a full-size keyboard, Return is the key that is right by the alphabet keys; Enter is the one on the numeric keypad.

In most applications, they behave the same. But in some programs, return is used only to insert line breaks, while enter only acts to confirm an action. For example, AIM uses Return to enter line breaks, Enter to send the message.

tooki