If you try to use the <F> keys, whatever program has focus will get the command. If that program does not recognize the key, it may be sent on to the computer shortcuts manager.

If you want to use a Firefox hot key, Firefox must have focus at the time.

I think I may not have been as plain as I could or you have misread what I wrote.

I don't 'TRY' to use the F keys, I just use them in other programs and they work. They don't in FF.

I do NOT want to use FF's function keys, I want to use the standard Function Keys that all programs use. They may be universal such as ALT+F4 to close a program which no longer works for me in FF or it may be a keyboard shortcut that I have assigned (CTRL+F12 for my dictionary program on my own hard disk - which works whatever program has the focus except FF, and has done for years).

My problem has nothing to do with standard Function keys or whether a program recognises the functions - they all do except FF. FF recognises only the alternate Functions that are supposed to be disabled on my machine.

This problem has only occurred since I 'upgraded' FF which I am regretting more each minute.

I suspect I will not get a solution here, especially given the number of other people who are having problems with this upgrade.

PS My first post said I used ALT+F12 for the dictionary, it is actually CTRL+F12 - but whichever combination, it doesn't work when FF has the focus, it does when other programs have.

PPS I did a search but could find nothing that resembles a 'computer shortcuts manager' that anything could be sent to

cannonmc said

For instance I can't close FF using ALT+F4, I get a new tab. When I try to refresh using F5 in FF (my most common need) I get a dialog to open a file.

Since you turned off F Lock, that doesn't really surprise me. What surprises me is that other software properly interprets Alt+F4 as Close Window with F Lock off.

Maybe Microsoft has a way to apply a virtual F Lock just for Firefox, but if not, it would make sense to use another browser rather than risk browsing with a version of Firefox from Spring 2013.

I'm sorry but you are confusing me.

Things worked just fine with the Firefox version from spring 2013.

It is the upgrade that is causing the problem, the old version was fine.

I didn't turn F Lock off, I disabled it totally (or so I thought). The alternative F keys could not work. The only thing that changed was FF, i have not updated Windows or the keyboard software since installing FF19

Further info: I have just used my laptop which is Windows10 (beta) and FF38.0. The keyboard has alternative function keys but not the same ones as my PC.

All the standard function keys work as expected. I have to assume something in FF38 is re-enabling F Lock but only with the alternative functions

As far as I know, Firefox is not savvy about special keyboards and simply accepts the codes sent to it by Windows, or if you have a custom keyboard driver, by that software.

If you are not bored with troubleshooting this, could you try a couple of portable versions of Firefox to try to get a better fix on when this problem started? The Portable version of Firefox is an unofficial package that you can run out of a single folder or from a USB flash driver that doesn't use any existing Firefox settings. I suggest trying Firefox 28, the last version before the major UI change in Firefox 29. If that one works with your keyboard, then try 29. If it doesn't work, then split the difference with 19 and try Firefox 24. Hopefully this will help narrow down when the change occurred.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/portableapps/files/Mozilla%20Firefox%2C%20Portable%20Ed./

Thank you for your suggestion. I have now had the time to test some of the portable versions. Started with 38.0.5 - same results as above Then went to 28.0 - same results Then went to 19.0 which is the version I upgraded from - function keys work as they did before I upgraded.

I installed each portable version fresh on a USB stick (like wading through molasses). They must use some already installed FF data because I couldn't delete the portable versions while the version on my PC was open. I have no idea if that is of any help.

Perhaps we should pause here as I believe FF39 is due out. I will try that and see what the result is.

I have noticed some other oddities with 38.0.5 (such as things opening in a new tab and the focus not going there immediately despite that option being ticked) but haven't been able to establish enough of a pattern to report here.

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I've solved the function key problem for the moment.

I reinstalled FF19

That was very good work. Well Done. Please flag your last post as Solved Problem so others will know.

Using Firefox 19 isn't really a solution, for security reasons.

I'm not sure anyone will be able to replicate your setup for further testing, but could you provide any more information about your keyboard and what the keyboard driver software version is?

Also, you can install Portable versions of Firefox to a subfolder of your Downloads, which would be faster than using a USB stick. If you test Firefox 20, can you confirm that 20 is the version which broke the keyboard?

I'm not sure I should have used irony. The problem is not solved, I was being ironical in having to go back to FF19.

Keyboard driver is 7.0.258.0 which is the latest version. The keyboard is NOT broken.

I have no idea what version 20 would do as I've never used it. I went from 19 to 38, then 39, then 19 and now back to 38 because some of my add-ons no longer worked in 19.

39 has been abandoned because it freezes when playing videos - I have submitted a report about that.

So the original problem in my first submission is still there.