I’m using Matias Quiet Pro keyboard. It’s a Windows keyboard which also works with the Mac, except, there’s a Fn key between the right Control and right Alt. In Keyboard Maestro, when I press this Fn key it’s not registered. Nothing happened. Any ideas how I can map this as a Fn modifier?
No idea. Keyboard Maestro cannot map modifiers. You need a low level tool for that.
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Karabiner-Elements might work, not sure.
-rob.
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On most keyboards which have a "Fn" key like this, the Fn key is only "visible" to the keyboard's processor, and is used as a modifier for functions within the keyboard itself. For example, on the keyboard I'm using right now, Fn-1, Fn-2, and Fn-3 tell the keyboard to link itself to one of three different paired bluetooth devices (i.e. laptop, phone, iPad), and Fn-↑ and Fn-↓ send the "media commands" to raise and lower the volume. (There are others, but these are the ones I know because I use them all the time.)
Some keyboards have a way to assign different functions to the physical keys. For example, on the keyboard I'm using right now ("Timber", picture) the key at the top left was originally marked ESC, and would send the scan code for ESC when you press it. I do a lot of technical writing, and as such I need the "backtick/tilde" key a LOT more than I need an ESC key, so I was able to re-program the keyboard itself so that the key by itself sends "backtick/tilde", and if you hold down ⤓ (INS, at the top right) while pressing it, it sends ESC instead. (As you can see in the picture I also replaced the keycaps.)
I just looked at Matias's web site, it doesn't look like the "Quiet Pro" is programmable at this level. Whatever functions it uses the Fn key for, that may be what you're stuck with, but I would suggest contacting Matias before you give up. They may have a low-level tool that allows you to re-map keys on this particular board.
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Thanks for the great and insightful post. I will try and contact Matias. They have a very helpful support email.
If I plugged this keyboard into a Windows system, Windows recognise the Fn key and I can do a Fn-Esc to play/pause audio. So, if it is low level, I'd think that the Mac would be able to identify it, maybe not enough to know that it is Play/Pause but surely will register the Fn key being depressed. It does not though.
We have a freebie app called Key Codes that might help you see what the Mac knows about the key, if anything.
-rob.
Oh, I love your Witch and Menuwhere app. Great software.
Tried KeyCodes - nope, didn't capture the Fn key.
I am guessing I have to contact Matias!
Yea, if Key Codes can't see it, it's a very low-level key and hopefully Matias can help.
-rob.
Probably what's happening is, when you press Fn-ESC, the keyboard isn't sending a "scan code for Fn" and a "scan code for ESC" (like it does for SHIFT, CTRL, etc.) ... instead it's sending a dedicated "Media Play/Pause key" command ... and if you were to just press "Fn" by itself (or Fn plus some other key that the keyboard doesn't have any "command' linked to), windows or KeyCodes wouldn't have any idea that you had done so.