Debian Mate: is it possible to re-map the F1 key for terminal use?

[Vimmer]

I recently decided to switch over to Debian 12 from Ubuntu, and so far I have liked it so much better even though it took some time to get used to and install the software that suited my purposes.

I'm wondering if it's possible to use the F1 key for anything other than the "Desktop User Guide" window. I like to use it for mapping inside of vim, but it doesn't seem to be possible to use it inside of the terminal. It just pops up that help window every time i try to use it.

[ruwolf]

I have found 7 years old guide:
Alt.OS.Linux.Mint.Narkive.com: Avoid hijacking of F1 key in mate-terminal
so I do not know, if it still works.

BTW, IMHO, it could need two levels/kinds of settings simultaneously:

1. resending [F1] from desktop (Mate or window manager?) to terminal emulator
2. resending [F1] from terminal emulator to application running in it

[juribel]

You might want to tell us which desktop environment and which terminal program you use.

[Vimmer]

You might want to tell us which desktop environment and which terminal program you use.

The DE is debian mate like i stated, the terminal is the default mate terminal.

[juribel]

Unfortunately, I can only speak for the Xfce4-terminal, within it's settings menu there is an option to release the F1 key.

[ruwolf]

Does mentioned guide on Narkive (by RonB with Linux Mint Mate 17.1) not work for you?

[Vimmer]

Mentioned guide on Narkive (by RonB with Linux Mint Mate 17.1) does not work for you?

Actually, it does: I just didn't try it before because I figured it would only be turned off, but it works. I've honestly been getting less fond of the function keys though, as my keyboard requires the use of an "fn" key to make them work.

[juribel]

There should be a key combination to switch the behaviour and keep it, like [Fn]+[Esc].

[Vimmer]

There should be a key combination to switch the behaviour and keep it, like [Fn]+[Esc].

i would like it better if the function keys themselves were primary, and the fn key did all the things the pictures described (like forward/backward media file, lower/increase volume), but the manufacturer probably assumed people don't use the function keys as often.

[juribel]

On my Thinkpad laptops, it seems that [Fn]+[Esc] has to be set after each reboot. This surely is a silly behaviour.

[ruwolf]

I can set in in BIOS/UEFI...

[juribel]

You're right, I found the setting in my ThinkPad's BIOS, too.

[juribel]

I think I messed up two things: 1) set the F1 key free in order to use it in a terminal application and not show the system help window instead, and 2) give the F-key functions priority over the special multimedia functions of the F-keys.

As for 1) it really seems to be a matter of the terminal settings; as far as I can see the setting does not appear in the list of the xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts (in case of using Xfce).

[ruwolf]

In setting of Xfce-Terminal (xfce4-terminal), there should be option to does ton catch F-keys and to send them to applications running in it...

[juribel]

Yes, Xfce-Terminal has such an option in its settings, I use it myself.

In Xfce, I just installed Mate terminal, and I found that it has a similar setup. I have a German OS, so the item names in my description might not be fully correct.

Click [Edit] → [Keyboard] (or such) and scroll down to the "Help" item, doubleclick the "Content" line. Press [Shift]+[F1] or any other key you want to assign to the help function. This will assign the key pressed to the help function and release the [F1] key for use in your applications inside the terminal.

There should also be a way to "defunct" items and their keyboard assignments, but I could not find how.

[Vimmer]

Yes, Xfce-Terminal has such an option in its settings, I use it myself.

In Xfce, I just installed Mate terminal, and I found that it has a similar setup. I have a German OS, so the item names in my description might not be fully correct.

Click [Edit] → [Keyboard] (or such) and scroll down to the "Help" item, doubleclick the "Content" line. Press [Shift]+[F1] or any other key you want to assign to the help function. This will assign the key pressed to the help function and release the [F1] key for use in your applications inside the terminal.

There should also be a way to "defunct" items and their keyboard assignments, but I could not find how.

Yes: but what i was talking about was over-riding the terminal setting with a vim (the text editor setting), and you do this in mate terminal with EDIT -> KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS and then clicking on what's mapped to the F! key, clicking twice, and entering backspace, which causes the terminal to ignore it. This is from the link rwolf posted. Then, your vim settings let you re-program the F1 key for uses inside of vim.

Ironically, after fallowing this procedure, i discovered that using the F keys in vim is impractical when you have to hold down the "fn" button to use the F keys. Apparently, there are ways to change this in the BIOS, but so far I haven't seen any useful information on how to do that, so i am adjusting. I have a "repuclic of gamers" motherboard by asus, if that helps....i don't know what i would type to research this on google.