Function Key F13

@Dave -

Back to your original problem with your S 530 Mac Logitech Keyboard (and mouse combo - but I use a trackball and usually forget about that part) anyway....

I have primarily stuck with Tiger since the release of Leopard. Leopard has major issues. For everything good and new and innovative - there are just as many bad things with it. Otherwise Apple probably wouldn't have announced that Snow Leopard (10.6) is to be a Stability upgrade.

Anyway - I'm piping my 2 cents in as I have had the same problem recently.

I hvae had a primary install of Tiger with the Logitech S 530 Cordless White Mac Keyboard. It's a blast and I absolutely love the key response on it.

I also had a copy of Leopard running from an external FireWire Drive - mostly to check it out and wait for stuff to get Leopard compatible. Except that Leopard has proven to be problematic at best.

Was having this same exact problem on my FW Leo install. Except that I typically Map the Dashboard launch to F13. I was chalking the "forced Screenshot" up to yet more Leo issues. At this point I think it's a glitch in Logitech LCC software.

Recently my HD died inside my computer. Took it apart and upgraded the drive. Have spent the past week rebuilding and re-installing a fresh system of sorts.

This time out I decided to run Partitions - 'cause I still use Tiger for a few things and switching back and forth is no biggie. So I have Tiger on one Partition and Leo on a 2nd.

Runnin the latest 2.6 LCC for the S530 I think is the problem. After the OS install the first thing I always do is go thru and set User Prefs and settings throughout the OS. Then start installing 3rd party add-ons like LCC or Unsanity's Haxies or Growl etc... Well Dashboard via F13 was running just fine while I was tweaking and installing stuff. As I was jumping to it to monitor bandwidth and system processes via iStat Pro and also checking the weather for tomorrow.

The last thing I installed was LCC 2.6. Didn't think anything about it - went on doing other stuff and then needed to jump to Dashboard for 5 seconds. But no Dashboard - I hear a camera sound coming from my speakers. I try again and Screenshot after Screenshot ladning on the Desktop. I was doing a bunch of installs - not sure in what order - and decided to uninstall one at a time starting with LCC 2.6.

Then Test everything after each single uninstall. Sure enough - if I didn't regain accessing Dashboard via F13 as soon as I uninstalled LCC 2.6.

I went out to Logitech's website and dug around - not very organized and couldn not find the Product Page for the s530 within their site without going to Google and searching back into Logitech. Nobody specifically touched on the F13 Key issue - but Logitech posted that they are aware of issues pertaining to LCC and Leopard - even though they say that LCC v2.3.1 is compatible. Maybe it just barely functions. In between those 2 versions is 2.4. I dug around some more and found a copy of it and have installed it - but have yet to restart my computer to test if it works and maybe something Logitech tweaked in 2.6 broke.

I don't think this is a direct Apple problem - other than the fact that Apple tends to change and move things around within the OS from one version to the next Which tends to disrupt 3rd party add-ons. Then the 3rd parties have to go back and tweak their stuff to accommodate the new OS "design".

I'll post something after I test v2.4.

PS if you uninstall the LCC you can use your keyboard just fine without it and like I said F-key mapping is regained. The Volume controls also work (up - down - mute). The Power Key works. Also the Play Controls (prev - next - play/ pause).

The Custom Mapped Keys don't work tho - Home - eMail - Spotlight - iTunes and iPhoto launch buttons.

Ah, the second one I can answer. You'll have to re-register with a new ID. You can't change your userid, only make a new account. See: http://discussions.apple.com/ann.jspa?annID=558

I don't have your program so I can't test using it. Is this perhaps a reflection of something being unset in the application preferences rather than changing in the OS? You might wish to also about this on the software's own support pages.

If you're up for experimentation you could move Home > Library > Preferences > com.apple.systempreferences.plist to the desktop and restart. That file includes, among other, keyboard preferences. It will be replaced upon restarting by default settings. If that works then you can get rid of the old file but will have to re-set all your system preferences. If it doesn't work you can replace the new file with the old one and restart.

You have done nothing? Added no updates? Changed no settings? Computers usually don't suddenly up and do something without an intervening agent changing something (unless it is a mechanical breakdown).

Go to your system preferences, keyboard setting, shortcuts section and see if it F13 has been assigned to screenshot there.

P.S. You might want to get a new AppleID Having your email address as your ID is a good way to get SPAMed if a spider harvests addresses from these discussions.

Message was edited by: Limnos

I've been using my e-mail address as my username, because Apple suggested doing so years ago as my Apple ID, it being easy to remember. And I've had no problem doing so, until now -- when today I suddenly got an e-mail from Apple saying that this isn't allowed! Fine by me! I DID change it, and login using a different one, but every time I posted or replied to a topic, my old ID (e-mail) still showed up. Not my fault. Duh!! PS: When I tried to post this, having logged in with my non-e-mail ID, I got a message saying 'User 'XXXXXXXXX (e-mail) not allowed to post'. Double-duh!.

update: I tried out LCC v2.4 and it had the same results.

So I think your best bet would be to either run LCC 2.6 and use something other than F13 or uninstall LCC and have minor limited functionality on yore s530.

In the meantime Send Feedback to BOTH Apple and Logitech on your specific prolem - write up a text Doc and send it twice.

Me personally I need the F13 Key more than I need the Quick Launch buttons and I at least can retain the audio controls and the Power Button regardless.

Loitech hasn't apparently done anything to address this in over 2 years.

I'll probably submit something to them now that I have realized what the cause is.

and a final note - in my first post I mentioned that I have been running Tiger - LCC v2.6 installed in Tiger using the s530 works just fine F13 and all.

Many thanks for your detailed report. I'm running Tiger 10.4.11. I've taken the easy option and reset my Photoshop Action to Cmd/Shift F11 instead of Shift F13 (the F13=screenshot seems to work with or without modifier keys. It wouldn't matter if it was just F13). Actually I have another problem now! My batteries are OK, but my cordless S530 mouse has started behaving erratically - not always selecting a whole block of text, doesn't select an object or loses it. . . I wonder if this could be to do with LCC 2.6 too?

Yeah - I played around with the key combinations and holding SHIFT or OPTION or CONTROL or  all do the same thing and any combo of the modifier keys_

I just think Logitech needs to get on the ball_ Thank you for posting this to begin with as it sparked me to test things after my clean install onto a new out of the box HDD_

As far as the Mouse goes - as I mentioned I use a Trackball and don't think I've ever taken mine out of the box_

BUT the only thing I could think of - assuming fresh batteries as you mentioned - is to re-sync both devices with the USB key_ Do this after changing batteries - power outages - after long periods of shutdown - etc...

I leave my computer on unless I'm leaving town for any lenggth of time_ So if I'm gone for the weekend it's off for 2 or 3 days and I crank it up when I get back - the keyboard works like there has been no interruption but once in a while it starts acting weird - it will output the wrong characters on the screen when I'm typing or typically keyboard commands just stop working like +O to open something but does nothing - then I just do a re-sync and it's fine_

Analogy:
Kind of like an audio track getting a little out of sync with a video track during a movie you might be watching_

About that by the way - when I first got mine - I had the USB plugged directly into my computer - and it worked fine at first_ But after a while - maybe too much plugged into the back and some signal bleed might have been occuring - I pulled it from the drive and plugged it into that extender base thing that comes with the kit_ Put it on top of the computer and haven't had any problems since (except low batteries)_

I think it runs off of an RF (radio frequency) signal - but it seems to be a very weak RF signal and seems to work better when the USB key is in line of sight_ Before I moved mine - was on the back_

Interesting stuff, and it's good to know that I'm not alone out here 😉 I'm not sure what you mean by 're-sync to the USB key'? (that's the little silver thing like a memory stick? I have mine on a pedestal that my iMac sits on, only a foot or so from my keyboard and mouse.) Thanks for your help.

You got it
The keyboard sends a signal to something connected to the computer - a receiver of some sort_

On my MX Duo it was it was a little docking base in the shape of a large hershey kiss_

On my S530 Cordless it looks just like a generic USB Jump Drive/ Key Drive/ USB Stick_ It's white/ silver like the keyboard_

No problem_ Good luck!

Oh! Gotcha! Sorry_

The USB Key has a button on it and both the Keyboard and the Mouse have buttons on the bottom of them_ They should be Bright Red on the devices - I think it blends on the USB Key (same color)_

You may want to check the instructions that came with your Kit/ Set - but I think the Gist of it is to press the one on the USB Key until it flashes - this indicates that it's searching for stuff_

Then Press the buttons (red ones on bottom) on each of the devices - then the lights go solid_

This pretty much re-establishes the wireless connection - kind of like rebooting a router or computer_

There is a limited time that the USB Key searches - haven't ever seen documentation on the exact amount - I usually get the keyboard ready first ('cause it's in a funky spot) and it's an awkward shape - press the button on the USB Key with one hand give it a second - press the button on the keyboard - put it down - then press the button on the mouse (sinceyou mentioned a mouse) - a few seconds later everything should turn solid_

I just know if I don't do it quick enough it stops and I have to begin again_ But not so fast you chuck your keyboard and risk damaging it_ That might be another thing Logitech might not have thought thru very well (location of the re-sync buttons)_

I've had the same problem. And F14 and F15 won't work either for changing screen brightness (might be another problem linked to proprietary software for a Samsung screen).

I wonder if you guys had any reply at all from Logitech on this, since their website only mentions Tiger, never Leopard, in the LCC doc. If you didn't, may be we should each write them emails in a concerted way? (I like that keyboard and mouse, i have two of them at home and find it infuriating to see them work perfectly under Panther and Tiger, but not Leopard)

NM

PS I reconnected a standard Apple keyboard to check out F13 worked to launch Dashboard. It did… But now after i unconnected the Apple keyboard, the mouse wheel click (which i have set to open Dashboard, via LCC) opens Isync, not Dahboard! Obviously, the pbl is with LCC and Dashboard.

I am writing to the French Logitech support and adding this problem to the list.

NM