Mac Newbie - Pressing F1 and not getting help

[luthientinuviel]

Hello. I just got my first Mac about a month ago. I am a college student in the Bachelor's of Science in Information Technology - so I feel really silly asking this question. I am working in Aptana Studio trying to correct my web page for an assignment. One of the words in the source code is bolded and when I hold my mouse over the word, a message displays telling me to press "F1" for help. However, every single time I try, it decreases the brightness instead of providing help. What is the deal? Is there some key combination I have to try to get the button to provide help? I have tried fn+F1, Control+F1, Option+F1, and Command+F1 and NOTHING works.

 

[richard.mac]

are you using a MacBook? try enabling "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" under Keyboard & Mouse in System Preferences.

 

[DoFoT9]

F1 on a mac WILL NOT get you help.

go up to the menu and look for the HELP menu. there!! simple.. done!

 

[luthientinuviel]

are you using a MacBook? try enabling "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" under Keyboard & Mouse in System Preferences.

Yea, I have a Macbook. I saw where I need to enable "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" and checked the box. Now the brightness does not pop up (Yea!) but nothing happens new when I press F1. I guess is must be an application problem. The "Help" on the application menu does not offer any help regarding the message I get in my source code. Oh well. One mystery down, one to go!

Thanks!

 

[richard.mac]

ok yeh DoFoT9's got it. those directions are for Windows.

you can however allocate F1 to the Help menu if you want by going to the Keyboard Shortcuts tab, clicking the "+" button and adding in "Help" for Menu Title and pressing "F1" for Keyboard Shortcut. but you would still have to press fn+F1 for brightness.