Keyboard weirdness on the MacBook

[joeschmoe]

Note: This may be in the category of "generic Mac questions", not specifically related to Fusion, but my need for it came up in the context of using Windows apps under Fusion, so here it is...

1) I've noticed that the F9, F10, F11, and F12 keys, when pressed either by themselves or in combination with the "fn" key do something strange locally (each does something different, but none of it is expected). Behavior is the same with or without the "fn" key. Through trial-and-error, I've found that to send the normal function key (to a Windows app running under Fusion), I have to press Command-(function key). Weird! What's really weird is that this is true only for these 4 keys - the other function keys need to have "fn" pressed in order to send the key; without "fn", they perform a local functionality. Is there any way (quite possibly locally on the Mac) to make the function keys all behave normally? (What I'd like is to turn off all the funkiness and have them work just like normal function keys on a PC)

2) Where is the "Insert" key on the Mac keyboard? That's the one key I don't seem to be able to generate. (And, why do we have two 'enter' keys and no insert key?)

[admin]

1) Try turning off "Enable Mac keyboard shortcuts" under Preferences.

2) As noted in the Fusion Help, the Insert key is also known as the Help key on a Mac Pro keyboard. For laptops, you may have to use key-remapping in the guest.

[joeschmoe]

1) Try turning off "Enable Mac keyboard shortcuts"

under Preferences.

I think I don't want to do that (although I haven't tried it yet), because then I would lose some other stuff. What I am really curious about (being somewhat new to the Mac platform) is why F9-12 behave so much differently than F1-F8.

Any ideas on that?

2) As noted in the Fusion Help, the Insert key is

also known as the Help key on a Mac Pro keyboard.

For laptops, you may have to use key-remapping in

the guest.

How do I do that (key mapping) ?

[bflad]

Attached is a screenshot of System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts.

Here you can play with mapping your keys (in Mac OS X anyways).

By default, F9-F12 are mapped to Expose operations (to make application switching easier or quickly viewing the desktop). For non-laptop systems, F1-F8 are not mapped to anything special (on laptops they have controls for brightness, volume, etc).

Hope this helps,

Brian

[WheatWilliams]

Yes, this is a question about how to configure the hardware keyboard on the MacBook and MacBook Pro. It has nothing to do with VMware.

I have attached a screen shot of the box you need to check in the Keyboard and Mouse panel under System Preferences.

It says "Use the F1-F12 keys to control software features".

F9 through F11 are by default configured for Apple's Exposé feature, which has been part of Mac OS X for several years. Exposé lets you switch between all the open windows on your Mac screen quickly. Do a search on some Apple support sites or consult a book on using Mac OS X for a full explanation of Exposé, what it's for, and how it works.

I hope this helps.

Message was edited by:

WheatWilliams

[joeschmoe]

Yes, this is a question about how to configure the

hardware keyboard on the MacBook and MacBook Pro. It

has nothing to do with VMware.

True.

I have attached a screen shot of the box you need to

check in the Keyboard and Mouse panel under System

Preferences.

It says "Use the F1-F12 keys to control software

features".

Yes, when I click that, then F1-F8 behave normally, but F9-F12 are still foobar.

F9 through F11 are by default configured for Apple's

Exposé feature, which has been part of Mac OS X for

several years. Exposé lets you switch between all the

open windows on your Mac screen quickly. Do a search

on some Apple support sites or consult a book on

using Mac OS X for a full explanation of Exposé, what

it's for, and how it works.

I just need to know how to turn it off.

It is "kewl", but useless.

[joeschmoe]

I found out how to redefine the keys for the Expose functionality. They are now Command/F9-F12, so now those keys work normally again.

However, I still don't know how to get the Insert key on the MacBook keyboard. Note that this is a VMWare issue, since the time that I need an Insert key is speficially when I am in Windows via VMWare.

[ludloff]

However, I still don't know how to get the Insert key

on the MacBook keyboard. Note that this is a VMWare

issue, since the time that I need an Insert key is

speficially when I am in Windows via VMWare.

As mentioned by others, tell OSX to use Fn-F1...F10 for

the hardware features, and to free up F9...F12.

Then install AutoHotKey (http://www.autohotkey.com/)

and use the attached .ahk file. It puts Insert on F11 and

Delete on F12, as well a RCtrl on NumEnter.

Read the comments in the file. Also, you should double-

check the NumEnter scancode on your keyboard -- I am

not sure whether the 15" matches my 17".

Add a link to the file to your Windows Startup group.

With that you get a reasonable Windows keyboard, with

the exception of ALT and CMD not being swapped when-

ever you're in Unity Mode (a Fusion limitation).

And you can quickly disable Insert and Delete as needed,

via the AutoHotKey icon in the Windows taskbar, in case

some Windows application needs F11 or F12.

Enjoy!

[Colby]

What about needing to type Ctrl + Alt + INS if you decide you want to to run VMware Infrastructure Client inside Vmware Fusion. After doing the above steps to force F1-12 to work as F keys do and using Automap for the INS key, you still have to press the Fn key to get the ALT key to work. By press the Fn key F11 won't work as needed. What should I do to allow me to send a Ctrl + Alt + INS when I'm inside an instance of VMware Fusion.

[zsalcedo]

To send an insert in fusion:

On a MacBook or MacBook Pro keyboard, press Fn-M.

On a full-sized Mac keyboard, press the Help key.

http://www.vmware.com/support/fusion/doc/releasenotes_fusion.html

[jose_maria_gonz]

Hi bflad,

Just saw this entry and I want to thank you for this info. I have installed fusion on my MacBookPro and I did not know how to get the F12 going so a big thank you

Rgds,

J.