subbing for function keys

Alec Horgan (alexander.horgan@yale.edu)
Wed, 31 Mar 1999 02:03:03 -0500 (EST)

So my poor old Mac (which currently runs MkLinux) had a dysfunctional
keyboard. About ten keys with responsiveness varying from completely dead
to extraordinarily recalcitrant. I had learned to deal with this, except
this morning I had a paper due, and as I'd only begun it about four hours
before it had to be turned in, my one word per minute typing speed
(achieved via a genius combination of nearly breaking my fingers and
judicious cut-and-pasting) was becoming something of an obstacle.

So I went to the Bookstore in hopes of buying a new keyboard; they didn't
have any. On my way back, pondering the unpleasant aspects of a trip down
to 175 Whitney and its unfortunate impact on my ability to deliver the
paper on time, I passed by Team Computer Bay. Taking heart from their
sign, I journeyed upstairs and said, "I need a Macintosh keyboard." The
delightful fellow on duty took a look around, said, "We don't have
anything new in stock," and then looked over with raised eyebrows at an
old Mac SE that was sitting in the corner.

In the eagerness to get my paper done on time, I said, "I'll give you five
dollars for the keyboard on that thing," and a deal was struck.
Unfortunately, in my zeal to get a functional keyboard and finish my paper,
I failed to notice that the keyboard I'd just purchased had no function
keys. Not a huge problem, as the only thing I use them for is to switch
between virtual consoles and occasionally to access my Angband macros.

At any rate, having already invested a whole five dollars and not
especially wanting to purchase an entirely new keyboard, I'm wondering
whether there exist any particular keystroke sequences which would allow
me to simulate the actions of the function keys. I know how to redefine
things so as to allow console-switching without reference to the function
keys, but I'm curious whether there exists a general sequence which maps
to the function keys, akin to the way I can pretend to have a
three-button mouse while using a standard Apple one-big-ass-button mouse.
I couldn't find any information on this in the relevant HOW-TO's.

Apologies for the length of this message, but (1) I'm drunk and (2) I tend
to find context useful.

Alec

--
Perhaps the only true dignity of man is his capacity to despise himself.
  -George Santayana, "The Ethics of Spinoza"