Function Keys on the New MBP (i5)

[marco114]

I bought a new MacBook Pro i5 yesterday to replace my MBP LED (2.2Ghz).

The funciton keys on the new MBP kinda suck. I REALLY want the one that does "Show Desktop"

If you go to keyboard layout, it says that F11, F12, etc are assigned, but seems it completely ignores them.

What the F?

Even if I could change the expose button to show desktop, I'd be very happy. I know you can use the 4 finger swipe, but that doesn't help while trying to drag something from the desktop into mail...

Maybe I am just weird, but Apple kinda dropped the ball on this. The keyboard layout thing does not coincide with the hardware.

If theres a software solution to fix this, let me know please!

thanks

 

[miles01110]

...hold the Fn key and press F11? Or go to System Preferences -> Keyboard and make sure this option is checked.

 

[square one]

...hold the Fn key and press F11?

yeah...

the "fn" key on the bottom left of the kb. ...or a four finger swipe up on the trackpad.

 

[Ash9414]

I bought a new MacBook Pro i5 yesterday to replace my MBP LED (2.2Ghz).

The funciton keys on the new MBP kinda suck. I REALLY want the one that does "Show Desktop"

If you go to keyboard layout, it says that F11, F12, etc are assigned, but seems it completely ignores them.

What the F?

Even if I could change the expose button to show desktop, I'd be very happy. I know you can use the 4 finger swipe, but that doesn't help while trying to drag something from the desktop into mail...

Maybe I am just weird, but Apple kinda dropped the ball on this. The keyboard layout thing does not coincide with the hardware.

If theres a software solution to fix this, let me know please!

thanks

Don't you just hold down the Function (Fn) key and then press F11/F12?

 

[TEG]

Unless you enable "Standard Function Keys", the function keys only respond with their icon's functions. To use the function you have assigned, you have to use fn+Key. TEG

 

[marco114]

thanks guys, i'll try that as soon as my migration assistant finishes. I am doing it with Network Cable, don't have a Firewire 400 to 800 cable

The migration assistant is one of the best features of the MacOS.

BTW I could have sworn I tried pressing the FN key with no results.

 

[richard.mac]

press command+F3 for show desktop. control+F3 is application windows Exposé.

 

[marco114]

press command+F3 for show desktop. control+F3 is application windows Exposé.

that's hard for me to do (press 2 keys at one time) while dragging. I often hide all the windows, grab a file and start dragging from the desktop and then hit the button and drag it back into my email as an attachment.. i prefer a single key for doing this task.

 

[Bisz]

Do a search on this forum for BTT: BetterTouchTool. It will open up a whole world of mouse, trackpad and keyboard shortcuts.

 

[flat five]

that's hard for me to do (press 2 keys at one time) while dragging. I often hide all the windows, grab a file and start dragging from the desktop and then hit the button and drag it back into my email as an attachment.. i prefer a single key for doing this task.

not an answer to your question but you may/may not like the method i use better.. (no keys at all)

two of my hot corners are set up for expose and show desktop.. (the other two corners are dashboard and sleep)

it's just a matter of moving the pointer to my desktop corner, click/hold the file i want to attach, go to the expose corner, then hover the file over the email message for a second and drop it there..

it takes two seconds to do it that way and no reaching for the keyboard.