function keys and keyboard navigation

[lord patton]

Two questions.

1) How do I use the function keys on either my laptop or aluminum keyboard to access, well, function keys? No matter what I do, pressing the F keys gives me their "hardware" function i.e. exposé, brightness, or sound. I've tried holding down the "fn" key, changing the settings in the keyboard pane of system preferences, and nothing seems to work.
I'm trying to use, for example, the function keys in Sibelius to change the notepad selection tool. It's supposed to be F8-F11, but I've had no luck.

2) Anyway to sleep my computer (and for that matter, turn off/on bluetooth) from the keyboard? All I can do now is mouse to the appropriate menu selection.

many thanks

 

[killmoms]

Two questions.

1) How do I use the function keys on either my laptop or aluminum keyboard to access, well, function keys? No matter what I do, pressing the F keys gives me their "hardware" function i.e. exposé, brightness, or sound. I've tried holding down the "fn" key, changing the settings in the keyboard pane of system preferences, and nothing seems to work.
I'm trying to use, for example, the function keys in Sibelius to change the notepad selection tool. It's supposed to be F8-F11, but I've had no luck.

2) Anyway to sleep my computer (and for that matter, turn off/on bluetooth) from the keyboard? All I can do now is mouse to the appropriate menu selection.

many thanks

1) Holding "fn" and pressing the appropriate F-key should work. If it doesn't something else is wrong.

2) There isn't any way I'm aware of to do either of these from the keyboard. You can sleep your computer by pushing the power button and then choosing "Sleep" though.

 

[acearchie]

Another option to get your keyboard functions is to got to system preferances and check the box under keyboard and mouse... See Pic.

 

[lord patton]

'preciate the responses.

But I've tried that. Did the thing in System Preferences. No Dice. Tried holding down the fn keys. No dice.

Damn.