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Windows ALT+F keyboard shortcut stopped working — Parallax Forums

Windows ALT+F keyboard shortcut stopped working

Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
edited 2014-08-17 23:13 in General Discussion
For as long as I can remember, in Windows Notepad (any many other programs e.g. Basic Stamp editor) you could hold down the ALT key and press the "F" key and then the "S" key (while the ALT key is held down) to save a file.
Also the ALT+F combination would open the File dropdown menu.

This still works on my XP computers, but on my Windows 7 Pro x64 computer it recently stopped working.

The ALT+E combination does open the Edit dropdown, ALT+O opens the Format dropdown, ALT+V opens the View dropdown, etc
but ALT+F does not work (the underscores do appear under all of the menu selections when ALT is pressed).

If you press and release the ALT key, the menu items' underscores appear and then you can press "F" to get the File dropdown.


I am pretty sure this is a recent issue since I use Notepad frequently and the ALT+F, S key sequence.

I searched the web but the only article I found was here: <alt>+<f> no longer opens file menu in Windows 7 programs
and it indicates that "Most recent system update (around 01 Apr 2013) seems to have fixed the issue" but I didn't have WIN7 until this year and all updates are applied.

Any input from Windows 7 users would be welcome.

P.S. - I know CTRL-S also saves a file in notepad but old habits are hard to break...

Comments

  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-08-16 11:46
    Very odd indeed. I have about 61 updates that "need" to be installed but I am hesitant to install ANY Windows 7 updates as it always seems to break something quite important to me. The last time I did I was no longer able to use Active X controls to remote in to Sonic Walls on client servers. I had to revert to Java which I did not want to do but it was the only fix available.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 11:48
    NWCCTV wrote: »
    Very odd indeed. I have about 61 updates that "need" to be installed but I am hesitant to install ANY Windows 7 updates as it always seems to break something quite important to me. The last time I did I was no longer able to use Active X controls to remote in to Sonic Walls on client servers. I had to revert to Java which I did not want to do but it was the only fix available.

    I applied about 11 updates yesterday, but did a System Restore to Aug 13 after I discovered the problem. It did not fix the issue.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-08-16 11:54
    What is the question here?

    CTRL-S, CTRL-X, CTRL-V,CTRL-C, and other MS/Windows keyboard short cuts have become so in grained into the PC world that most apps support them no matter what OS they run on today.

    Now, it seems you are saying MS has changed their mind.

    Oh well.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-08-16 11:56
    Can you go back any further? What bugs me about Windows updates is that you often do not figure out there is a problem until some time later when something does not work as it use to. It is quite difficult to check every single thing that normally works immediately after a Windows update.

    Edit: If I remember to, I try and create my own Admin restore point before applying updates. However, I find it odd that this does not always work either.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2014-08-16 12:05
    Try using the on screen keyboard to rule out any hardware issues.

    My favorite one was the right shift key not working in nested remote desktop sessions.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 12:06
    NWCCTV wrote: »
    Can you go back any further? What bugs me about Windows updates is that you often do not figure out there is a problem until some time later when something does not work as it use to. It is quite difficult to check every single thing that normally works immediately after a Windows update.

    Edit: If I remember to, I try and create my own Admin restore point before applying updates. However, I find it odd that this does not always work either.

    I set up a Schedule entry to create a Restore Point every other day but clear them out manually to save space.

    I modified a VB6 program to use the "L" instead of the "F" (File vs. File) and ALT_L worked fine.

    Moving the File menu item further to the right in the menu list did not correct the issue, so it is the ALT+F combination that is the problem, not being the first menu item.

    Can you try ALT+F in notepad on your WIN7 PC to see if it works?

    Thanks!
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 12:11
    xanadu wrote: »
    Try using the on screen keyboard to rule out any hardware issues.

    My favorite one was the right shift key not working in nested remote desktop sessions.

    I tried another identical keyboard with the same result. Don't know to simulate two keys being pressed at the same time on the on-screen keyboard...
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-08-16 12:14
    NWCCTV,
    I try and create my own Admin restore point before applying updates However, I find it odd that this does not always work either.
    What are you using to make such snapshots or "restore points"?

    If you wrapped up the whole Windows monster in a virtual machine under Virtual Box or VmWare you could have total control and restore the thing to any any snap shot of your choosing.

    Failing that if you have Windows installed on a real hard drive a quick "dd" command from any sane OS will make a snapshot that can be restored any time you like.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2014-08-16 12:51
    Ron Czapala wrote: »
    I tried another identical keyboard with the same result. Don't know to simulate two keys being pressed at the same time on the on-screen keyboard...

    Different boards was a no go, sorry to hear. The on screen keyboard's Alt key toggles when you click it.

    I can type Alt+F on Win 7U x64 just fine.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-08-16 14:07
    Ron: the shortcut fails only in Notepad, or everywhere?
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 14:15
    erco wrote: »
    Ron: the shortcut fails only in Notepad, or everywhere?

    It seems to fail in any program where a top level menu item uses "F" as the hotkey e.g. File

    The Basic Stamp editor is one
  • SapphireSapphire Posts: 496
    edited 2014-08-16 14:24
    Works fine on my Win 7 SP1 with Notepad. Press and hold Alt, then press F to bring down the File menu. Then pressing S with Alt still down saves the file, or opens the file save dialogue if it's the first time saving.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 14:34
    Sapphire wrote: »
    Works fine on my Win 7 SP1 with Notepad. Press and hold Alt, then press F to bring down the File menu. Then pressing S with Alt still down saves the file, or opens the file save dialogue if it's the first time saving.

    Thanks for testing that - its used to work for me too! Are you using the 32-bit version or the 64-bit (like me)?

    Have you applied all the updates?
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2014-08-16 14:35
    Maybe they switched from Alt to that stupid "Windows" key. Does Alt-Tab still rotate through open apps?

    -Phil
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-08-16 14:47
    Sapphire wrote: »
    Works fine on my Win 7 SP1 with Notepad. Press and hold Alt, then press F to bring down the File menu. Then pressing S with Alt still down saves the file, or opens the file save dialogue if it's the first time saving.

    Also works fine on Win8.1 with Notepad, so they (MS) isn't moving away from that shortcut.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-08-16 14:50
    Can you try ALT+F in notepad on your WIN7 PC to see if it works?
    Works with no problem.
    What are you using to make such snapshots or "restore points"?
    Windows System Restore. I also do a daily backup to an external drive.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 14:57
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »
    Maybe they switched from Alt to that stupid "Windows" key. Does Alt-Tab still rotate through open apps?

    -Phil

    Yes - everything else seems to be fine - just any program using ALT+F. Other hotkey shortcuts work OK.

    I've checked "Sticky key" settings anything else I can come up with that might influence it. There is a Windows program called mskey.exe which shows the raw key values and it seems normal too...

    BTW Windows key + Tab uses the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D"
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 15:13
    I just ran the system file checker from an elevated command prompt and it found no problems.
    C:\Windows>sfc /scannow
    Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.
    Beginning verification phase of system scan.
    Verification 100% complete.
    Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
  • SapphireSapphire Posts: 496
    edited 2014-08-16 16:21
    Ron,

    It's the 64-bit version Win7 SP1. Dell XPS laptop. Updates applied just yesterday.

    Is this a new computer platform? Maybe the keyboard isn't sending the scan codes? Or you have some keyboard filtering going on? Or you need to reboot?
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 17:11
    Sapphire wrote: »
    Ron,

    It's the 64-bit version Win7 SP1. Dell XPS laptop. Updates applied just yesterday.

    Is this a new computer platform? Maybe the keyboard isn't sending the scan codes? Or you have some keyboard filtering going on? Or you need to reboot?

    I had this computer custom built in March:
    • MSI Z87 Mpower motherboard
    • Intel i5-4670 3.4GHz Quadcore processor
    • Radeon XFX HD5420 2 Gig PCIe SVGA video card
    • WD 1TB Caviar Black SATA hard drive
    • WD 1TB Caviar Blue SATA hard drive
    • 8 GB DDR3-1600 RAM (2 x 4G)
    • two Lite-On 24x DVD-/+RW SATA Burners
    • StarTech.com 4 port USB slot plate adapter
    • Windows 7 Pro - 64 bit
    • Microsoft Digital Media Keyboard 3000
    • Evoluent Vertical Mouse ver3 rev2
    • Viewsonic 22" LED Full HD LCD Monitor
    Everything has been running pretty smooth until this freaky thing.

    I run Norton Internet Security and apply updates as they come along.

    No tricky key mapping or anything like that.
    Checked the keyboard drivers - they are current.
    The BIOS does not have any key translation features
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2014-08-16 17:18
    Norton Internet Security? Have you tried disabling that?
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 17:23
    xanadu wrote: »
    Norton Internet Security? Have you tried disabling that?

    That's been on there since Day 1 but I just tried it as a longshot. No change.

    I may try reinstalling my keyboard drivers.
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,754
    edited 2014-08-16 18:24
    Works fine on my Win 7 64-Bit.

    Does it work in Safe Mode?
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2014-08-16 19:26
    I had installed a program called TeraTerm when I was working with my RovingNetworks RN-XV WiFly modules. It was the recommended serial terminal program.

    TeraTerm installs several other programs: LogMETT, TTLEditor, Collector.exe, etc.

    It was a royal P.I.T.A. to uninstall TeraTerm because the components were all running and sharing DLLs with other programs, but after I got rid of all the pieces - MAGIC!!

    Notepad and other programs which use ALT+F to open the file menu started working again!!!

    What a pain.

    I actually ended up using the Parallax Serial Terminal with the WiFly modules - TeraTerm was not intuitive and too much work to learn.

    Now I can sleep tonight..........

    Thanks to all for your suggestions.
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,754
    edited 2014-08-17 23:13
    I had a feeling it was an installed program.
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