How do you change the designation for special keys?

This SHOULD be easy

[grelmar]

I have one of those keyboards with a bunch of extra buttons with labels like "back" "forward" "stop" "mail" etc etc. Don't use any of them.

I want to change their function, but can't figure out how for the life of me. Basically, I want to turn them all into different "word" and "phrase" macros, so that I just have to hit one key for it to type out a specific word, in any app.

Win XP, SP2

[Hester]

The keyboard should come with software to control these. I don't think it's part of Windows.

[photon]

Check the keyboard control panel for a "Key settings" tab.

[grelmar]

The keyboard should come with software to control these. I don't think it's part of Windows.

Mebbe, but this is the keyboard that came with the computer. It didn't come with any software.

Check the keyboard control panel for a "Key settings" tab.

First place I looked. Doesn't seem to be any such tab.

Settings> Control Panel> Keyboard>

Brings up two options. <Speed> and <Hardware>

<Speed> is a non starter, and under <Hardware> all I get is a list of the type of hardware and drivers.

Any other takers?

[Hester]

Perhaps the software is pre-installed then. It might not be via the Control Panel, but in the Programs folder, or on the Start menu somewhere.

Find the manufacturer's name of the keyboard and try their website for software.

[topr8]

sometimes you can't i have a microsoft keyboard that has special keys and has also allocated functions to the 'f' keys this is a little annoying as you only have a few options (using the software) for instance the 'f' keys can be disabled but cannot be reallocated.

[Tropical Island]

We also have a new MS keyboard that came with it's own software and we were using it for 2 weeks before we realized that there was a key at the top right that says F lock.

By pressing this key it restores the normal functionality of the F keys like F2 for making changes in a field rather than "undo" as it goes to by default.

[topr8]

Tropical Island you genius! thanks.

i love this new keyboad except for that one thing, that you have now resolved!

poor manual though, i looked all through the help and never discovered that f lock key, what a dumbo i didn't even notice it before.

[Tropical Island]

Hey topr8,

I felt really foolish posting the fact that I had missed it for two weeks.

I agonized over this for the 2 weeks, searching on Google for help, re-opening the software over and over trying to reactivate F2 which I use daily. Then I saw this key at the end that said F Lock - problem solved.

At least now I don't feel quite so foolish.

[grelmar]

Thanks, I went to the manufacturer and realised I had to download a program to re-assign the keys.

WAY more usefull now. I reset them to quick launch specific apps.