How to emulate numpad on a PC laptop?

Question

Some programs use numpad keys for commands: for example to select all files in a folder in the FAR Manager you can just press the numpad *. Also in Windows one can, for example, type § by Alt+(Numpad0-Numpad1-Numpad6-Numpad7).

Therefore I'm asking, how to "press numpad keys" using my HP 2000-210us laptop's keyboard:

One similar question about Lenovo laptop suggests, that it may be simple at least for some laptops.

Here is the list of solutions I've tried:

1. I tried typing different keystrokes on my keyboard.

   • Fn+key and Fn+Shift+key combinations (where key is a digit or letter key). They give the same result, as just key and Shift+key respectively.

   • Fn+F8 and similar in a search for some numlock-like combination (without any luck).

2. I tried to use AutoHotKey, being inspired by this question.

   • Following this question, I was able to remap combinations RAlt+number to RAlt+numpad number, which allows to type special characters: I can now type § by RAlt+(0-1-6-7). Here RAlt = Right Alt key.

   • Trying to come to some ergonomic remapping I thought about remapping Fn+key to Numpadkey, s.t. Fn+Enter gives NumpadEnter, Fn+Shift+8 gives NumpadMult, Fn+Alt+(0-1-6-7) gives Alt+(Numpad0-Numpad1-Numpad6-Numpad7), i.e. § symbol. However following this page from AutoHotKey documentation I've found, that "Key history" page doesn't track Fn keypresses (i.e. pressing 8 and Fn+8 give the same virtual keys (38) and scan codes (009) in this list). The documentation suggests, that in this case I should, probably, "reconfigure the software that came with" my keyboard. I'm not sure, where to look for those configurations:

Solution

Fn+F8 and similar in a search for some numlock-like combination (without any luck). … Trying to come to some ergonomic remapping I thought about remapping Fn+key to Numpadkey.

No, AHK (and all software for that matter) will usually be unable to intercept or affect the Fn key unless your laptop happens to implement it in software as opposed to the keyboard controller like most laptops (I have only ever heard of a few IBM ThinkPads doing that). I gave a technical explanation of how it works and why you can’t do what you want.

Instead, you could try using a different combination of Alt, Shift, Win instead of Fn (also try the modifier keys on the other side of the keyboard than you are used to since that may actually end up being more ergonomic). In fact, you could try training yourself to use two hands (for example, holding Ctrl with the left and Alt with the right.)

You could even try making your numpad hotkeys using a custom combination (e.g., Q+U = Numpad-7, Q+J = Numpad-4, etc.), however I wouldn’t recommend it because it complicates things (though it can be done and worked out).

Comments

[MariusMatutiae]

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