Chris99
asked on
Shortcut key to program (F12) stopped working with new keyboard
I have a small program which I use a lot. I activate it by using a keyboard shortcut (F12). It's very convenient, I hit the button and it runs.
That is, it was convenient. I just got a new Microsoft Internet Pro keyboard, and now when I hit F12 nothing happens.
Other keyboard shortcuts work, and I tried assigning those programs to F12 and they wouldn't work either.
I tried assigning it to shift-F12 and it wouldn't work.
I tried assigning it to CTRL-F12 and it worked.
I tried assigning it to F11 and it worked.
Now, it can't be a Windows 2000 thing, because with the old keyboard it worked fine. The F12 key works, because it does work with CTRL-F12, and when I assign the shortcut to be F12 or Shift-F12 or whatever, F12 will appear in the box. So what the heck?
I tried updating the keyboard drivers from Windows update, and the newer version (dated July 2001) didn't change anything.
I want my F12 key to work. I like my F12 key. I don't like my F11 key. My F12 key is on the end and is nice and convenient. I don't wanna hit control-F12 either. I am picky, I want things to work the way they should work. Besides, it's the principle of the thing.
Any ideas?
Chris
That is, it was convenient. I just got a new Microsoft Internet Pro keyboard, and now when I hit F12 nothing happens.
Other keyboard shortcuts work, and I tried assigning those programs to F12 and they wouldn't work either.
I tried assigning it to shift-F12 and it wouldn't work.
I tried assigning it to CTRL-F12 and it worked.
I tried assigning it to F11 and it worked.
Now, it can't be a Windows 2000 thing, because with the old keyboard it worked fine. The F12 key works, because it does work with CTRL-F12, and when I assign the shortcut to be F12 or Shift-F12 or whatever, F12 will appear in the box. So what the heck?
I tried updating the keyboard drivers from Windows update, and the newer version (dated July 2001) didn't change anything.
I want my F12 key to work. I like my F12 key. I don't like my F11 key. My F12 key is on the end and is nice and convenient. I don't wanna hit control-F12 either. I am picky, I want things to work the way they should work. Besides, it's the principle of the thing.
Any ideas?
Chris
Which hot key package are you using?
Yep I can verify that this key cannot be assinged as a hotkey with this keyboard. Unfortunately there is not much you can do about it since the keyboard is programmed this way. The only other solution I can think of is getting a third party hotkey utility (software) which I really don't recommend because they have to be running all the time and intercept all keystrokes and can degrade the systems performance.
The Crazy One
The Crazy One
ASKER
cookre: No, I have not seen that. It didn't tell me anything.
cookre: I am not using a hot key package for this situation. This is a built-in Windows 2000 feature. When you click on a shortcut's properties, it gives you the option to assign a shortcut. I assigned it to F12. After I changed keyboards it wouldn't work.
CrazyOne: I did try a software package called HotKeys, but it told me that F12 was in use by another program and wouldn't let me assign to it.
What do you mean that "you can verify" that this key can't be assigned as a hotkey with this keyboard? Why not? How do you know?
thanks, Chris
cookre: I am not using a hot key package for this situation. This is a built-in Windows 2000 feature. When you click on a shortcut's properties, it gives you the option to assign a shortcut. I assigned it to F12. After I changed keyboards it wouldn't work.
CrazyOne: I did try a software package called HotKeys, but it told me that F12 was in use by another program and wouldn't let me assign to it.
What do you mean that "you can verify" that this key can't be assigned as a hotkey with this keyboard? Why not? How do you know?
thanks, Chris
>>> "you can verify"
Because I have a Micrsoft key board and I could not get the F12 key to work as a hotkey. For some reason the keyboard driver seems to be programmed to disallow the F12 key from being used as a hotkey and I don't know why.
Anyway downlaod this free utility which will list which programs are using which hotkeys.
Manage Your Hotkeys
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1898,00.asp
ASKER
Do you have the SAME KIND of keyboard? The Internet Keyboard Pro? Because I had a different Microsoft keyboard before this (the Microsoft Office keyboard) and it worked fine with this one. So we can't just discount Microsoft keyboards; besides, Microsoft designed W2000, you would think their keyboards would work the best.
I do have a program called HotKeys which lets me assign keyboard shortcuts, and when I try to assign F12 through it, it tells me that F12 is in use by another program.
I ran the utility you linked, thanks very much, and found that it confirmed that my settings were as I had set them up...among other things, my program was correctly assigned to F12.
Chris
I do have a program called HotKeys which lets me assign keyboard shortcuts, and when I try to assign F12 through it, it tells me that F12 is in use by another program.
I ran the utility you linked, thanks very much, and found that it confirmed that my settings were as I had set them up...among other things, my program was correctly assigned to F12.
Chris
I can't remember what my keyboard is called but I believe part of the name is Natural. You know the one that kind of curves in the middle. I have two types of MS keyboards both running on Win2000 and on niether does the F12 work as a hotkey for launching programs. It must be the way the driver is programmed, in other words either they forgot to include the F12 or purposely left it out as a Hotkey.
ASKER
Well, mine's not the kind that's split in the middle...and my previous Microsoft keyboard did work...
If they forgot to include the F12, wouldn't there be some kind of report on their website or something?
Why would they purposely leave it out, it doesn't seem to do anything? Maybe every time I press it it sends all my personal information to Microsoft.
Chris
If they forgot to include the F12, wouldn't there be some kind of report on their website or something?
Why would they purposely leave it out, it doesn't seem to do anything? Maybe every time I press it it sends all my personal information to Microsoft.
Chris
>>>If they forgot to include the F12, wouldn't there be some kind of report on their website or something?
One would think so but while I researching this I couldn't find anything on it. It's like some big secret.
I don't know why they would leave it out since it is not what one would call a standard hotkey like F1 which is generally assigned to open help files within applications. However I do have some applications that do assign the F12 to do something within the applications. So I can confirm the F12 does work it just doesn't seem to be assignable to launch applications for some reason. If I may be so bold why not shoot off an email to MS about the keyboard not allowing the F12 to be assinged as a hotkey.
One would think so but while I researching this I couldn't find anything on it. It's like some big secret.
I don't know why they would leave it out since it is not what one would call a standard hotkey like F1 which is generally assigned to open help files within applications. However I do have some applications that do assign the F12 to do something within the applications. So I can confirm the F12 does work it just doesn't seem to be assignable to launch applications for some reason. If I may be so bold why not shoot off an email to MS about the keyboard not allowing the F12 to be assinged as a hotkey.
Well I just did a test with a generic keyboard and I couldn't get the F12 to launch a program on it either.
ASKER
Well, I just got off the phone with Microsoft...They told me the same thing you did, that the F12 key won't work on ANY kind of keyboard. I said, well, it's been working fine for years on two different computers, it only stopped when I changed this keyboard.
They seemed very baffled by this. They held while I went around and tried it on other people's computers....and it didn't work on theirs either! When I got back, the MS tech said that it looked like the key was reserved for a "system break" function of some kind (which meant nothing to me).
This is very spooky. I have had the key assigned to a wallpaper program forever, in Windows 98 and Windows 2000 and WIndows ME for a little while. I hit the button, the wallpaper changes. I SWEAR.
But I accept the fact that you tell me it's not SUPPOSED to work. However, it did. I guess if it's not SUPPOSED to work, it's kind of hard for you to tell me how to make it work AGAIN, huh?
Chris
They seemed very baffled by this. They held while I went around and tried it on other people's computers....and it didn't work on theirs either! When I got back, the MS tech said that it looked like the key was reserved for a "system break" function of some kind (which meant nothing to me).
This is very spooky. I have had the key assigned to a wallpaper program forever, in Windows 98 and Windows 2000 and WIndows ME for a little while. I hit the button, the wallpaper changes. I SWEAR.
But I accept the fact that you tell me it's not SUPPOSED to work. However, it did. I guess if it's not SUPPOSED to work, it's kind of hard for you to tell me how to make it work AGAIN, huh?
Chris
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ASKER
EXACTLY what I was thinking. It's not that big a deal to use F11 (although I'm really used to F12 and it ticks me off), but if it can't be used, the OS shouldn't ACCEPT it.
The points are yours. If anyone can figure a workaround, I'll give them more points. I'll make up a new question or something.
Thanks, Chris
The points are yours. If anyone can figure a workaround, I'll give them more points. I'll make up a new question or something.
Thanks, Chris
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/keyboard/supported.asp