VirtualAcorn Technical support:
RISC OS Function Keys

A few users have reported problems using the RISC OS function keys (F1 to F12) along the top of the keyboard. Under RISC OS pressing these keys should perform the same operation as a "real" RISC OS machine, however sometimes this is not the case and the keys may not work at all.

By default Mac OS X does some interesting things when the function keys on the keyboard are pressed. The problem is that RISC OS never sees the key being pressed as the Mac grabs the key press and performs an action before RISC OS has had a chance to do anything. This can be most annoying, especially when you want to press F12 to enter the command line and instead the Mac OS X dashboard appears over the top of the RISC OS screen display.

Luckily there is a simple solution that disables the special features and turns the function keys back into normal keys that can then be read by RISC OS.

• Quit VirtualRPC.
• From the Apple menu (top left) choose System Preferences.
• Click on the Keyboard and Mouse option.
• Ensure that the option Use all F1, F2, etc keys as standard function keys is enabled.
• Close the System Preferences window.
• Start up VirtualRPC and check that the function keys now operate correctly

This should resolve any problems with the Functions keys not operating under RISC OS.