Cannot use F10 key in Midnight commander running in OS X's terminal

Question

I connect to my server from Terminal in Mac OS X 10.5. When I run Midnight Commander there I cannot use function keys like F10 to close MC even I cannot use mouse to control MC. Any idea why function keys don't work ?

DarkDust · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-27T14:06:31.167

65

Don't know why the Fx keys don't work, but you can press Esc, then 0 to simulate F10. Also works with 1-9 for F1-F9.

edited Sep 27 '11 at 14:06

answered Oct 15 '10 at 18:24

DarkDust

1,603

score 11 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 16 '10 at 10:05

Function keys are used to control both software and hardware functions as well as Dashboard and Expose in Mac OS X. If you have a Macbook Pro, F1 and F2 control screen lighting, F10 mutes the speakers, etc.

Check the Keyboard preference pane in System Preferences.app:

Is the checkbox "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" on the "Keyboard tab" checked? If it's not, you need to press Fn+F10 for Mac OS to register a F10 key press. Otherwise, you're just toggling mute speakers (or whatever you have on F10).
Check the second tab, "Keyboard Shortcuts", especially "Dashboard & Dock", and "Exposé & Spaces", if F10 is used for one of these functions. If it is, the key press is intercepted before Terminal receives it.

This answer was written for Mac OS X 10.6, I don't know if those dialogs were changed. If step 2 above does not work, check the Dashboard/Expose/Spaces preference pane in System Preferences, the same settings should be available there.

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 29 '14 at 20:56

4

To send F1-F12 keys to an ncurses program running in Terminal.app press fn+command+F1…F12. This works for me on a MacBook Air with OS X 10.9.

answered Apr 29 '14 at 20:56

Quinn Comendant

1,406

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 11 '17 at 09:09

3

This problem occurs because of ansi terminfo.
You can change declaration to xterm in Terminal Preferences Advanced Tab and fn keys will work.

answered Jul 11 '17 at 09:09

user6327

131

score -1 · Answer 5 · edited Jan 16 '18 at 23:30

Go to 'System Preferences...' select 'Expose & Spaces' Preference Pane.
Click on the Expos Tab.
Change the All Windows Setting to for instance F11
Change Application Windows Setting to for instance F12
Change Show Desktop Setting to for instance F13
Close System Preferences App

And your Terminal is able to respond to the Function Keys correctly and you're able to quit Midnight Commander.

Cannot use F10 key in Midnight commander running in OS X's terminal

5 Answers5