Function Flip
Function Flip is a Preference Pane
(i.e. it appears in System Preferences) which can
turn those special function keys back into normal F
keys one by one.
Long version:
When I first got my new MacBook, there were certain F
keys I had been using for other things; F8 for Spaces,
F5 for CoverSutra etc., which on the
MacBook keyboard now have special functions.
F1 = Lower Brightness
F2 = Increase Brightness
F3 = Exposé
...
F5 = Lower Keyboard backlight
F8 = Play/Pause
and so on...
These are their default functions. You can however flip
their functions the other way around by going to:
System Preferences>Keyboard & Mouse and ticking
the box “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard
function keys”.
You then use the Special Function by holding down the
fn key.
So, for example, to turn the volume up you would hold
down fn then F12. Slightly inconvenient, but it still
allowed me to use my own F keys. I was used to Exposé
using F9, 10 and 11.
Function Flip solves this problem of having to decide
between one or the other, allowing you to flip
individual F keys.
So now I can use the brightness keys etc., as well as
assigning some of the Special F keys I don’t
really use to other functions. I rarely use the
Backlight keyboard Special function keys, so now use F5
for Spaces, and F6 for CoverSutra.
Also, although I had been using F9 & F11 for
Exposé, those functions can be done using the
Multitouch trackpad, allowing me to use the volume up
& down keys as intended. I did change the standard
Exposé key F3 to show Application Windows, instead of
all windows. Perfect.
Hopefully all that won’t have been too confusing,
it’s definitely worth installing and is probably
explained a lot better on the developers site.
Ah, there is one other thing: To make it work, you must
go to System Preferences>Universal access and tick,
“Enable access for assistive
devices”.