Function Keys

Does anybody ever use the 12 function keys at the top of the keyboard? What are they there for and how does one make use of them?

I'd love to program them to make the ñ letter in Spanish, as well as the vowels with accent marks, but have no idea how. I've seen software that I think does that, but is there a way to make use of them with just Windows Vista?

I make limited use of them in Windows and Excel.

Alt + F4 closes the window you're in, which can be handy
Alt + F2 opens a "save as" box
Alt + F1 inserts a chart object in Excel
F2 edits a cell in Excel
F1 opens Excel help

Every program uses function keys differently. The F1 is almost universally known as help, but from there, they will be specific to the program you are currently using, including no program at all (just using Windows).

In fact, combinations of shift, ctrl, alt and the function keys may have a task in programs. Careful, the combo of alt-f4 is always Close Program, so you wouldn't necessarily want to mess with it.

You will have to find a program that can re-define the function keys. I don't have any that I have used, so I can't recommend any.

If you are looking for a quick way to enter accented characters, you could learn their alt-codes. For example, to type the ñ character, hold down either alt key, then on your numeric keypad, type 1 6 4, then release the alt key. Don't release the alt key between numbers. If you are on a laptop and don't have a numeric keypad... it's possible, but tedious.

Here is an image of the extended ascii characters, which lists all of the non-keyboard characters, plus their alt codes. Not sure why, but the ¢ is missing from that table (155).

Quote: rdw4potus

I make limited use of them in Windows and Excel.

Alt + F4 closes the window you're in, which can be handy

I use the alt-F4 as much as I click on the "x" to close down windows. Sometimes it makes more sense to keep my hands on the keyboard than to reach for the mouse.

Another key I use a lot is F5 in a web browser to reload/refresh a page.

Other keaybaord shortcut is to press Alt in an open window, it highligts the menu. In some programs it even brings up the menu even when you can't see it on screen or access it with the mouse.

Quote: Dween

If you are looking for a quick way to enter accented characters, you could learn their alt-codes. For example, to type the ñ character, hold down either alt key, then on your numeric keypad, type 1 6 4, then release the alt key. Don't release the alt key between numbers. If you are on a laptop and don't have a numeric keypad... it's possible, but tedious.

Wah. I learned a bunch of alt-codes but have been exclusively laptop for a few years now and was wondering if there was a quick method. I don't like tedious.

Well, I have the numpad items superimposed over other keys, where you can either turn on Num Lock, or hold down the fn key to type them. However, holding down alt and fn while pressing them causes undesirable results (such as going back one page in the browser). So, I have to turn on Num Lock to make it happen.

Quote: FarFromVegas

Wah. I learned a bunch of alt-codes but have been exclusively laptop for a few years now and was wondering if there was a quick method. I don't like tedious.

It is tedious, but I keep a list of the Spanish ones by my monitor.

á = alt 160
é = alt 130
í = alt 161
ñ = alt 164
ó = alt 162
¿ = alt 168
¡ = alt 173

It is pretty easy to reconfigure the keyboard to the standard Spanish one, but it changes most of the punctuation and math symbols.

I don't even have a numlock key. The codes do nothing.

Quote: Wizard

It is pretty easy to reconfigure the keyboard to the standard Spanish one, but it changes most of the punctuation and math symbols.

I am a Mac user, so I have stayed out of the discussion of function keys -- the story probably doesn't translate very well between PC and Mac.

As for reconfiguring a keyboard, I was wondering this: In these days of bluetooth keyboards, it is possible to have two keyboards active on one machine (PC or Mac) and have one configured for one language and one for another? Would it be easier to swap keyboards or to reconfigure one each time you changed languages in which you were working?

Another almost-as-tedious option is to copy and paste a list of special characters near whatever you're typing, and then just re-copy the ones you need into your words as you go. I do that with the registered trademark symbol quite a bit.