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Palua allows you to quickly switch between standard and Apple function keys

by Samuel Gibbs Apr 21st 2011 at 9:00AM

Palua

If you're an Apple keyboard or MacBook user, you'll know how useful the F1-F12 function keys can be when mapped to Apple functions such as brightness control, Expose and play controls. But what happens when you need the function keys to behave in a non-Apple mapped way? Sure you can hold down the "fn" key, but that can get a bit tedious. You could also switch the Apple and standard functions using Keyboard Preferences, leaving Apple functions under the control of the "fn" key, but again, how often do you really need the standard function keys under normal circumstances?

This is where the tiny utility Palua, from the folks at Molowa, comes in. It's a minuscule little app that sits in your menu bar and lets you switch between standard function and Apple keys with a quick Cmd+Opt+Tab or via the menu bar. Once you're done with the standard keys, just press Cmd+Opt+Tab again, and everything will be put back to normal - simple and effective.

If you're a photo or video editor, someone who works a lot with custom keyboard maps or you just need the standard F1-F12 keys every now and again, then the US$0.99 Palua, available from the Mac App Store, could be just the ticket.



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If you're an Apple keyboard or MacBook user, you'll know how useful the F1-F12 function keys can be when mapped to Apple functions...
 

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18 Comments

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Neshy

This is very useful when playing Steam games.

April 23 2011 at 6:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Anthony La

An auto-switch for when I'm using VMware would be mighty fine.

April 22 2011 at 9:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
NerdyLibery

I want a refund, unless someone can tell me how to program the keys. There are no instructions that I could find.

April 22 2011 at 1:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to NerdyLibery's comment
Samuel Gibbs

You can't program the keys as such, Palua simply switches between Apple and standard function F keys.

April 22 2011 at 1:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gshearman

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned FunctionFlip: http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/27989/functionflip

It allows you to select which function (e.g. dim or F1) each function key should be by default.

Plus it's free.

April 21 2011 at 6:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
franck

Tom, a smart mode is schedulded for the 2.0 release. It will allow you to choose which mode you need regarding the front application

For the next release you'll see shortcut personnalisation and in-app or growl notification. Subtle changes to the GUI is also in the pipeline.

Thanks for all for the comments

April 21 2011 at 12:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tom

I'd like to see one that would be program specific. If I have the Forklift app running, I need quick access to F5, F6 & F7, although the rest of the keys could stay. If I switch to another app, then I don't care about using the function keys. It'd be nice if you could have it only flip functions when certain programs are foreground.

April 21 2011 at 12:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt Jones

This seems pretty cool, but I've been using FunctionFlip ( http://kevingessner.com/software/functionflip/ ) lately and it's really nice. The biggest difference is that FunctionFlip allows individual keys to be toggled, and can even distinguish between internal and external keyboards (so for instance, you can flip the F8 key on *only* the MBP keyboard). It doesn't have the toggling behavior that Palua does, though.

April 21 2011 at 10:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
webstuff

I find it easier to just use a Shortcut Key app to assign F keys to do whatever I want. Both Apptivate ($) and Spark (Free) override system shortcuts, so there's no need for something like this app.

April 21 2011 at 10:11 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kevin

Sorry this is a little off subject. What app does the leaf icon on the dock represent (on the screenshot)?

April 21 2011 at 10:10 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Kevin's comment
Samuel Gibbs

That's Breeze (http://www.tuaw.com/2010/07/24/breeze-another-fresh-take-on-window-management/) although the menu bar icon has changed since we looked at it last on TUAW.

April 21 2011 at 10:15 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JW

Starcraft!

April 21 2011 at 10:09 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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