Remapping the Fn Key?

[Paranoid_TP_User]

Hi guys,

So I have a remote control for my computer that requires a key mapping software to send commands/mouse movements. However, I would really like to access the Fn Key, which is not recognised by this software (It says it sees 0xFF and I don't know what that means). Specifically I want to be able to turn off the monitor with Fn+F3.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I might map this Key or the Fn+F3 functionality to another key? I would really appreciate any input. Cheers,

Al

[RealBlackStuff]

Someone has managed that using Linux http://wiki.foosel.net/linux/t43
Scroll 3/4 down to 'ACPI scripts'.
Perhaps that gives you an idea.

A key-remapping software utility comes with many new ThinkPad notebooks, enabling you to assign other functions to keys. For example, you can assign the Microsoft® Windows® key function to a key on a ThinkPad keyboard, such as the left or right Alt or Ctrl key.

from: http://www-03.ibm.com/able/solution_off ... mfort.html

Here is some more mapping-info: http://www.paul.sladen.org/thinkpad-r31/thinkpad.html

And I just found this: http://www.autohotkey.com/

[Paranoid_TP_User]

Hey thanks for the reply. The autohotkey app is interesting, although they have a lot of trouble with the Fn key specifically, but looking around their forums it looks like there is a solution I can use if I write a short script because I don't neet to map any other key onto the Fn button (Seems like a lot of people wish that the Fn anf L-Ctrl buttons were reversed). I will give that a go when I have the chance.

Amazingly, mapping of all of the thinkpad functions except the Fn+F3 shortcut is supported in the Keyboard customiser utility in the latest version, if they added that functionality that would be y problem solved.

[w0qj]

The KeyTweak program is very good, it remaps keys via Windows Registry, and you can even uninstall it afterwards and still keep your new keyboard settings.

No RAM usage, no program to slow down your computer... i've used it to add a Windows Start Key to my T42, and also a Context Menu key too...

http://webpages.charter.net/krumsick

Highly recommended...

[Paranoid_TP_User]

The KeyTweak program is very good, it remaps keys via Windows Registry, and you can even uninstall it afterwards and still keep your new keyboard settings.

No RAM usage, no program to slow down your computer... i've used it to add a Windows Start Key to my T42, and also a Context Menu key too...

http://webpages.charter.net/krumsick

Highly recommended...

It was a nice try for but for my purposes did not work, the first clue was the notice on their webpage:

Can I remap my Fn key on my laptop? Probably not. The Fn key translates scancodes before KeyTweak can see them.

[benlimanto]

Hello, sorry for bumping into an old thread. I found a way to make FN work, but not as a combination key in one press, but based on step, take example, I want my X220 fn+f3 mapped to changing the battery profile on windows 7 (I only test this on Win7), so using AHK/AutoHotkey, we can map it using this code :

Code: Select all

; Workaround for FN Key
SC163::
FnKey=1
Sleep, 1000
FnKey=0
return
;Power Scheme GUID: 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e  (Balanced)
;Power Scheme GUID: 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c  (High performance)
;Power Scheme GUID: a1841308-3541-4fab-bc81-f71556f20b4a  (Power saver) * 
#If FnKey=1
F3::
;tmp := ComObjCreate("WScript.Shell").Exec("powercfg.exe -GETACTIVESCHEME").StdOut.ReadAll()
pwr:= DllCall("powrprof.dll\PowerGetActiveScheme", "Ptr", 0, "Ptr*", oldSchemeGUID, "Uint")
pwr:= Dllcall("powrprof.dll\PowerReadFriendlyName", "Ptr", 0, "Ptr", oldSchemeGUID, "Ptr", 0, "Ptr", 0, "Ptr", 0, "Ptr*", szdesc) 
;sdesc :LPDWORD
sleep 150
;MsgBox % szdesc
;if (InStr(tmp,"Power saver") == 0)
if (szdesc == 126)
{
  Run, powercfg.exe -SETACTIVE a1841308-3541-4fab-bc81-f71556f20b4a,, "Hide"
}
else 
{
  Run, powercfg.exe -SETACTIVE 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e,, "Hide"
}
; Choose the second power plan in the list
; Revert to default plan and cleanup
FnKey=0
return

What this code do is, it catch the FN key using SC163, because in thinkpad X220, thank god, it is readable key, so we can use it as a short toggle in 1s by pressing it, then press another F3 key. so we press FN first, then F3, but NOT AT THE SAME TIME! You can test the powrprof.dll output using your own number on your computer, or do anything else with it. At least, with this, it close the gap of lenovo enhanced experince that I don't get from windows 7, sadly, and I don't want to do win7 restore, because of cummulative update and patch that I already done. it also make the other FNFX key overwriteable, but in different way, and you also could by theory, map FN+A to FN+anything on the keyboard, just your muscle memory need to remember that those remap, you need to release the FN, then press the other key, in order to make it work.

This approach based on

https://www.autohotkey.com/board/topic/ ... /?p=639524
https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=68530
https://www.autohotkey.com/board/topic/ ... using-ahk/

Hope this helps!