View source for F-Lock

{{Short description|Computer key}}
{{redirect|FLock||Flock (disambiguation)}}
[[Image:F-lock.jpg|thumb|256px|The F-Lock key on a Microsoft keyboard]]
The '''F-Lock''' key, introduced by [[Microsoft]] in 2001,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/pcperipherals/0,39051168,38025236,00.htm |title=Microsoft Office Keyboard |access-date=2008-11-21 |author=Yong Shu Chiang |date=2001-10-16 |work=[[CNET Networks|CNET Asia]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060214191213/http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/pcperipherals/0,39051168,38025236,00.htm |archive-date=2006-02-14 }}</ref> toggles the state of the [[function key]]s. When on, keys F1 to F12 behave as applicable, with meanings defined by the application being used at the time. When off, new behaviour is used: F5 means "open", F10 means "spell" etc. In early models, the state reverted to off at each reboot or keyboard reset, but later models retained F-Lock state across reboots.

Other [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]] manufacturers (such as [[Logitech]] and [[Viewsonic]]) have also implemented the F-Lock onto their keyboards.

==Issues==
The introduction of F-Lock was marked by criticism on several points. First, the behaviour was unintuitive: pressing a key such as F4 by default no longer had its normal meaning, so combinations such as {{key press|Alt|F4}} appeared not to work.

Secondly, the choice of secondary function assigned to each key appeared to be arbitrary: whereas F7 was the traditional key for spell-check (used notably by Microsoft itself in its Office products), F7 was assigned the function of "reply", and spell-check was assigned to F10. This caused strong criticism from some commentators.<ref>For example, [https://archive.today/20130209033107/http://www.udolpho.com/weblog/?id=00582].</ref>

Pressing F2 in Windows Explorer in attempt to rename a file would instead undo an earlier file operation, with potentially disastrous consequences if the actual effect went silently unnoticed.

Because of such concerns, a number of methods for disabling the F-Lock function appeared on the web.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jtsang.mvps.org/flock.html |title=Microsoft Keyboards - F Lock Key |author=Jason Tsang |access-date=2008-11-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109082832/http://jtsang.mvps.org/flock.html |archive-date=2008-11-09 }}</ref>

Many Windows/PC users have found a workaround using Microsoft's [[Intellitype]] Pro software, which allows a user to assign keystrokes/macros to the function and accessory keys.  For example, assigning a macro {Press {{keypress|F1}}} to the function key {{keypress|F1}} renders the F-lock issue moot, since the OS will interpret the key press as F1 regardless of the F-lock state.

==Functions==
The new behaviours assigned to the keys are as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
!Key !! New behaviour
|-

|-
|{{keypress|F2}} || Undo
|-
|{{keypress|F3}} || Redo
|-
|{{keypress|F4}} || New
|-
|{{keypress|F5}} || Open
|-
|{{keypress|F6}} || Close
|-
|{{keypress|F7}} || Reply
|-
|{{keypress|F8}} || Forward
|-
|{{keypress|F9}} || Send
|-
|{{keypress|F10}} || Spell
|-
|{{keypress|F11}} || Save
|-
|{{keypress|F12}} || Print
|}

== External links ==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://weblogs.asp.net/jgalloway/archive/2005/11/29/431762.aspx F-Lock Key XML fix]
* [http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/answers/Hardware/Microsoft_Keyboard_Function_Key_Fix F-Lock Key Eliminator for Linux]

{{keyboard keys}}

[[Category:Lock keys]]