Lenovo/Thinkpad Keyboard Issue

[Jim Thompson]

On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.

Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
reach for Esc.

Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.

Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)

...Jim Thompson
--
[On the Road, in New York]

| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

[Winston]

Jim Thompson wrote:
> On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
>
> Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
> reach for Esc.
>
> Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
> keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
>
> Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)

Later versions of the BIOS on some models apparently allows remapping.

"The bios swap for the function and ctrl keys is now implemented by Lenovo!
If you have a newer Lenovo laptop (mine is a thinkpad x201), you can find
the option to switch them under the "configure keyboard and mouse" options.
(For my laptop, I access the Bios by pressing the blue "ThinkVantage"
button while the computer is booting up).

http://superuser.com/questions/49412/swapping-function-fn-and-control-ctrl-keys-on-lenovo-thinkpad-w500

--Winston

[JW]

On Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:27:24 -0700 Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-Th...@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote in Message id:
<n37li71sbbmqr16sp...@4ax.com>:

>On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
>
>Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
>reach for Esc.
>
>Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
>keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
>
>Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usnetizen.com%2Ffix_capslock.php

[JW]

On Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:27:24 -0700 Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-Th...@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote in Message id:
<n37li71sbbmqr16sp...@4ax.com>:

>On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
>
>Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
>reach for Esc.
>
>Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
>keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
>
>Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)
>
> ...Jim Thompson

Damn. Screwed that last one up.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Remap+CapsLock+Key+or+any+Key

[Jim Thompson]

Thanks, JW, looks like a winner!

[John G]

Winston was thinking very hard :

> Jim Thompson wrote:
>> On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
>>
>> Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
>> reach for Esc.
>>
>> Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
>> keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
>>
>> Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)
>
> Later versions of the BIOS on some models apparently allows remapping.

It was possible to remap any key on the original IBM PC XT keyboard.
But that was 30 years ago and I have not needed to do it much in recent
years so do not know the current position.

It was easier to eventually accept what there was than try and keep to
older ways ;-)

>
> "The bios swap for the function and ctrl keys is now implemented by Lenovo!
> If you have a newer Lenovo laptop (mine is a thinkpad x201), you can find
> the option to switch them under the "configure keyboard and mouse" options.
> (For my laptop, I access the Bios by pressing the blue "ThinkVantage"
> button while the computer is booting up).
>
> http://superuser.com/questions/49412/swapping-function-fn-and-control-ctrl-keys-on-lenovo-thinkpad-w500
>
> --Winston

--
John G

[Jamie]

Jim Thompson wrote:

> On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
>
> Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
> reach for Esc.
>
> Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
> keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
>
> Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)
>
> ...Jim Thompson

Get yourself a USB or wireless keyboard that fits your fancy..

http://www.dinodirect.com/keyboard-computer-usb-illuminated-ku-0533.html

Jamie

[Ralph Barone]

Just pop the key cap off.

[TunnelRat]

Good one.

Another is simply "presence of mind whilst typing". And since it is an
other than normally struck key, when one does hit it, one would think one
could do so cleanly...

...The mean old fart must still be drunk. Any monkey can hit the key
he desires to hit. Maybe his 'better hag' is haggling with his dick...
and a pair of tweezers.

[Joerg]

Jim Thompson wrote:
> On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
>
> Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
> reach for Esc.
>
> Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
> keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
>
> Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You got it!

Guess how I sometimes disable that dreaded caps lock key ...

True Arizonians probably do it the classic way: Get 9mm Glock out of
drawer, aim at F1 key ... *BANG* ... and it's fixed :-)

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

[Joerg]

Might be a wee problem when you need F1. Better: Take a piece of
cardboard, bend three times, slide over F1 key like a sawed-off chimney
... done.

Sometimes low-tech solutions are the ticket.

[Jim Thompson]

On Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:27:24 -0700, Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-Th...@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

>On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
>
>Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
>reach for Esc.
>
>Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
>keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
>
>Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)
>
> ...Jim Thompson

Made a Macro in MacroExpress... assigned F1 as "blank" when PSpice Schematics
is running. Success! Bump F1 while reaching for Esc... nada ;-)

...Jim Thompson
--
[On the Road]

[Michael A. Terrell]

Jim Thompson wrote:
>
> On Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:27:24 -0700, Jim Thompson
> <To-Email-Use-Th...@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote:
>
> >On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
> >
> >Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
> >reach for Esc.
> >
> >Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
> >keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
> >
> >Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)
> >
> > ...Jim Thompson
>
> Made a Macro in MacroExpress... assigned F1 as "blank" when PSpice Schematics
> is running. Success! Bump F1 while reaching for Esc... nada ;-)

You should have made it 'CTL G' ;-)


--
You can't have a sense of humor, if you have no sense.

[Jim Thompson]

Am I remembering correctly... "bell" ?:-)

[Alan W]

On Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:27:24 -0700, Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-Th...@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

>On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
>
>Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
>reach for Esc.
>
>Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
>keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
>
>Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)
>
> ...Jim Thompson

I had a similar problem with my TP R61i, kept hitting the page back &
page forward keys instead of the left & right arrows just below them.

If you're running Win XP or 2000, there's a built-in key remapping
function. Check out:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463447

You have to find the right key codes (Google is your friend here :-) )
and it just remaps raw keys, so I don't think you can add Ctrl/Alt/etc
as a "shift" key, but it's worked well for me so far.

[Jim Thompson]

Remapping doesn't work for the Fn keys, but see...

Message-ID: <g3uoi79d4hs3o2bip...@4ax.com>

for how I fixed it.

[Ralph Barone]

The F1 key typically takes you to a help screen. Real men don't ask for
directions. Ergo...

[Michael A. Terrell]

Jim Thompson wrote:
>
> On Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:33:14 -0500, "Michael A. Terrell"
> <mike.t...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >Jim Thompson wrote:
> >>
> >> On Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:27:24 -0700, Jim Thompson
> >> <To-Email-Use-Th...@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >On my Lenovo/Thinkpad X61s the Esc key is directly above the F1 key.
> >> >
> >> >Unless I'm looking directly at it I'm constantly bumping the F1 key when I
> >> >reach for Esc.
> >> >
> >> >Any way to reassign F1 so that it does nothing unless "helped" with extra
> >> >keys, like Ctrl-Alt, or whatever.
> >> >
> >> >Or maybe stuff some cardboard under it ?:-)
> >> >
> >> > ...Jim Thompson
> >>
> >> Made a Macro in MacroExpress... assigned F1 as "blank" when PSpice Schematics
> >> is running. Success! Bump F1 while reaching for Esc... nada ;-)
> >
> >
> > You should have made it 'CTL G' ;-)
>
> Am I remembering correctly... "bell" ?:-)

Yes. It won't do anything, except tell you that you hit the wrong
key. :)

[FatBytestard]

On Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:26:42 -0800, Joerg <inv...@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

>
>Might be a wee problem when you need F1. Better: Take a piece of
>cardboard, bend three times, slide over F1 key like a sawed-off chimney
>... done.
>
>Sometimes low-tech solutions are the ticket.
>
>--
>Regards, Joerg

Yeah, right. Cardboard fits real easily between the tightly spaced keys
on a critically area managed surface like a laptop keyboard.

Not very likely... on ANY 'sides'.

[Joerg]

Just tried it on the teeny tiny Samsung NC-10 netbook here on the desk.
Because I know it works on the caps lock key (dunnit a few times). Sure
enough, also works on the F1 key. On the road I don't use cardboard but
4x folded and somewhat wrinkled regular paper.

Now don't make it too thick and force it in, that can pop the key right off.

[Jim Thompson]

On Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:19:38 -0800, Joerg <inv...@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

Joerg, If you weren't a cheap skate I'd remind you of my later post
(I'm the OP of this topic) that the cure is trivial... in my case,
PSpice Schematics uses Esc to exit every keyboard command. On my
Thinkpad Esc is directly above F1 and I was constantly bumping it and
PSpice Help kept popping up and annoying me (like I need help with
PSpice... I could write a book :-). The support people at Macro
Express suggested I simply assign F1 as an empty hotkey, empty _only_
when PSpice Schematics is the active window... problem solved.

I use Macro Express extensively to shortcut many keystroke-intensive
tasks, and highly recommend it (I have no financial or personal
interest in the company).

...Jim Thompson
--

[Jim Thompson]

Elaborating: In Macro Express assign CapsLock as empty, and assign
ctrl-alt-CapsLock as the real deal.

[Joerg]

Yeah, but the paper wad doesn't cost $29.95 :-)

I think some Windows Server resource kit had a pretty smart key
redirector in there. Then there's this:

https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=3693

[Jim Thompson]

On Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:01:40 -0800, Joerg <inv...@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

I have about 30 macros, so it's been a cheap solution to many
problems.

>
>I think some Windows Server resource kit had a pretty smart key
>redirector in there. Then there's this:
>
>https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=3693

I trust nothing that Micro$hit peddles.

_You_ try it out and let us know how it works.

Macro Express has wonderful support people who actually can read,
understand, and provide solutions.

[Joerg]

Nah, I'll stick with the true and tried low-tech paper wad method. Why
make stuff complicated if simple works?

> Macro Express has wonderful support people who actually can read,
> understand, and provide solutions.
>

That is an excellent advantage, just like with Cadsoft Eagle where you
usually get an answer by next morning when they get to the office over
in Germany. And I bet they do not first ask for your credit card to
charge for the support call.

[Jim Thompson]

On Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:21:26 -0800, Joerg <inv...@invalid.invalid>

Nope, they never have. I'm coming up on my tenth year using the
product... in the beginning I had multiple questions per week. I
still have occasional syntax questions and get an answer within 24
hours or less.

I get the same kind of help from the Agent folks.

Then there's Cox "support" who seem to be functionally illiterate. The
only way I was able to get secure E-mail running on my laptop was by
Googling and also asking on the Eudora group.

[Joerg]

This is how it is with Eagle.

> Then there's Cox "support" who seem to be functionally illiterate. The
> only way I was able to get secure E-mail running on my laptop was by
> Googling and also asking on the Eudora group.
>

That's what you often get with a de-facto monopoly :-(

[Phil Hobbs]

One gathers that the cable folks probably get a _lot_ of clueless
callers. Probably not such a problem for Cadsoft--you have to at least
be interested in how things work in order to lay out a PCB.

_Verizon_, now, _they_ can't even get out of their own way. Getting my
home FIOS switched from business to residential took six phone calls to
get right--even after the intervention of one Anthony who appeared to be
the only person in their office who knew how to do anything. (He's now
on speed dial.)

Cheers

Phil Hobbs
--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics

160 North State Road #203
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510
845-480-2058

hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net

[Jim Thompson]

Verizon people are actually worse than Cox'. At least Cox people
respond to being cussed out. Verizon people just provide blank looks
:-(

I only stick with Verizon because their coverage is so good... even
works all the way along I8 from Phoenix to Yuma (200 miles of
nothingness)... even works in Gila Bend ;-)

[Joerg]

Some questions baffle me. Things like "This SOT23 transistor not find in
library, where can u find?" ... obviously someone who hasn't even
glanced at the manual and too lazy to look in the archives to find that
this question has been asked and answered a bazillion times. Possibly
even a non-revenue user with a free or cracked version. Those must be
frustrating for support. At least with cable everyone pays big bux to
the company store so they should offer competent support.

>> _Verizon_, now, _they_ can't even get out of their own way. Getting my
>> home FIOS switched from business to residential took six phone calls to
>> get right--even after the intervention of one Anthony who appeared to be
>> the only person in their office who knew how to do anything. (He's now
>> on speed dial.)
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Phil Hobbs
>
> Verizon people are actually worse than Cox'. At least Cox people
> respond to being cussed out. Verizon people just provide blank looks
> :-(
>
> I only stick with Verizon because their coverage is so good... even
> works all the way along I8 from Phoenix to Yuma (200 miles of
> nothingness)... even works in Gila Bend ;-)
>

Tried Sprint? I often had to offer biz folks the use of my lowly Nokia
2115i for a call because their fancy i-sumpthin' didn't have any bars.
Despite the fact that they pay about 10x/month versus my cost (I use
Virgin Mobile).

[Jim Thompson]

On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:45:01 -0800, Joerg <inv...@invalid.invalid>

i-Somethings are for snobs. If you don't do that 3G/4G crap I've
found only one place on the US where Verizon went dead, Franklin, WV,
high up in the George Washington National Forest (Appalachia). And I
think they now have service.

[Michael A. Terrell]

Jim Thompson wrote:
>
> Macro Express has wonderful support people who actually can read,
> understand, and provide solutions.

But they don't blow things up!!!

[Michael A. Terrell]

Jim Thompson wrote:
>
> i-Somethings are for snobs. If you don't do that 3G/4G crap I've
> found only one place on the US where Verizon went dead, Franklin, WV,
> high up in the George Washington National Forest (Appalachia). And I
> think they now have service.

Moonshiners don't need cell service, and they sure don't want the
Revenuers to be able to call for help. ;-)

[Jim Thompson]

On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:44:27 -0500, "Michael A. Terrell"
<mike.t...@earthlink.net> wrote:

>
>Jim Thompson wrote:
>>
>> i-Somethings are for snobs. If you don't do that 3G/4G crap I've
>> found only one place on the US where Verizon went dead, Franklin, WV,
>> high up in the George Washington National Forest (Appalachia). And I
>> think they now have service.
>
>
> Moonshiners don't need cell service, and they sure don't want the
>Revenuers to be able to call for help. ;-)

I took a road across North Mountain one time... it looked to be a nice
shortcut to my Grandfather Thompson's farm in Riverton.

After a while I became concerned that I'd gone quite a ways and hadn't
reached US39 yet.

So I stopped and asked a farmer who was leaning against a split rail
fence.

He acted like he didn't understand what I was asking, and seemed
particularly annoyed that I was driving a Renault Dauphine :-)

Finally I said I was just trying to get to my grandfather's farm.

"Who's your grandfather?" I said, "Lester Thompson".

"Why didn't you say so? I thought you were a 'revenooer'. About
three more miles you'll come to a fork, go left, and it's about a mile
to route 39". :-)

Then there was the time I took my foot off the gas and coasted thru a
wide spot in the road called Circleville, WV "Unincorporated", at
about 85MPH... but that's another lengthy story ;-)

[Michael A. Terrell]

Jim Thompson wrote:
>
> On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:44:27 -0500, "Michael A. Terrell"
> <mike.t...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >Jim Thompson wrote:
> >>
> >> i-Somethings are for snobs. If you don't do that 3G/4G crap I've
> >> found only one place on the US where Verizon went dead, Franklin, WV,
> >> high up in the George Washington National Forest (Appalachia). And I
> >> think they now have service.
> >
> >
> > Moonshiners don't need cell service, and they sure don't want the
> >Revenuers to be able to call for help. ;-)
>
> I took a road across North Mountain one time... it looked to be a nice
> shortcut to my Grandfather Thompson's farm in Riverton.
>
> After a while I became concerned that I'd gone quite a ways and hadn't
> reached US39 yet.
>
> So I stopped and asked a farmer who was leaning against a split rail
> fence.
>
> He acted like he didn't understand what I was asking, and seemed
> particularly annoyed that I was driving a Renault Dauphine :-)
>
> Finally I said I was just trying to get to my grandfather's farm.
>
> "Who's your grandfather?" I said, "Lester Thompson".

Good thing he wasn't a 'McCoy'! ;-)

[Jim Thompson]

On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:14:40 -0500, "Michael A. Terrell"

As a Boy Scout (Explorer actually), hiking along the Cheat River (near
Morgantown, WV), "What is this copper pipe sticking out of the ground
at river's edge ?:-)"

[Michael A. Terrell]

And why is it so hot? :)