Aplgies for errors and confusion was Re: newcomer
in [UK Mac]
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From: Rowland McDonnell on 22 Jan 2010 09:52 Woody <usenet(a)alienrat.co.uk> wrote: >Jim wrote: > > Woody<usenet(a)alienrat.co.uk> wrote: [snip] > >> Its ok, you need two hands for that one. > > > > Which is more than you'll have afterwards, of course. > > Thats a pain. How would you press Cmd-Z? Nose. Rowland. (who has just done it - with his nose, I tell you. Probably. Tricky, though.) -- Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell(a)dog.physics.org Sorry - the spam got to me http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
From: Dorian Gray on 22 Jan 2010 09:54 In article <slrnhljek2.2c6j.jim(a)wotan.magrathea.local>, Jim <jim(a)magrathea.plus.com> wrote: > On 2010-01-22, Dorian Gray <D.Gray(a)picture.invalid> wrote: > > In article <slrnhljcn9.2as4.jim(a)wotan.magrathea.local>, > > Jim <jim(a)magrathea.plus.com> wrote: > > > >> On 2010-01-22, Trevor Wright <newstrap(a)thewrights.uk.com> wrote: > >> > > >> > I am used to using a del/delete key not just within apps but to delete > >> > (eg) files or emails from a list. It's convenient not to have to use > >> > two hands for this. > >> > >> You'll probably find that the Mac's backspace key does the same thing. > > > > No, no. Command-delete (command is the Apple or Cloverleaf key) in the > > finder sends the file to the trash. > > Ah. For files, yes, but an unmodiffied press works for email entries, yes? Yep, as someone else pointed out. The OP asked about two tasks, each for which the answer was different.
From: Rowland McDonnell on 22 Jan 2010 09:55 David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote: > Jim <jim(a)magrathea.plus.com> wrote: > > > Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig(a)flur.bltigibbet.invalid> wrote: > > > Oh aye? Ah. Oh aye. Found 'em now. Bottom left on the small > > > keyboard; above the arrow keys on the big keyboard. > > > > Good-o. > > > > > What's this fn key for anyway? > > > > Good question. Wish I had a good answer. I _assume_ it's to access some of > > the more esoteric characters. > > It modifies some of the keys to access or bypass a special function. The > ones I know about: > > fn-delete foward delete Any idea where one's supposed to be able to find this stuff out? > fn-return enter What exactly is the official distinction between return and enter? I've always viewed 'em as synonymous - but seemingly I'm wrong. [snip] > Some older applications define F1-F4 as undo, cut, copy and paste, which > is how they used to be labelled on ADB keyboards. Really? I never knew that. Still, there's no place to put a function key over/under-lay thingy, so it'd always be tricky to keep track of `things that function keys were programmed to do'. Rowland. -- Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell(a)dog.physics.org Sorry - the spam got to me http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
From: Jim on 22 Jan 2010 09:59 On 2010-01-22, Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig(a)flur.bltigibbet.invalid> wrote: > Jim <jim(a)magrathea.plus.com> wrote: > >> Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig(a)flur.bltigibbet.invalid> wrote: >> > >> > I have function keys F1-F19 and the `fn' key appears to have nothing to >> > do with them, aside from the letter `f'. >> >> The standard F keys have dual functionality - they act as normal PC-style >> function keys, > > Which means what? The only thing that function keys do in my experience > is `nothing', except on BBC Micros where the user can actually program > them to be useful function keys. I assume that in the standard function key mode they just send ASCII codes that programmes can react to, same as any other 'normal' key. >>but they also act as volume controls, brightness alteration, >> etc. The fn key toggles between whatever you have the default set to >> (somewhere in System Prefs) and the other. > > Righto. > >> I think the out-of-the-box default is to act as volume, brightness etc. >> keys, and pressing 'fn' makes them act like normal function keys. > > Ah - I had no idea that there was another mode of operation for them. I don't think it's commonly used by Mac software. Jim -- http://www.ursaMinorBeta.co.uk http://twitter.com/GreyAreaUK "Get over here. Now. Might be advisable to wear brown trousers and a shirt the colour of blood." Malcolm Tucker, "The Thick of It"
From: James Dore on 22 Jan 2010 10:00
On Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:25:24 -0000, Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig(a)flur.bltigibbet.invalid> wrote: > Jochem Huhmann <joh(a)gmx.net> wrote: > >> Jim <jim(a)magrathea.plus.com> writes: >> >> >> What's this fn key for anyway? >> > >> > Good question. Wish I had a good answer. I _assume_ it's to access >> some of >> > the more esoteric characters. >> >> The alt/option key is for the esoteric characters. The fn key is for >> functions, like the function keys. And forward delete. > > <puzzled> I don't understand what "The fn key is for functions, like > the function keys" means. Particularly on Apple laptops, the default behaviour of F1 thru Fwhatever is not actually what's assigned as F1 or F2 or so on. It is the 'other' function of the key - Brightness Up/Down, Keyboard backlight up/down/off, volume up/down/mute etc. Using the Fn key plus the numbered function keys gets you the function assigned to the particular Function key. Cheers, -- James Dore New College IT Officer james.dore(a)new / it-support(a)new |