function key

function key

   <hardware> (From the {IBM 3270} terminal's Programmed Function
   Keys (PF keys)) One of a set of special keys on a computer or
   {terminal} keyboard which can be programmed so as to cause an
   {application program} to perform certain actions.

   Function keys on a terminal may either generate short fixed
   sequences of characters, often beginning with the {escape}
   character ({ASCII} 27), or the characters they generate may be
   configured by sending special character sequences to the
   terminal.

   On a {microcomputer} keyboard, the function keys may generate
   a fixed, single byte code, outside the normal {ASCII} range,
   which is translated into some other configurable sequence by
   the keyboard {device driver} or interpreted directly by the
   {application program}.

   (1995-02-07)