Sunday, May 8, 2011

Changing Functions of Keys!

In my previous post, I mentioned how the 'm' key on my laptop was half-broken and that I didn't want to type that key too often. However, since 'm' was a letter that was used relatively frequently, it was impossible to simply avoid using the letter.

Therefore I decided to find a way to change the function of my keyboard so that when I type another key, it would be as if I have pressed the key 'm.' Fortunately, I quickly found a program that could do the exact thing. The program was called SharpKeys (click here to download), and it worked perfectly. You would basically have to select (or type) one key, and then specify what key you want it to be turned into. After that, you would just need to re-login or restart the computer and the key should be changed.

In my case, I changed the "page down" key, located beside the enter key, into the 'm' key. The "page down" key was a key that I never used, and its location was relatively good. And yes, all the m's in this post are typed using the "page down" key!

Unfortunately, my right hand is feeling unusually tired right now, and I am suspecting that it's because I have to press the "page down" key when I want to type an "m." Maybe I will change the right alt key into an "m" too, and see whether it'd be easier for me to type.

Nevertheless, I am really thankful for this program. It has helped me a lot already even though I have only used it since yesterday night. Without it, I would have to type unusually slow to avoid damaging the "m" key, and  this would just be painful.

Thank you, SharpKeys!