Fn Key and Function Keys and a problem with a keyboard

[roadcone]

New Recoil laptop from PC Specialist in the UK. Their installation runs an application called Control Center which sets up all manner of things on the laptop. Specifically, in General there is a setting called "Fn Key Lock" which appears to change the state of the row of function keys. Unlocked, the function keys perform he regular F1 through F12 functions. Locked, they perform the 'secondary' functions such as Wifi toggle, Volume Up, Down, Mute, Display Brightness Up or Down. The problem is that the Fn key does not appear to work. I am used to the Fn key operating like a held-shift key: B or b - but it does nothing. Whether I am locked or unlocked in Control Center, the function key itself performs the same function whether Fn'd or not. I have uninstalled Control Center but that made no difference. I have tried all manner of 'fixes' from the Great Google God but to no avail.

I use AHK to great effect in a couple of applications, to further enhance their (missing) functionality. I am not sure if AHK might offer an alternative method of fixing this issue. And if it does, how best to tackle the code. For example, do I set function keys to their normal function and define Fn+F1 as the 'special' function ... etc for each. Or do I set function keys to their 'special' function and redefine, well, what - redefine F1 or Fn+F1? And anyway, at the moment, whether 'locked' or 'unlocked' the function keys do just one thing whether Fn'd or not so would I end up remapping the pair rather than splitting F1 from Fn+F1 etc? In any case, I cannot fine the AHK key names for some of the 'special' functions, such as Keyboard Lights Up, Down, Off; Touchpad On or Off; Display Brightness Up or Down.

Thank you for reading this far in what is a messy issue. As you can now see, it is not yet about how to code so much as what to code. Any guidance or opinions would be welcome.

Thank you.

Clive

[mikeyww]

In most cases, you cannot activate the alternative functions (e.g., brightness) easily by trying to send something like "Fn" as a key name-- see links below-- but there are often scripts that will replicate those same functions (search forum for "change brightness", for example). You can use AHK to send {F1} and the like, but pressing the F1 key on your keyboard to trigger a routine is another matter. On many computers, the BIOS will allow you to toggle the default set of keys, so I suggest investigating that as a first step.

Some related posts:

https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=394008#p394008

https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=81807

https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=367333#p367333

https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=59644

[roadcone]

Thank you for your response Mikey. I will follow up on those links. Meanwhile, the BIOS does not allow me to change the priority of the function keys, but the laptop comes with a Control Center which does. But that allows me to have either the Function keys F1 through F12 or the special functions. Whichever is priority, the FN key does not act like a Shift key and allow access to the other. This seems to me to be a bug somewhere. Furthermore, my F9 key sends out a keycode which is the same as that used by the number keypad '+' and the Shifted '=+' keys. All the other function keys issue keycodes sequentially from 059. I have used AHK to remap F9 but, of course, it also remaps the other two keys. So, I can find work-arounds for the the FN key problem but I cannot find out how to split F9=079 from '+' or '=+' which also =079!

Thank you again.

[mikeyww]

OK. I can't be of much help here, but others on the forum may know. Best wishes.