Using the Gold Key

This key transmits the next keystroke to the remote system without translation; this is used for transmitting keystrokes that normally have special meaning to the TinyTERM Emulator, such as the ALT function keys. Programmable ALT function keys are not placed on terminals just for the use of application programs like the TinyTERM Emulator. They are user-programmable, and often used for storing macros, or invoking special actions.

By default, the Gold key is mapped to ALT+F3. It may be changed in the Keyboard Setup dialog box.

The ALT+F3 key (sometimes referred to as the Gold key in memory of various DEC systems which do have a special gold-colored key on the keyboard with this function) allows you to send function keys to the remote system, instead of executing its normal function within the TinyTERM Emulator. Simply press ALT+F3, then the function key you want to send. For example, if the function key F1 on the remote system were programmed to insert a line of text in an editor but you have mapped your F1 key to display the Emulation Setup dialog, you could press ALT+F3, then F1 to insert that text. If you didn't use the Gold key, F1 would produce the Emulation Setup dialog.