Function Keys in Win2K

[Guest]

We have some users who get a specific task to perform in an app by pressing the F3 key, yet on other users' PCs pressing that key does not do anything in the same app. Is there somewhere in Win2K where function keys are custom defined, such as one would do with a keyboard mapper program? All PCs that have this app installed are running Windows 2000 Service Pack 4. Thanks.

 

[Gary Smith]

We have some users who get a specific task to perform in an app by pressing the F3 key, yet on other users' PCs pressing that key does not do anything in the same app. Is there somewhere in Win2K where function keys are custom defined, such as one would do with a keyboard mapper program? All PCs that have this app installed are running Windows 2000 Service Pack 4. Thanks.

It might help if you told us what application you're talking about. Most
function key definitions are application-specific.

 

[Guest]

Hi, I didn't include the name of the app as it is not
common. It is a financial management software called
Portia. Hope that helps. Thanks.

-----Original Message-----

in an app by pressing the F3 key, yet on other users' PCs
pressing that key does not do anything in the same app. Is
there somewhere in Win2K where function keys are custom
defined, such as one would do with a keyboard mapper
program? All PCs that have this app installed are running
Windows 2000 Service Pack 4. Thanks.

 

[Gary Smith]

Hi, I didn't include the name of the app as it is not
common. It is a financial management software called
Portia. Hope that helps. Thanks.

The function key operation is almost certainly built into the program. If
it does not provide an option to customize the function keys -- many
applications do -- then most likely what you have is a hardware problem,
or possibly even a keyboard driver problem. One easy test you can perform
is to swap keyboards between a machine where F3 is working properly and
one where it is not. If the problem moves, it's the keyboard. The next
step would be to verify that the keyboard drivers are identical on both
systems. You should also check with the application manufacturer.

It's remotely possible the the malfunctioning machines have a key remapper
installed, but that seems very unlikely. Something like that would show
up in the startup programs. Keys can be remapped at a low level within
Windows, but that would affect the key in every application and in Windows
itself. With all open Windows minimized, F3 should pull up a file search
windows. If it does, the key has not been remapped within Windows.