I'm getting annoyed that the shortcut keys I'm used to on Windows, for navigating text and for Ctrl-key combinations, are different on the Mac. And different again on the Parallels VM.
I would like it to be like Windows:
Ctrl-arrows = word left or right
Alt-arrows = navigate forward and backward in browser
Shift = select text
Home/End = beginning/end of line
Ctrl-key = shortcut, where key is what it would be labelled if it was a Dvorak keyboard
Interestingly, os x applies the face letter of the key as a shortcut. On Windows you press Ctrl-B I think to get Ctrl-X; on OS-X it's actually Cmd-X.
In OS X, with Control and Command keys swapped in System Preferences - > Keyboard & Mouse -> Keyboard ->Modifier keys, I get this behaviour:
Ctrl-arrows = nothing
Alt-arrows = nothing
Command-arrows (Windows key) = word left/right
Ctrl-key = shortcut
Command-key = alternative character
Also, the Fn arrow keys should, according to the keyboard's labels, function as Home and End, but they don't. I can't get that functionality that I can see.
Alt = command key (funny cross thing)
Ctrl = ctrl key
Windows = option key
This page has a very good article from Apple's KB:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304270
It links to the MS keyboard layout creator tool:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/msklc.mspx
But now some people seem to have worked on the Home/End key problem:
http://www.starryhope.com/tech/2006/mac-os-x-home-and-end-keys/
The crux of the problem is that I want to press the Ctrl key and get left and right, but also get shortcuts. But while I can switch the Ctrl key to be the Option key (which on the Mac does the word-skipping), then I can't use it to be the command key (which on the mac does the commands). Worse, when I go to Windows, it interprets the Ctrl key as the Alt key (of course), and opens the menu bar. So Ctrl arrows doesn't work there.
Some help might be available here:
http://lists.apple.com/archives/projectbuilder-users/2002/May/msg00474.html
This gives information on the key bindings file and some actions and keys that you can use in it.
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2 comments:
This page mentions a special UK keyboard layout file. Perhaps it wouldn't be too hard to make my own keyboard layout file for Dvorak.
This page mentions a kext that enables the dead / | key next to the L-hand shift key.
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