Custom Fn key combinations?

[jmt333]

More than a year in, my primary complaint with my Framework 13 is the keyboard. The one thing that continues to drive me batty after all this time is the absence of a “right-click”/context menu button. I know that I am probably in the minority, but I use this key a lot and I genuinely miss having it. Its absence is the only thing I really have not been able to get used to.

Is it possible to add a key combination with the dedicated function (Fn) key? I know I can make a custom hotkey for right-click, but all of them I can come up with are awkward and involve a stretch or - even worse - two-handed operation. Being able to map against the Fn key would help a lot. I think Fn+Super (Fn+Windows) would be a perfect fit to get a context menu. Is it possible to map custom combinations using the Fn key??

I think this particular combination would be nearly perfect as it would provide simple one-handed (or even one-finger, given proximity) operation.

[MJ1]

@jmt333

Is it possible to map custom combinations using the Fn key??

I’m afraid it’s not normally possible. Laptop Fn key functions are not done on the OS level from what I’ve seen. Instead, they’re handled in firmware, and the OS isn’t even aware of it. Now with Framework having an open source EC (embedded controller) one could technically insert their own Fn hotkeys by modifying the firmware, but that requires getting into the code and some risk if you make a mistake.

On the Framework 16 it would be easy since it uses separate keyboard controller chips running QMK open source firmware. All keys, including Fn, are handled there, and configuration GUIs are available for QMK.

[Adrian_Joachim]

@MJ1

I’m afraid it’s not normally possible. Laptop Fn key functions are not done on the OS level from what I’ve seen. Instead, they’re handled in firmware, and the OS isn’t even aware of it. Now with Framework having an open source EC (embedded controller) one could technically insert their own Fn hotkeys by modifying the firmware, but that requires getting into the code and some risk if you make a mistake.

You may be able to do something with the ectool keymap commands without reflashing the ec, not 100% sure how those work with fn though.

Maybe @DHowett knows.

[jmt333]

@MJ1 @Adrian_Joachim, thank you both for your replies! I assumed (though didn’t say - apologies) that this would have to be done at the firmware level. I’ll look into ectool for my 13 and see if it can be done. I have a 16 on order, and will definitely play with QMK when the time comes. That’s a great bit of information. If someone has already managed something like this, I look forward to your tips!

Edit: I found @Dhowett’s post on the firmware and keymap, and there he says:

@DHowett

Unfortunately, it looks like the Fn key mappings are compiled in (today) and can’t be changed. You can change what the key labelled Fn does by mapping it to a different scancode and assigning different behaviors to it in the OS, but you won’t be able to treat it like a “layer” in the classical keyboarding sense.

That didn’t show up when I searched, because my search was too specific (about context menu, not fn key mapping generally). It looks like this one is answered, and the answer is (for now, anyway), “no.”

C’est la vie. I’ll play with the 16 when it comes, and thanks again to both of you for your hints in the right direction!

[lane_ftw]

On windows shift+f10 is right click, could use powertoys to remap that to a different shortcut. But you can’t use fn as a modifier. Maybe alt+space for an easy to reach shortcut?

[jmt333]

I run Linux, but the same idea applies. Alt+Space might work. I hadn’t considered that mapping since I usually don’t consider the spacebar for hotkeys. I’ll play with that one. Thanks for the suggestion.