Use of Fn+FX keys on Linux HP laptops

[Carlos H G Carvalho]

I am with some difficulties here in my new HP dv4170 laptop. I just installed Gentoo Linux. After some googling, I managed to get the X running on 1280x800, nut I can´t get the Funcyion keys working! The main problem is with Fn+F4, which should switch beetwen displays, but I can´t even get the keycode for it... Does anyone have this keys working on a HP laptop?

[Rick Garland]

I have a Pavilion notebook I loaded with FC3.
I use the keys.

Example, gets me a text virtual desktop. gets me back to the GUI desktop.

This is also a function of the /etc/inittab file. I have gettys running on tty1 to tty6

[Carlos H G Carvalho]

That'a not what I mean. The combination CRTL+ALT+F1...F6 is a default to navegate beetwen terminals, and F7 for go back to the X.

My problem is with the Hotkeys, used with the Fn key and F1...F12. Fn+F7 and Fn+F8, for instance, are used to adjust brightness.

My biggest problem is with Fn+F4, which should be used to swich displays, for instance, in a presentation, when one wants to project what is on the laptop to a screen via a LCD projector.

[Kodjo Agbenu]

Hi,

First, make sure of your BIOS setting.
Second, tell us what happens if you boot directly with the external display connected.

Good lcuk.
Kodjo

[Carlos H G Carvalho]

Well in the BIOS there aren't options (at least I don't know where tehy are).

If I boot with some other monitor attached, the graphics go directly to the other monitor, and I can change then back with FnF4. If I let the boot proccess go until the end, then I can't go back to the laptop.

I heard something about the Fn keys working out-of-the-box with Ubuntu linux, maybe it is worth trying..

[Kodjo Agbenu]

Have a look on this :
http://tuxmobil.org/beamer_unix.html

[Thomas Bianco]

in windows, this is done via the drivers (or the bios, until the drivers seize control of the hardware). if the laptop has manufacturer drivers available, be sure to use HPs, rather then the stock X drivers or FB drivers.

i fired up an old dos keycode watcher, and it appears that Fn key events are not being passed via the standard methods, so i doubt you'll be able to configure a response from userland.