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42-509: The AnyKey keyboard is easily distinguished from other generic keyboards by its wide footprint—20 inches (51 cm)—necessitated by an extra double column of function keys on the left side, a unique eight directional arrow keys as opposed to the traditional inverted T, and a quartet of extra keys directly above the numeric pad that control the programmable aspects of the keyboard. They are labeled " Program Macro ", "Suspend Macro", "Repeat Rate", and "Remap", reading left to right. All versions of

84-569: A context menu . F2 is used in many Windows applications such as Windows Explorer, Excel, Visual Studio and other programs to access file or field edit functions, such as renaming a file. F4 is used in some applications to make the window "fullscreen", like in 3D Pinball: Space Cadet . In Microsoft IE, it is used to view the URL list of previously viewed websites. Other function key assignments common to all Microsoft Office applications are: F7 to check spelling, Alt + F8 to call

126-446: A 3×4 matrix at the right of the keyboard. Later models replaced this with a numeric keypad , and moved the function keys to 24 keys at the top of the keyboard. The original IBM PC keyboard ( PC/XT , 1981) had 10 function keys (F1–F10) in a 2×5 matrix at the left of the keyboard; this was replaced by 12 keys in 3 blocks of 4 at the top of the keyboard in the Model M ("Enhanced", 1984). In

168-475: A consequence, the labels on Macintosh keyboards have changed over time to reflect the newer mappings of later Mac OS X versions: for instance, on a 2006 MacBook Pro, functions keys F3 , F4 and F5 are labelled for volume down/volume up, whereas on later MacBook Pros (starting with the 2007 model), the volume controls are located on function keys F10 to F12 where they are mapped to various functions . Any recent version of Mac OS X or macOS

210-404: A help window. F3 is commonly used to activate a search function in applications, often cycling through results on successive presses of the key. ⇧ Shift + F3 is often used to search backwards. Some applications such as Visual Studio support Control + F3 as a means of searching for the currently highlighted text elsewhere in a document. F5 is also commonly used as

252-455: A reload key in many web browsers and other applications, while F11 activates the full screen/ kiosk mode on most browsers. Under the Windows environment, Alt + F4 is commonly used to quit an application; Ctrl + F4 will often close a portion of the application, such as a document or tab. F10 generally activates the menu bar , while ⇧ Shift + F10 activates

294-474: A suitable typing position. There is also a long central plastic foot, on some versions, that can be flipped down to tilt the keyboard to a less severe angle than the two outside feet. The AnyKey uses rubber dome key switches, imparting a smooth, "mushy" key feel versus that of mechanical offerings , such as IBM 's popular Model M keyboard . The AnyKey keyboard is extensively programmable. This takes two forms: remapping, and macro programming . The only keys on

336-469: Is able to detect which generation of Apple keyboard is being used, and to assign proper default actions corresponding to the labels shown on this Apple keyboard (provided that this keyboard was manufactured before the release of the version of Mac OS X being used). As a result, default mappings are sometimes wrong (i.e., not matching the labels shown on the keyboard) when using a recent USB Apple keyboard on an older version of Mac OS X, which doesn't know about

378-469: Is in progress. After remapping, the old key will retain its original function even after being remapped elsewhere, effectively creating two copies of the same key. After it is remapped somewhere else, the original or "old" key can be remapped to a different function or have a macro programmed to it. To restore a remapped key to its original function, press the Remap key and then press the remapped key twice. This

420-494: Is known as "remapping a key to itself". Pressing the Remap key will cause the Program light to begin flashing, indicating that the very next key that is pressed will be remapped. Any key can also be programmed with a macro and can be combined with key modifiers Alt, and/or Ctrl (e.g. Ctrl + Alt + Q , Ctrl + Alt + F1 ). Macros are multiple presses of various keys in sequence of arbitrary length. The extra function keys on

462-405: Is quite large compared to most modern keyboards, primarily owing to the extra columns of keys on the left side. It is also slightly thicker than most keyboard casings of the present era and features a distinctive wedge shape similar to contemporaneous keyboard offerings by Dell. As with many keyboards, there are two plastic feet that can be flipped down from the upper corners to tilt the keyboard into

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504-631: The URL in the address bar. Function Keys are also heavily used in the BIOS interface. Generally during the power-on self-test , BIOS access can be gained by hitting either a function key or the Del key. In the BIOS keys can have different purposes depending on the BIOS. However, F10 is the de facto standard for save and exit which saves all changes and restarts the system. During Windows 10 startup, ⇧ Shift + F8

546-478: The classic Mac OS , the function keys could be configured by the user, with the Function Keys control panel, to start a program or run an AppleScript . macOS assigns default functionality to (almost) all the function keys from F1 to F12 , but the actions assigned by default to these function keys have changed a couple of times over the history of Mac products and corresponding Mac OS X versions . As

588-455: The AnyKey are white or very light gray with some keys (notably the programming keys, extra function keys, and arrows) in a darker gray. The AnyKey is a 124-key PC keyboard, comprising the usual complement of 101 keys as well as 23 additional keys. The keyboard includes twelve extra function keys , four programming keys, and four additional arrow keys for diagonal input, as well as one blank key in

630-466: The AnyKey that cannot be programmed in at least some way are those used to control the programming itself—" Program Macro ", "Suspend Macro", "Repeat Rate", and "Remap". Any other key on the keyboard—including letters, numbers, arrow keys, and even special keys like modifiers such as Shift, Alt, Ctrl, Enter, and the Space Bar—can be programmed. A key can be remapped (copied to a different location on

672-434: The AnyKey. Function key A function key is a key on a computer or terminal keyboard that can be programmed to cause the operating system or an application program to perform certain actions, a form of soft key . On some keyboards/computers, function keys may have default actions, accessible on power-on. Function keys on a terminal may either generate short fixed sequences of characters, often beginning with

714-586: The Program Macro key once (depending on the revision of the keyboard, the Ctrl key may also need to be held down), pressing the key that will have the macro assigned to it once, and then entering the commands to be programmed. Any sequence of key presses is valid input, including letters, numbers, keys used in conjunction with Shift, Alt, and Ctrl, function keys, cursor movement, remapped keys, and even other keys programmed with macros . The Program light flashes as long as

756-508: The Suspend Macro key while powering on the computer will also reset all keys to their original function. The AnyKey also has a user-programmable repeat rate (the rate at which a key will repeat its function on the computer if it is held down) that is handled by the controller inside the board and therefore overrides the BIOS or operating system controlled repeat rate on the attached computer. (On Linux , this has been known to conflict with

798-508: The center of the eight way arrow key area that normally acts as a second space bar but which can be reprogrammed. The AnyKey has a fourth indicator light labeled "Program", located to the right of the Num Lock , Caps Lock , and Scroll Lock lights. Revisions of its design that predate the advent of the Windows key and Menu key in 1995 have an asterisk (*), backslash (\), or number sign (#) in

840-400: The computer, but the user must compensate for the time it takes the computer to execute the program via inserting a delay of 1–5 seconds before entering a subsequent series of commands. Despite the fact that "AnyKey" is in the name, there is no "Any" key on these keyboards. In customer service lore, the blank key in the center of the AnyKey's arrow key cluster often served as a stand-in for

882-533: The escape character ( ASCII 27), or the characters they generate may be configured by sending special character sequences to the terminal. On a standard computer keyboard, the function keys may generate a fixed, single byte code, outside the normal ASCII range, which is translated into some other configurable sequence by the keyboard device driver or interpreted directly by the application program. Function keys may have abbreviations or pictographic representations of default actions printed on/besides them, or they may have

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924-420: The hardware level inside the keyboard's controller itself. No driver software is required to use the AnyKey's programming functionality, as the keyboard's own controller dictates which key-press codes are sent to the attached computer. A utility for MS-DOS exists to quickly remap the entire keyboard to a predefined configuration or save its current configuration to a file, but it is not required to use or program

966-653: The included kbdrate utility.) The repeat rate is set by pressing the Repeat Rate key and then one of the top-row function keys, with F1 being the slowest rate and F8 being the fastest—then press "Repeat Rate" again. The programmability of the AnyKey results in complex rules being forged pertaining to its behavior. For example, the Num Lock , Caps Lock , and Scroll Lock keys cannot have macros assigned to them, but they can be included in other macros. These keys can be remapped and remapped to others, however. The keyboard can be programmed to call up and execute software programs in

1008-409: The key twice. Pressing a programmed key will "play back" all the keypresses that were programmed into it at the current repeat rate of the keyboard. The Program light normally remains solidly on or off depending on whether the keyboard is set to use macros, which can be toggled by pressing the Suspend Macro key. The state of the Program light does not reflect whether there are any macros programmed into

1050-516: The keyboard be connected through a PS/2 or AT-style 5-pin-DIN socket, though a PS/2-to-USB adapter seems to work well for normal keyboard usage. Holding the Control and Alt keys and pressing the Suspend Macro key clears all of the keyboard's programming. The Program light will flash while the keyboard erases its memory. Afterwards, it will go dark and all keys will be reset to their original function, all macros deleted, and all remappings reset. Holding down

1092-428: The keyboard is accepting programming input. It pauses momentarily when the key to be assigned the macro is pressed to indicate that the keypress was picked up. Pressing Program Macro for a second time ends the programming session and saves the macro to the target key. Pressing it again before entering any programming input cancels the operation. A key can be cleared of its macro by pressing Program Macro and then pressing

1134-399: The keyboard will await more remapping commands with the same method as before. On each keypress, the Remap light will pause, flashing momentarily to signal that a keypress has been registered. Pressing Remap again before completing a remapping cancels the operation. Pressing Remap after at least one remapping has been completed will save all the remappings but will cancel an incomplete one if it

1176-400: The keyboard) by pressing the Remap key once, pressing the key to be copied, and then pressing the new key that will serve as the new destination for the old key's command. The Program light on the keyboard will flash as long as it is awaiting remapping commands. Multiple keys can be remapped without pressing Remap again. The Program light will continue blinking after one key has been remapped and

1218-401: The keyboard, merely whether the keyboard is in macro mode. Pressing the Suspend Macro key will cause the Program light to go out and will cause all keys programmed with macros to behave with their usual functions instead of their programmed macros. Keys that have been remapped do not reset themselves while macros are suspended. Pressing Suspend Macro again relights the Program light and restores

1260-404: The keyboard. The AnyKey's EEPROM memory will retain its data even if the keyboard is unplugged indefinitely, so settings and programming are not lost if the computer is powered down, unplugged, or if the keyboard is unplugged or moved to a different computer. The AnyKey was originally available only with an AT-style connector at the end of its 60-inch cable. Gateway provided a simple adapter with

1302-411: The left of the keyboard are essentially reserved for having macros programmed to them, though they mirror the function of the function keys along the top of the keyboard before they are programmed. The keyboard treats both sets of function keys as separate, however. Remapping or programming one of the function keys will not change the function of its counterpart. A macro is programmed to a key by pressing

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1344-746: The macros dialog, Alt + F11 to call the Visual Basic Editor and ⇧ Shift + Alt + F11 to call the Script Editor. In Microsoft Word, ⇧ Shift + F1 reveals formatting. In Microsoft PowerPoint, F5 starts the slide show, and F6 moves to the next pane. ⇧ Shift + F9 exits the MS-DOS Shell if it is running. WordPerfect for DOS is an example of a program that made heavy use of function keys. In Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7 , F12 opens Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar . F6 highlights

1386-445: The macros to all programmed keys. A DOS utility, ANYKEY.EXE, was offered by Gateway for saving and uploading AnyKey key mappings and macros. It offers three functions: Saving key mappings and settings from the keyboard's non-volatile memory to a file, uploading settings from the file to the keyboard's nonvolatile memory, and checking the file's integrity. It must run in DOS, and it may require

1428-464: The more common "F-number" designations. The Singer/Friden 2201 Flexowriter Programmatic, introduced in 1965, had a cluster of 13 function keys, labeled F1 to F13 to the right of the main keyboard. Although the Flexowriter could be used as a computer terminal , this electromechanical typewriter was primarily intended as a stand-alone word processing system. The interpretation of the function keys

1470-468: The new function key mapping of this keyboard (e.g., because Mission control and Launchpad didn't exist at that time, the corresponding labels shown on the keyboard can't match the default actions assigned by older versions of Mac OS X, which were Exposé and Dashboard). It can be noted that: Under MS-DOS , individual programs could decide what each function key meant to them, and the command line had its own actions. For example, F3 copied words from

1512-499: The nonexistant "Any" key, however. Gateway bundled or offered the AnyKey keyboards with most of their desktop systems from 1991 to around 1998. The keyboard featured advanced programmability, making it possible for novice users to reprogram the AnyKey keyboards in unintentional and arcane ways. Manufacturing of the AnyKey ceased circa 1998, and Gateway stopped offering them shortly thereafter. Neither Maxi Switch, Gateway, nor Lite-On currently offer any product labeled as or comparable to

1554-409: The positions of these keys, depending on the intended locale. A unique feature of the AnyKey is its hardware programmability. The keyboard contains an internal controller as well as an EEPROM chip that can store user-defined macros. Any key on the keyboard can be programmed to contain a macro of arbitrary length or can be programmed to act like any other key on the keyboard (remapped). This is done on

1596-567: The previous command to the current command prompt. Following the IBM Common User Access guidelines, the F1 key gradually became universally associated with Help in most early Windows programs. To this day, Microsoft Office programs running in Windows list F1 as the key for Help in the Help menu. Internet Explorer in Windows does not list this keystroke in the help menu, but still responds with

1638-509: The purchase of an AnyKey, allowing it to be used with the PS/2 port , which Gateway started including in their machines circa 1991. As its design predates the implementation of the USB standard, no USB AnyKey keyboard was ever produced. However, a PS/2 to USB converter will allow the AnyKey to be used with modern USB systems. The AnyKey is built out of a plastic chassis that, at 20 inches (51 cm) wide,

1680-468: The top left of the keyboard, with paper labels. The HP 9830A (1972) was an early desktop computer, and one of the earliest specifically computing uses. HP continued its use of function keys in the HP 2640 (1975), which used screen-labeled function keys , placing the keys close to the screen, where labels could be displayed for their function. NEC 's PC-8001 , introduced in 1979, featured five function keys at

1722-578: The top of the keyboard, along with a numeric keypad on the right-hand side of the keyboard. Their modern use may have been popularized by IBM keyboards: first the IBM 3270 terminals, then the IBM PC . IBM use of function keys dates to the IBM 3270 line of terminals, specifically the IBM 3277 (1972) with 78-key typewriter keyboard or operator console keyboard version, which both featured 12 programmed function (PF) keys in

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1764-560: Was determined by the programming of a plugboard inside the back of the machine. Soft keys date to avionics multi-function displays of military planes of the late 1960s/early 1970s, such as the Mark II avionics of the F-111D (first ordered 1967, delivered 1970–1973). In computing use, they were found on the HP 9810A calculator (1971) and later models of the HP 9800 series , which featured 10 programmable keys in 5×2 block (2 rows of 5 keys) at

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