Hi All, Gordon asked me to draft up a version of my post on KeyRemap4Macbook, so I'm posting a first draft. Basically, this is keyboard remapping software that automatically lets you use an embedded numeric keypad on the right side of the keyboard by adding a press of the "Fn" key. This also, incidentally, gives you access to NumPad Commander custom key definitions in VoiceOver if you enable NumPad Commander. Additionally, you can use this software for regular keyboard remapping both on your current keyboard, other external keyboard, and in a virtual machine.
I'm limited as to what I can test -- I don't run Windows or VMWare Fusion, so I haven't tried to remap PC keyboards. Also, I'm not running Mountain Lion yet, so although I know this will install under ML, I believe you're prompted to bring up the context menu to run the GateKeeper authorization. I can't give explicit directions for this. Please give feedback on the contents (which are rather long). So far I haven't heard whether anyone else has tried this. I'll post the draft below my signature. Cheers, Esther -------- Getting NumPad and VoiceOver NumPad Commander functions on Mac Laptops When Apple introduced NumPad Commander customizable keyboard shortcuts for VoiceOver in Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5, October 2007) it followed up by almost immediately removing embedded numeric keypads on its laptops, effectively limiting full use of these shortcuts to the extended keyboards of desktop Macs. Here we outline how you can recover these capabilities by installing the KeyRemap4MacBook application. This also lets desktop map users access NumPad and NumPad Commander functions when they are using the Apple Wireless Keyboard, since the application works for all Macs, and not just the MacBook. KeyRemap4MacBook (hereafter, KR4MB) is a keyboard remapper for the Mac that can be freely downloaded from: http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/ This program, developed by Takayama Fumihiko, who maintains a Google Groups mailing list for questions and support issues, is donationware (free to download, but with the suggestion that you make a donation if you find it useful). When the downloaded .dmg file is opened, and the installer is run, a "KeyRemap4MacBook" preference pane is added to your System Preferences. By default, when KR4MB is installed on your Mac, you can access the NumPad using keys on the right side of your keyboard pressed in combination with the "Fn" key. Furthermore, if you have NumPad Commander enabled, you will be able to execute the full range of NumPad Commander custom definitions, including combinations with modifier keys such as Control, Command, Shift, etc. The activated NumPad keys are identical to those of the embedded numeric keypads in the old PowerPC laptops and the Intel MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops manufactured before November 2007 and February 2008, respectively. The number keys lie below the "7 8 9" keys in the top row of the keyboard, and form a 3 by 3 block centered on the "i" key, which is number "5". The "0" key is on the bottom row, on the "m" key (i.e., just below the flagged "j" key which is "1"). The layout of the full set of corresponding embedded NumPad keys, which include numerical operators and the "clear" key, is presented below. There are 18 embedded NumPad keys in four rows, with four keys in each of the three bottom rows consisting of 3 number keys or separators (comma or decimal point), followed by operator keys, similar to the regular numeric keypad. However, in order to make up the complement of 18 keys, the top row of number keys contains 6 keys -- an extra key to the right and left of the basic group of four comprised of the "clear" key (to the left) and the "equals" key (to the right). You can check this for yourself at any time by turning on VoiceOver keyboard help (VO-K), and pressing the the keys in question together with the "Fn" key. So the keys you press, together with the "Fn" key, produce (row by row, regular keys followed by their NumPad equivalents): "6 7 8 9 0 -" "clear 7 8 9 / =" "u i o p" "4 5 6 *" "j k l ;" "1 2 3 -" "m , . /" "0 , . +" As an example of usage of the regular NumPad, you can enter numbers in the Calculator app by holding down the "Fn" key and pressing the embedded NumPad keys for data and operations. The "clear" key (Fn+6) can be used in this application to clear the current entry. NumPad Commander usage If you have enabled NumPad Commander in VoiceOver Utility, any of the default or customized definitions specified for numeric keypad shortcuts can be used. Unlike the situation when you connect a separate external USB or Bluetooth NumPad, all the modifier key combinations will be correctly recognized. For the "NumPad Zero" modifier key, you press Fn+m in addition to the other keys for the embedded NumPad. Note that while you can turn on NumPad Commander with VO-Clear using Control+Option+Fn+6, once you turn it off with the same keyboard shortcut combination you will either need to toggle VoiceOver off and on again to use this shortcut again, or else you need to open VoiceOver Utility (VO-F8) and in the "Commanders" menu (Command-8) navigate to the "NumPad" tab, and check the box for "Enable NumPad Commander" to turn NumPad Commander on again. The reason behind this is that VoiceOver keyboard help announces the associated action as "Toggle NumPad Commander On or Off, Turns NumPad Commander on or Off if Numeric Keypad Exists". Apparently once you turn NumPad Commander off this way, VoiceOver considers that the embedded numeric keypad no longer exists, and cannot be toggled on again with the Fn key combination. A chart for the default NumPad Commander key definitions may be found using the link at Apple's VoiceOver downloads page: http://help.apple.com/voiceover/vo/en/VONumPad.html Key Remapping with KR4MB While the default action of KR4MB is to only add embedded NumPad functions when the application is installed, there are many more key remapping options available through its preference pane. You can also disable the NumPad hack, or specify that your remapped key definitions don't apply to external keyboards, internal keyboards, non-Apple keyboards, etc. By default, the keyboard remapping applies to all keyboards you connect to your computer. So, for example, if I use an Apple Wireless Keyboard through a Bluetooth connection, the embedded NumPad keys will work with this. Also, if I connect my MacBook Pro to an iPhone via Bluetooth with the Type2Phone app (that lets you use your Mac as a keyboard for typing on your iOS device), the remapped Fn key combinations for entering numbers also work. The main configuration items are on the "Change Key" tab that comes up by default on the KR4MB preference pane. There are two ways to find combinations you might want among the very long list of options. The first is to use the search box. If I type in "NumPad" and then navigate to the table of remapping options and interact, there will an expanded entry for "General" and a checkbox option for "Disable NumPad Hack". Checking that box (VO-Space) effectively turns off the embedded NumPad. This also provides a clue that the "General" category provides a list of most general purpose options. In the remapping table, using VO-Space to expand this first option shows you ways to limit which keyboards will apply remapping. The search box shows you every command option that involves your search term, which can be a very long list given the number of options under each category, so for most searches to change keys, item chooser menu will work better. To remap specific keys, it is easier to use item chooser menu (VO-I) to find the specific "Change" option you want to apply. For example, if I want to remap the right Command key to be a Control key, in order to have a set of "VO" keys on either side of the space bar, using item chooser menu to search for "Command" brings up two items: "Change Command_L Key (Left Command)" and "Change Command_R Key (Right Command)" as unchecked check boxes. Pressing either VO-Space or "Return" on your selection moves your VoiceOver cursor to this entry in the remapping table, and pressing VO-Space again to expand the disclosure triangle will reveal the various remapping options. Since this is a long list, it is again easier to use item chooser menu to filter your results. Press VO-I and then type "control command". (Note: I now type a space between the two words to apply both to the item chooser search, instead of pausing slightly after typing the first word. You don't need to type the s econd word, but it will filter your results to a bit fewer entries.) You'll now see options like "Command_R to Control_L" as unchecked check boxes. Even more interesting, there are options to only remap in a virtual machine, or only in specific applications, such as X11 or Emacs. To actually remap your key, press VO-Space or Return to navigate to the remapping entry you want, such as "Command_R to Control_L", and then use VO-Space again to check the box for this action. Once you have made any configuration changes, you can easily find the settings you have selected by leaving the remapping table (stop interacting), and navigating back (VO-Left arrow) to the "show embedded only" checkbox, and checking it (VO-Space). If you then navigate back to the remapping table and interact, only those item you have checked within the different categories will be displayed, following their expanded category name, and you can easily uncheck them. Remember to uncheck the "show embedded only" checkbox again, so you can access the full range of key remapping options. Other useful categories to explore under the table on the "Change Key" tab may be found using item chooser menu and typing "for". The listed categories will show items like "For Applications", "For PC users", "For Dvorak Users", and a long list of country specific options like "For Canadian", "For French", "For German", and "For Italian". Expanding the "For Applications" category shows remap options that you can enable only for VMWare Fusion virtual machines, or only in specific applications, such as Terminal, Safari, Skype, etc. The country specific options handle things like using the comma in place of the period as the delimiter for numbers. One warning: you should not use KR4MB along with other key remapping software. For VMWare Fusion users who use SharpKeys, for example, your key reassignments make permanent changes to the registry file under Windows that will remain even after uninstalling unless they are first undone. Key remapping programs take the key codes that are generated when you press a key, and change this to another key code sequence. Having multiple, conflicting, key definitions for the same keys can only produce problems. You may be able to use this if the keys being remapped do not conflict with any other remapped key definitions, but this is something that requires testing. You should simply be able to either check the box to "Disable NumPad Hack" and uncheck the boxes for any key remaps that you have changed for KR4MB. In the worst case, navigate to "the "Misc & Uninstall" tab of the KR4MB preference pane, and select it with VO-Space. Then uninstall the app by pressing the button for "Launch Uninstaller". For older versions of Mac OS X (Tiger and Leopard) there is a separate version of the download software. The NumPad hack is not enabled by default on the preference pane for this version. For additional information, check the links at the main KeyRemap4MacBook home page: http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/ The developer also maintains a Google Groups forum for support questions. <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> To reply to this post, please address your message to mac-access@mac-access.net You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at either the list's own dedicated web archive: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> or at the public Mail Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/mac-access@mac-access.net/>. Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: <http://www.mail-archive.com/mac-access@mac-access.net/maillist.xml> The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and worm-free! 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