I am using a vanilla install of Cmder (mini). Windows 10 with WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux, Bash for Windows) installed. Using the following command to load bash in Cmder.
%windir%\system32\bash.exe ~ -c zsh -cur_console:p
To check if function keys work at all in the terminal window, I opened a text file with nano. With nano open, if I press F2 (the shortcut to save and close), it works as expected. So, the terminal receives at least F2 correctly.
Then, I opened byobu (installed by default in WSL / Ubuntu). Byobu opens correctly. But when I press F2, nothing happens. It is expected to open a new window within Byobu. Nothing even gets printed in the terminal.
Now, I am not sure if it is a ConEmu problem specifically. The exact same thing happens with the regular Windows cmd.exe . The difference is – if I Left-Click anywhere on the cmd terminal screen (activates select mode), and if I then press F2, it works by opening a new byobu window.
If I run tmux directly, then the Ctrl-B+% and Ctrl-B+" shortcuts work.
Not being able to use byobu makes the whole Windows Bash experience useless for me (especially when SSHing to remote machines). I would much appreciate a solution. Thanks!
Best Answer
The F-key controls in Byobu under Ubuntu on Windows just recently started working for me, with the latest update to the Developer Channel of Windows 10 on the Fast Ring.
Full disclosure: I'm the author of Byobu.