I think it's no secret to you that the keyboard is mainly used to enter data into the computer. But besides this, the keyboard is also used to carry out various operations to control the computer. Only for beginners in computers it seems that there are a lot of keys on the keyboard and it is impossible to remember them all. But using keyboard shortcuts greatly increases the number of actions that can be performed using the keyboard.
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A regular keyboard can be divided into several areas
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At the very top of the keyboard are keys that are not used to enter data into a computer.
2:202These keys perform auxiliary actions, which are shown in the table below.
3:864Below the function key area is the character key area, which contains keys for entering numbers, letters, and other symbols.
3:1132 3:1141Many keys show two or three characters.
3:1243 3:1252The letter keys show Russian and Latin letters, and when switching the input language to English, Latin letters will be entered, and when switching to the Russian keyboard layout, Russian letters will be entered.
There are keys in this area that are called modifier keys. (Ctrl, Alt and Shift keys) . These keys are so named because they allow you to change the values of the symbol keys.
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For example, if there are three symbols on the key,
4:603then one of them is entered with a simple keystroke (this is the symbol "3"),
4:739the second - by simultaneously pressing the symbol key and the key Shift(this is a symbol "№" if the Russian keyboard layout is selected),
4:998the third character - when switching the keyboard layout to another language and simultaneously pressing the symbol key with the key Shift(this is a symbol "#" if English keyboard layout is selected).
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We have not yet considered text input, but I think that we should introduce the concept text cursor, since the next group of keys is associated with it.
5:276 5:285Text cursor is called a blinking vertical or horizontal dash, which indicates on the screen the location of the newly entered character from the keyboard. Surely you have seen it if you run any program for entering text.
So, the text cursor keys:
Slightly above the cursor keys are usually placed additional keys that are also related to cursor control.
6:1591 6:8The actions performed by these keys are difficult to describe without giving practical examples. Therefore, in the table below, I give a brief description of these keys, and you can use this table in the future as a reference. Come back to it when we learn how to work in text editors.
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On the right side of the keyboard there is an additional keyboard, on which there are number keys and math keys, as well as an additional Enter key.
7:1396 7:1405The additional keyboard is activated by the NumLock key.
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With NumLock disabled, the secondary keyboard can be used to control the cursor- there are additional inscriptions on the numeric keys indicating the functionality of the key.
Many (but not all) keyboards have an area that contains mode indicators. These indicators light up when the corresponding key is pressed:
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We've covered the basic keyboard shortcuts, but that's not all.
8:1298 8:1307Global keyboard shortcuts in Windows
8:1384Ctrl + Tab ⇆ - switch between tabs or windows of the same application;
Alt + F4 - close the active window;
Alt + Space (space) - open the window's system menu. With it, you can close, minimize, maximize, move and resize the window without using the mouse;
Alt + ⇧ Shift or Ctrl + ⇧ Shift - switch language;
Ctrl + Alt + Delete - open the "Task Manager" or "Windows Security" window;
Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + Esc - open the "Task Manager" window;
Win - open / close the Start menu;
Ctrl + Esc - open / close the Start menu;
Win + D - minimize / restore all windows, including dialog ones, i.e. show the Desktop;
Win + E - open the program "Explorer";
Win + R - open the "Start the program" window ("Start" --> "Run ...");
Win + F - open a search window;
Win + L - lock the computer;
Win + M - minimizes all windows, except for dialog ones;
Win + Pause / Break - open the "System" window;
Print Screen - Place a screenshot of the entire screen on the clipboard. In MS-DOS, it was used to print screen content to a printer;
Alt + Print Screen - put a snapshot of the active window on the clipboard;
Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert - copy to clipboard;
Ctrl + V or ⇧ Shift + Insert - paste from clipboard;
Ctrl + X or ⇧ Shift + Delete - cut to clipboard;
Ctrl + F - open the search box on the page
Ctrl + Z - undo (backward);
Ctrl + Y - undo (forward);
Ctrl + A - select all;
Ctrl + S - save;
Ctrl + W - close the window;
Ctrl + R - refresh;
Ctrl + T - open a new tab in the browser;
Ctrl + P - printout;
Ctrl + ← Backspace - delete a word (deletes to the left);
Ctrl + Delete - delete a word (deletes to the right);
Ctrl + ← / → - move the cursor a word back/forward;
⇧ Shift + Ctrl + ← / → - select a word on the left/right;
Ctrl + Home (End) - move the cursor to the beginning (end) of the text;
⇧ Shift + Ctrl + Home (End) - select to the beginning (end) of the text;
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Alt + ← / → - back / forward;
ALT + D - select text in the browser address bar;
ALT + Double-click with the left mouse button ”- opens the object properties window (similar to ALT + ↵ Enter) ;
ALT + Tab ⇆ - Makes another running application active (which was active immediately before the current one). To switch to other applications, press the Tab ⇆ key repeatedly without releasing the ALT key. This will bring up a panel in the center of the screen showing all the running applications and which one will be active when you release the ALT key. Using ALT + Tab ⇆ , when switching to an application that has been minimized to the taskbar, that application is restored (expanded);
Alt + ⇧ Shift + Tab ⇆ - switching between active windows in the opposite direction (from the current active to the first one that became inactive, then to the second inactive, etc. in a circle);
ALT + ESC - Makes another running application active (the one that was active just before the current one). To switch to other applications, press the ESC key repeatedly without releasing the ALT key. Unlike ALT + Tab ⇆ , a panel showing all running applications will not appear in the center of the screen, and applications will be activated in the sequence in which they were opened. Using ALT + ESC , when switching to an application that was minimized to the taskbar, this application is not restored (does not expand). A minimized active window can be maximized by pressing ↵ Enter .
Win + Tab ⇆ - Switch between application buttons in the taskbar. When adding ⇧ Shift, iteration goes in reverse order. In Windows 7 this combination
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How to type characters on the keyboard that are not on it?
For example, the euro sign € and many others. It turns out that this is very easy to do.
9:769 9:778Press and hold the Alt key and type these numbers on the keyboard (only on the right side):
Alt + 1 = ☺
Alt + 2 = ☻
Alt + 3 =
Alt + 4 = ♦
Alt + 5 = ♣
Alt + 6 = ♠
Alt + 7 = .
Alt + 8 = ◘
Alt + 9 = ○
Alt + 10 = ◙
Alt + 11 = ♂
Alt + 12 = ♀
Alt + 13 = ♪
Alt + 14 = ♫
Alt + 15 = ☼
Alt + 16 =
Alt + 17 = ◄
Alt + 18 = ↕
Alt + 19 = ‼
Alt + 20 = ¶
Alt + 21 = §
Alt + 22 = ▬
Alt + 23 = ↨
Alt + 24 =
Alt + 25 = ↓
Alt + 26 = →
Alt + 27 = ←
Alt + 28 = ∟
Alt + 29 = ↔
Alt + 30 = ▲
Alt + 31 = ▼
Alt + 177 = ▒
Alt + 987 = █
Alt + 0130 = ‚
Alt + 0132 = „
Alt + 0133 = ...
Alt + 0134 = †
Alt + 0136 = €
Alt + 0139 = ‹
Alt + 0145 = '
Alt + 0146 = '
Alt + 0147 = "
Alt + 0148 = "
Alt + 0149 = .
Alt + 0150 = -
Alt + 0151 = -
Alt + 0153 = ™
Alt + 0155 = ›
Alt + 0167 = §
Alt + 0169 =
Alt + 0171 = "
Alt + 0174 = ®
Alt + 0176 = °
Alt + 0177 = ±
Alt + 0183 = .
Alt + 0187 = "
The next key - "modifier" - is the Ctrl key.
It is used to expand the capabilities of the keyboard. Often it is used in combination with other keys to activate some action in the program. That is, the Ctrl key used in combination allows us to access some of the most commonly used commands of a program or operating system.
The next key - "modifier" - isalt. It, like Ctrl, is used in combination with other keys.
Next comes Caps lock. Pressing it turns on or off the input mode of uppercase, capital letters. If you want to enter a word with a capital letter, then you just need to press the Shift key, and while holding it, enter the first letter of the word so that it is capitalized. Then you can release Shift and continue typing. By doing this, you will enter ordinary characters, that is, ordinary lowercase letters.
If you want to enter all the text in all capital letters, then it is easier for you to press the Caps Lock key, and after pressing it, all the letters that you enter into your text document will already be capitalized. Accordingly, pressing this key again turns off this mode and you will return to entering in lowercase letters again.
KeyTab allows tabulation. Tabulation is the process of aligning characters horizontally. A tab character is usually equal to eight regular characters. That is equal to eight presses on the "Space" key. Tabs are used when creating text documents. Also, sometimes the tab key is used in some programs to switch between some workspaces of the program, or to go to some next command.
Next - keyEnter. It allows us to complete text input, create a new paragraph in the text, or execute some command. That is, if we have selected a command and want to execute it, then the Enter key is usually pressed. Or if, when editing text, we want to move the text cursor to a new line or create a new paragraph, this key is also pressed. About all this, we will talk more in the future.
The next key is backspace. It allows us to delete the character to the left of the text cursor. What's happened text cursor, by the way, if we have already started talking about it, then it probably makes sense to talk about it right away. A text cursor is called such a blinking vertical, sometimes there is a horizontal dash that shows us where a new character will appear on the screen if we press any “character” key on the keyboard. Surely you saw it if you launched any program for entering text. So, the Backspace key allows you to delete the character that is to the left of the text cursor.
Also in this area are two more keys. The first one is keyWindows. It is usually located between the Ctrl and Alt keys, on either side of the spacebar, and appears when pressed. That is, you can call up the Start menu by simply pressing this key. And one more key that allows you to call the context menu of the object on which the mouse pointer is currently located. This key duplicates the right mouse button.
Next, let's take a look at the area containing the four arrow keys. These keys are called "Cursor Keys". They are responsible for moving the text cursor in the appropriate direction. Also, these keys are used in many games while controlling objects. And these keys are also used in many programs, for example, when moving the page of a document or when viewing photos to move to the next image. Usually these keys perform the functions that are depicted on them - flipping up, down, right, left.
Slightly above the cursor keys are usually placed additional keys. They also have to do with cursor control. These keys are commonly used in text documents when entering text. KeyInsert allows us to enable or disable the so-called insert mode. KeyDelete allows you to delete the character at the cursor position. Backspace deletes the character to the left of the text cursor, and Delete, respectively, to the right. KeysHomeAndEnd allow you to move the cursor either to the beginning of the line or to the end of the line. BUT keysPage UpAndPage Down allow you to move the cursor one screen up or one screen down.
On the right side of the keyboard is another area. This is the so-called additional keyboard.
It has number keys and math action keys, but there is also an additional Enter key. Additional keyboard is activated by pressing keysNum lock. If it is disabled, then it can be used to control the cursor, that is, its number keys will duplicate the cursor keys. There are arrows on keys 4, 8, 6 and 2, and, accordingly, these keys will begin to duplicate the corresponding cursor keys. Well, on the other keys -7, 9, 1, 3 and 0 - the names are also signed and these keys will duplicate Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Insert and Delete, respectively. If we turn on the Num Lock mode, then, accordingly, we can use this keyboard to enter numbers and the corresponding mathematical operations. It is convenient to use when working in the Calculator program, which we will talk about later.
Above the secondary keyboard area on some keyboards is also .
Not all keyboards already have it, but yours might. These indicators light up when the corresponding keys are pressed. The Num Lock indicator lights up if it is on, that is, if you have an additional keyboard activated. The Caps Lock indicator is on if you have this mode turned on and you enter characters in capital letters. Well, the Skroll Lock indicator is on if you have this key pressed. The Skroll Lock mode is no longer used and many keyboards do not have this button. Previously, it was used to change the behavior of the cursor keys.
Here we are with you and dismantled all the keys of our keyboard.
See you at the next lesson!
Nastasya Gerasimenko.
Hello everyone, my dear friends of my blog. Today we will have a simple topic, but nevertheless very interesting and important. This is because I want to tell you about the purpose of the keys on the keyboard of a computer or laptop. Yes, of course, you can say that I already know this. But I can assure you that many do not know even half of these appointments. In general, I will not procrastinate. Here is my visual aid.
- F1- In most applications, this button is responsible for calling up the help of this program. Well, if the program is not open, then Windows help is called.
- F2- "Rename" function. That is, you just need to select the file and press this key.
- F3- In most programs, including Windows Explorer, the search line is called. That is, if you need to find a document on a computer, or find text in a browser, you can use this function button. If you use it in conjunction with the SHIFT key in a Word, you can make uppercase letters lowercase and vice versa.
- F4- If you take Word, then this button is designed to repeat the last action. And of course, many of you know that if you simultaneously press ALT+F4, this will close the application.
- F5- In any Internet browser, the page is updated. For Word, this button enables the "Find and Replace" function. In notepad, pressing this key will insert the current date and time. In Power Point, by clicking on this button, a slide show starts. Well, if you use the Total Commander environment, then copying is activated for you. Just a multifunction key.
- F6- In the browser (except Opera), the cursor automatically enters the address bar, while fully highlighting the address itself. Well, in Total Commander, the “Move” function works.
- F7- The Word document is being checked for spelling. In Total Commander you create a new directory, i.e. a folder.
- F8- In excel, the key expansion mode is enabled. The address bar is highlighted in the Opera browser. In the Total Commander, thanks to this button, you can delete a file.
- F9- Update fields in Word
- F10- In the explorer, it calls up hints about hot keys for calling functions. In many programs, this key means to open the menu. And if you use this button while holding down SHIFT, then there is an imitation of pressing the right mouse button.
- F11- Thanks to this insidious key, browsers implement . Oh, how much panic there was because of her). Well, in Excel, you create a new sheet.
- F12- Calling the web developer mode in browsers. And in the Word, you can call the "Save as ..." function.
Other keys
Of course, in addition to the top buttons, there are others, the purpose of which is also not known to everyone. Therefore, below I will present you with a description of the functions of other keys.
Tab- In Word documents or other text editors, this key will allow you to retreat several positions at once, unlike the space bar, which moves only one position. Among other things, there is text alignment. Well, another important feature that not everyone knows about is that when filling out various forms (no matter where, in browsers or programs), you can switch between fields.
Numlock- button lock mode. When you press this button, you can write numbers on the additional keyboard, but as soon as you press it again, the dialing of numbers is blocked and the mode of additional functions indicated on each button (arrows, Pg Up, Pg Dn, Home, End) is activated.
Home and End— Move to the beginning or end of the document.
Pg Up and Pg Dn— Move one screen (page) up or down.
Win- Well, I won’t tell anything about the merits of this key here, since I devoted it to this. Be sure to read and use if you have not yet reached this point.
fn- this key is found only on laptops, and it is intended to expand the functionality of the F1-F12 buttons, as well as those that are in the same row with them (Pause, Del, Home, etc.). You can see for yourself that on this row of keys, in addition to their names, various drawings are applied. It is these functions that will be activated if you hold down FN, and then press one of the function keys. For example, I have a crossed-out touchpad drawn on F6. This means that if I hold Fn and press F6, then I will disable the touchpad on my laptop.
scroll lock- scroll change key. If the mode is activated, then the cursors perform the functions of scrolling the screen in all directions, and if it is disabled, the cursor position function is activated.
PrtSc (Print Screen)- just in case, I’ll write it in, but I think that many people know what this key is for. Quite right, dear friends. With it, we can take a screenshot, i.e. screenshot. You can learn more about screenshots. And by the way, I recommend that you immediately install a program like LightShot or Joxi for these purposes.
Well, I think that it makes no sense to write about the rest of the keys, because everyone knows what a space, Shift, Ctrl and Backspace are. Well, in general, if you skillfully use all these buttons, then you will definitely. So don't neglect it.
Therefore, on this cheerful note, I end my article. I hope that it was interesting for you and helped you discover the assignment of computer keyboard keys in a new light. Well, I wish you good luck. And of course, don't forget to subscribe. Good luck to you. Bye Bye!
Minicompetition
For a long time I have not held mini-competitions as part of my own, so I suggest you score a few points.
The point is this. In the comments, you should write various key combinations that involve the F1-F12 buttons and explain their meaning. For example ALT + F4 - Closing the application. Those combinations that are present in the article will not be counted. For each combination you will receive 5 points, but no more than 8 are accepted. Those. maximum for the contest you can earn 40 points.
The keyboard is one of the earliest and most important hardware components of a computer. The range of models and design solutions is quite wide. There are completely original products. Here is a very interesting concept on which the computer keyboard is made (photo below).
However, despite the large number of design solutions on the keyboard market, the functions and assignment of keys on almost all modifications of products of this type are organized according to the same principle. Which one?
Keyboard structure
Modern computer keyboards contain 101 or 102 buttons, which are divided into several groups. These are function keys, alphabetic, numeric, service, control, as well as the so-called modifiers. Consider the purpose of each type.
Function keys
There are 12 buttons of this type in total. They have been included in the assignment of keys for a very long time, their description is found in many textbooks on information technology, published even before the invention of the PC in its current form. Function keys are located in one row (as a rule), at the very top of the keyboard. Let's study their features.
The assignment of the function keys is more dictated by tradition among computer and software manufacturers than by any rigid standards. There are some kind of generally accepted principles for associating the buttons of this group with certain actions. But it cannot be ruled out that individual software vendors will prefer to assign function keys to the assignment they want. Let's take a scenario in which we have to press these buttons while working in Windows, say, version 7.
In this case, the F1 key will be responsible for calling the OS help system. Most programs that run on Windows also require help to be activated by pressing F1.
The F2 key is usually responsible for and folders in Windows. A similar function is assigned to it when working in some file managers.
The F3 button in Windows brings up the OS search engine, a separate folder, or a similar interface in most programs. For example, if the text is open in the editor, then by pressing F3, you can search for the desired word or phrase.
The F4 key, as a rule, is associated in Windows with two functions: switching to the address bar in the integrated OS file manager, as well as displaying the history.
The F5 button allows you to update the display of objects in a folder, on the desktop, or, for example, a page in a browser window.
The F6 key has some similarities in purpose with F4. It allows you to move the text cursor to the address bar of the built-in Windows file manager, but does not display the history.
The assignment of the computer keyboard keys in the F7-F9 row, as well as the F12 button in Windows, is not strictly defined. It all depends on the specific application in which the user is working. In this case, a specialized program for assigning keys can be used.
The F10 button is responsible for calling the leftmost menu item in the program interface. For example, if a Word window is open, the user will press F10 to open the File menu.
The F11 key allows you to quickly move the window to (or vice versa).
Control keys
These, as a rule, include arrow keys - right, left, up and down. They are designed to perform operations to move objects on the screen, to control characters in computer games, etc. They can also be used to position the cursor in text.
Letter keys
They occupy the central space of the keyboard. In numerical terms, there are the most such buttons, the typical standard is 47 pieces. The English computer keyboard usually includes pure letter buttons. That is, apart from them, nothing is usually depicted on the keys. Russian usually allows the simultaneous use of some letter buttons and as "carriers" of punctuation marks. If you press them without a combination with others (for example, modifiers), then the main letters will be entered. With the appropriate combination - punctuation marks.
Also, in some cases, letter keys allow you to control an object on the screen, if this is provided for by a program or a computer game (the second option is more common). In this sense, letter keys can sometimes be "control keys".
Numeric keys
They, depending on the configuration of a particular keyboard model, can be located on top of the letter block, and in some cases they can be supplemented by buttons on the right side of the device (as a rule, they often do not fit on "large" keyboards for PCs and laptops).
In the second case, this block of keys is especially convenient to use in calculations. There are also various auxiliary buttons for multiplication, division, subtraction, addition operations, there is an Enter key.
Modifiers
The purpose of the keyboard keys, classified as "modifiers", is to change the essence of the entered commands using function, alphabetic or numeric buttons by pressing simultaneously. These are CTRL, ALT, and also SHIFT. Some experts also refer to the INSERT, SCROLL LOCK, and NUM LOCK buttons as modifiers. Other experts distinguish these four keys in a separate group - the so-called "mode" buttons.
Consider the most common actions for which you can use these keys. The computer keyboard is designed so that the user can enter data not only with single button presses, but also in combination. The functions of many "modifiers" are performed precisely because of this possibility.
Users often combine keyboard buttons with the ALT key. For example, if you press a combination of ALT and TAB, you can switch windows of different programs - from one to another. Using a combination of ALT and F4, the user will close the active application.
Equally popular are keyboard shortcuts with CTRL. For example, the combination of this key and "C" allows you to quickly copy an object or data area - a file, folder, text, picture, etc. You can quickly paste a "copy" by pressing CTRL + V. If instead of "C" we substitute "X", then the selected data will be "cut" from the original place, and after pressing CTRL + V it will be moved to a new one.
One of the most frequently pressed modifier buttons is SHIFT. It is in combination with it that most users type capital letters in the text.
Hotkeys
Some experts call it because the latter give the user the ability to perform some action very quickly, which, if using, say, a mouse, would take longer. We have already given some examples that reflect the purpose of hot keys: for example, copying text using a combination of CTRL, C, X and V is usually faster than in the variant with calling the context menu with the mouse.
Often combinations of "modifiers" are used with each other. For example, if the user has the "Russian" keyboard of the computer enabled, the layout can be changed to "English" by pressing the combination of ALT and SHIFT. And vice versa.
Service keys
There are quite a few of them on keyboards. Specialists usually refer to them as the ESC, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, PRTSC, PAUSE, DEL, BACKSPACE, HOME, END, WIN, ENTER, TAB buttons, as well as SPACE, or, in Russian, a space. There is an opinion that, in the broad sense of the word, control keys and "modifiers" are also "utility", and therefore it would be more expedient to classify buttons in a different way. But at the same time, there are no uniform standards in this matter.
Most Popular
Perhaps the most frequently used service key is SPACE. It puts a space when typing. In combination with INSERT (when its associated mode is activated), this key erases typed letters.
Probably the second most popular utility key is ENTER. She has a lot of functions. It is difficult to single out the main one, we can say that there is a group of key ones: this is opening a file, folder, launching a program (or any action in an already running one), as well as translating text to a new line. Keyboards that have a separate numeric button area (on the right side) usually have an extra ENTER key.
The ESC key is often used. Usually responsible for canceling some action. For example, if an image viewer is open, you can close it by pressing ESC. Unless, of course, the corresponding association of the button is embedded in the application: in many cases, programs do not respond to pressing ESC.
The purpose of the PRTSC key is interesting. With it, you can make so-called "screenshots" - graphic captures of the contents of the screen at a particular point in time. To save an image in a separate file, you need to run some image processing program, for example, Paint or Photoshop, then "paste" it into the editable area (as an option, using the combination of CTRL and V), and then save it to a file of a convenient format .
Rare but needed
Let's now study the rarely used, but very necessary in some cases, service buttons. These include SCROLL LOCK and PAUSE. The first key is designed to change the mode of using the control arrows. So, for example, so that when you press the "right" or "left" buttons, the active window moves in the corresponding direction. The PAUSE key can be useful if you are running a program or process on your PC that has a pause feature. For example, before Windows boots up, various system information is displayed on the PC screen. If the user is interested in reading it, but he does not have time to do so because the computer is quickly switching to Windows, then he can "slow down" the process by pressing the PAUSE key. Unless, of course, this allows you to make a software interface - its algorithms are laid down by the manufacturer of the computer or motherboard. To continue the course of the program, it is usually enough to press any button on the keyboard.
New and useful
Over time, in the course of technological progress, the computer keyboard is constantly being improved and modernized. The purpose of the keys, their description may change. But this is not the only aspect of technological evolution. New keys may also be added and subsequently become, de facto, part of the generally accepted standards.
Among the newest buttons are WIN, as well as "menu". They are indicated on the keyboards, as a rule, by drawings. WIN - in the form of a corporate flag from Microsoft, the second key - in the form, in fact, of a context menu with items, sometimes with a mouse arrow.
The WIN key contains almost any modern computer keyboard adapted for Windows. Photo - below.
Actually, the appearance of both buttons in question, as it is believed, was due to the entry into the world market of the Windows operating system.
WIN key
The WIN key, in principle, can be attributed to "hot", since in many cases the actions associated with it are carried out, firstly, in combination with other buttons, and secondly, they duplicate (with relatively faster execution) operations, produced with the mouse. Note that if you press WIN alone, then, as a rule, the Start menu opens.
Consider useful "hot" combinations using the WIN key.
The combination WIN + D allows you to minimize all open application windows (or, conversely, maximize).
WIN and R are useful in terms of bringing up a quick launch window for programs (into which you can enter the name of the main file, after which the application will start).
The combination of WIN and PAUSE (this, by the way, is another useful property of the second key) opens the properties menu of "My Computer".
What is useful in the "Menu" key? It is, in principle, associated with the same action that the user performs by pressing the right mouse button while hovering over a file or folder with the cursor. That is, it opens consisting of various options. Many users find it more convenient to use this feature using the keyboard rather than the mouse.
Nuances of standardization
As we noted above, it is rather a set of rules dictated by traditions rather than international standards. However, computer and software manufacturers, one way or another, try not to experiment much with associating buttons with new functions that are not suitable for other market solutions.
Many users may not like the unusual computer keyboard, the purpose of the keys, the description of its functions. Many PC owners prefer that the familiar "hot", function or service buttons work exactly like in most applications. And therefore, the above-described patterns regarding the assignment of various kinds of keys, in general, are valid for almost all keyboard models. In turn, software manufacturers are trying to associate the functions of applications in algorithms more or less familiar to the market.
Windows standards on other systems
Moreover, even in operating systems other than Windows (eg Linux), the range of key assignments is generally very similar to the above. In many competing operating systems, the computer keyboard originally oriented to Windows - the assignment of keys, its description - reflect the same capabilities that are present in the OS from Microsoft. It even touches the WIN key sometimes. Despite the fact that it is typical for Windows, its functions in other operating systems are in some cases very similar to the original spectrum of assignments. Not to mention the "modifiers" that the computer keyboard contains. The layout between languages \u200b\u200busing the combination of ALT and SHIFT changes not only in Windows.
The laptop keyboard has keys, or rather the designations on the keys, the meaning of which is incomprehensible to a beginner. In this lesson I want to clarify the meaning of such notation. If you look at the laptop keyboard, you will certainly see a key on it. fn, it is usually located in the lower left corner of the keyboard. Inscription fn usually highlighted in blue or outlined in white, depending on the laptop model. In addition, if you look closely, you can see the icons on the keyboard also highlighted in blue or circled in a white frame. As you probably already guessed, between the keys with these icons and the key fn there is a connection.
The "Fn" key (pronounced "Funkshin"), in combination with keys with blue icons or white borders, causes the computer to perform a specific action. On different laptop models, these icons are assigned to different keys, so I will describe the actions in pictures so as not to be tied to a specific key combination. Here is a list of such combinations and their corresponding actions:
fn+ - call help on keyboard shortcuts.
fn+ - call power consumption settings.
fn+ - turn on / off BlueTooth.
fn+ - enable / disable sleep mode.
fn+ - if an external display (monitor or TV) is connected to the laptop, then using this key combination you can switch the display modes: to the laptop display, to the external display, or to the laptop display and the external display at the same time.
fn+ - Turn off the laptop monitor to save power.
fn+ - turn on / off the TouchPada (a device on which you move your finger to move the cursor. Replaces the mouse).
I have an interesting history with this keyboard shortcut. My friend has been using a laptop for more than a year and somehow at a meeting he asked me to help figure out why the Touchpad does not work, i.e. without a mouse, he could not work on a laptop for a whole year!
Without hesitation, I pressed this key combination - turned on the Touchpad and it all worked. He was very surprised. thought that the touchpad was simply broken 🙂
fn+ - turn on / off the sound.
fn+ - enable / disable the numeric keypad mode. Those. if this mode is enabled, then when you press keys that have blue digit icons or numbers surrounded by a white frame, the corresponding numbers will be displayed (like on a calculator).
If you are interested how to turn on calculator on laptop, then it is done like this. Start Menu - All Programs - Accessories - Calculator.
I also have an interesting history with this key combination. Somehow, a friend calls me and says that on his laptop one half of the keyboard (left) works fine, and the other half (right) for some reason prints numbers and that he just didn’t do it can’t be fixed. As you already understood, the issue was resolved in 5 seconds - I told him about this key combination, and everything fell into place. How he turned on the mode of working with numbers remained a mystery 🙂
fn+ - enable / disable the screen movement mode. Currently only works in Excel.
fn+ - number 7 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - number 8 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - number 9 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - the symbol "/" when the NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - number 4 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - number 5 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - number 6 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - the symbol "*" when the NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - number 1 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - number 2 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - number 3 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - the symbol "-" when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - digit 0 when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - the "+" symbol when NumLk mode is on.
fn+ - increase the brightness of the monitor.
fn+ - decrease the brightness of the monitor.
fn+ - increase the sound.
fn+ - reduce the sound.
