In Customize Touch Bar, provide an option to always show Fn keys

[BenjaminD4]

When I go into "Customize Touch Bar" for an application in my Windows VM, I want to have the option to always show the Fn keys (Esc + F1 - F12) when I'm in that app. Right now, I have the option to either turn on function keys for all the apps in the VM, I can add "Default Set" for a specific app, or I can build my own Esc + Fn keys by dragging and dropping for that app. The default Esc+Fn keys touch pad layout is great but if I build my own or do Default Set, I either can't get it quite right or I get extra stuff that I don't need.

This is an especially annoying problem for Visual Studio 2017 because they keys that I want are usually F10, F11, and F12. Yes, I know that there are Touch Bar icons for the touch bar for Visual Studio 2017 already out of the box...but they use only icons and the icons don't make any sense to me.

 

[alev]

Buttons with names are a little bit below icons. Does it work for you?

 

[BenjaminD4]

The designer for Customize Touch Bar isn't the problem. It's when it's actually on the touch bar that's confusing because those little labels under the buttons aren't there.

 

[alev]

If you drop to the Touch Bar buttons from the top row, there are icons on them. But if you use buttons that I've highlighted in a post above, they are shown as F10, F11 and F12 in the Touch Bar. At least this is what we see on machines in our lab. If it is not the same for you - please post a Report ID here (to collect it use Help -> Send Technical Data menu).

 

[BenjaminD4]

Hi Alev --
Ahhhh...i understand the confusion now. You and I are talking about two different things. What you're describing works fine...but it's missing a feature that I want.
Here's a screenshot of the function key strip that I want as an option in Customize Touch Bar.

For MacOS apps (for example, Visual Studio Code), I can go to System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Function Keys and add the application that I want. In the screenshot below, I have the function key strip that I want in the touch bar configured for Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio for Mac, and Microsoft Remote Desktop.

In Customize Touch Bar, there isn't the option to put that strip of function keys into the touch bar. So even though I can customize the touch bar, the best option that I have is to either put in the "Default Set" or put in the individual fn keys that I want. The Default Set is suboptimal because it's always hiding the upper fn# keys. See screenshot vs-touchbar.png. (BTW, I can't figure out how to take a screenshot of the touchbar for apps running in parallels...is it even possible?)

If Parallels had an option that was similar to System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Function Keys, that would be AWESOME. Otherwise, being able to drag the equivalent function key strip into the touchbar from Customize Touch Bar would be a great section option.
Thanks!

 

[alev]

Looks like we don't have control over Control Strip.
So you can try to add Parallels Desktop to the System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Function Keys, but it will apply F keys to every app running in Parallels Desktop.

P.S.
To take a screenshot of Touch Bar, use CMD+Shift+6, works in any app, including Parallels Desktop.