LCDoff - Software Screen Killswitch

[kev009]

Hi,

I wrote this utility when I upgraded my trusty T42 to Windows 7. The LCD kill function key combo no longer works.

http://www.kev009.com/wp/projects/lcdoff/

I wrote this little utility in assembler so it is 7.5kb small. It ought to work on even pretty ancient Windows versions unlike some of the .net ones you see out there. I also posted my Assembly code so you can hack it in to your own programs or confirm my utility isn't doing nefarious things.

If you pin it to your task bar, it is very convenient to use when you are going to step away from your computer, go to bed, etc but like to leave your machine running.

[yak]

I wrote something similar recently and posted it here:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=80052

I use the ThinkVantage button of my T60 to trigger it since the Productivity Center it used to start is no longer supported on Windows 7.

My version also turns the ThinkLight off, just like the Fn+F3 does.

BTW, Fn+F3 still works for me on Windows 7 but since now I'm able to turn the monitor off with a single keypress, I use the Fn+F3 to switch power schemes.

[Marin85]

Is there any way to make Fn+F3 switch off the monitor, provided one does not have Lenovo Power Manager installed? I have my ThinkVantage key assigned to control panel, and given the state of my battery, Lenovo Power Manager has just become obsolete for me, not to mention that most profiles under Power Manager are not very effective (unlike Windows 7 native power management or many earlier versions of Power Manager)...

Thanks,

Marin

[yak]

Is there any way to make Fn+F3 switch off the monitor, provided one does not have Lenovo Power Manager installed?

Hi Marin,

I guess if the hotkey utility is installed then you can tweak the registry. Start "regedit" and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\IBM\TPHOTKEY\CLASS\01\03

The "File" value in this key determines what will be started when you press Fn+F3. In my case it is:
C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\PwmOSDV.exe

which shows the Power Manager's power schemes popup window (or turns the display off depending on configuration). If you put the LCDoff there, it should work. Also consider using my equivalent which doesn't cause a console window to pop up and it turns off the ThinkLight as well.

You may still need the Power Management Driver or whatever it is called. I'm not sure but it's possible the hotkey utility needs this to work.

[Marin85]

Hi yak,

thanks for your response! For some reason I could not make the Fn+F3 combination work, I tried a custom location like C:\MonitorOff\MonitorOff.exe and then the ThinkPad Utilities location (who knows ), but they both did not work out for me. However, it was no problem to assign the MonitorOff function to the ThinkVantage key as you describe in your post. In fact, I like it more than tha Fn+F3 because it is just one click , not to mention I have a Control Panel link on my start menu anyway. Thanks for the great utility!

Marin

[rcepek]

http://www.grc.com/wizmo/wizmo.htm

Has anyone tried this? I use it currently with the "=monoff" switch works quit well andicon on I just place a shortcut my desktop

[yak]

http://www.grc.com/wizmo/wizmo.htm

Has anyone tried this? I use it currently with the "=monoff" switch works quit well andicon on I just place a shortcut my desktop

Well, my tool is still better cause it turns the ThinkLight off, hehe

[jsharpe]

I just discovered that in the current Thinkpad power management utility (under the advanced settings) there is an option to select what fn+f3 does. It can either be set to launch the power utility or turn off the LCD. I believe it defaults to the power utility but I just tried setting it the other way to get the "legacy" behavior I was looking for. It worked great.