Dear Esther As always a very helpful post. I can confirm that after experimentation the numpad accessory that I bought does indeed have the limitations that you describe. There is also a problem on my particular device that there is no insert key or equals key. This means that you cannot use the equals keys to bring up menu bars and you would not be able to use it in Fusion for windows screen readers. I'll ha have to see how it goes.I may end up using one keyboard for serious typing and writing and another for navigating and housekeeping tasks on the Mac. I have spent the serious money on the ergonomic keyboard now and this will I hope be justified as I need to type 100,000 words over the next year. I am sorry I confused you by posting to 2 lists. I posted to the other list first but after a day in which there was no response I tried my luck on here.
Regards David Griffith On 17 Dec 2011, at 12:53, Esther wrote: > Hi David, > > I've been meaning to reply to your post, but was getting a bit confused as to > whether my reply should be on this list or on the mac-access list, where you > also posted this question. I haven't had an opportunity to do extensive > testing, but I'll try to summarize a few points that may be relevant to using > external num pads. You are correct that when you set up the USB device it > will not be recognized, but that you can close the keyboard assistant and > just use Numpad Commander. The problem that appears to arise is that some > USB number pads do not maintain the ability to use the modified Numpad > Commander combinations where you press a key on the number pad along with a > modifier key such as the Command key, Option key, or Shift key on your > regular keyboard. What I found previously is that when I turned on keyboard > help mode with VO+K, and pressed key combinations on the attached external > numeric keypad, then exited this mode by pressing the "Escape" key on my > regular laptop keyboard or paired Apple Wireless Keyboard, I lost the > ability to execute the modified Numpad Commander key combinations, although > the unmodified Numpad Commander key bindings would all still work (and could > be re-assigned or customized). I can also use the combinations which use the > NumPad 0 modifier. I think the problem is that the keyboard setup assistant > works by identifying a few default types of keyboards, and you're prompted to > press certain keys to match these identifications. When you press keys on a > keyboard that doesn't have the numpad built in, the keyboard definition used > for your external numpad doesn't use the correct definitions for the modifier > keys. > > There is an iPhone number pad app that will correctly do the modifier key > sequences when your iPhone (or iPod Touch or iPad) is on the same wireless > network as your Mac. It's Edovia's Numpad -- Wireless Numeric Keypad app. > However, it doesn't really work well as a substitute number pad for Numpad > Commander functions because the touch screen interactions are too sensitive > now. As of a few versions of iOS ago (maybe iOS 4.2), you are prone to > getting repeated key strokes when you use this with Numpad Commander as > though you were holding down a key where you here a stuttered repeat. (When > I first tested this app out in Fall 2009, I could use this for Numpad > Commander functions, although it was a little awkward.) > > I'm not sure there's a really good solution to this, but if you're satisfied > with using Numpad Commander assignments with only the NumPad 0 modifier, you > should be OK. You might give feedback to Apple's Accessibility team on this. > I'm used to using a Mac laptop without Numpad Commander, so most of these > tests were done earlier on as experiments. > > HTH. Cheers, > > Esther > > > On Dec 16, 2011, at 04:06, David Griffith wrote: > >> This topic drifted away from the original subject but to bring it back I >> spotted a USB numeric keypad on amazon for £7 so decided to take a punt on >> it. >> I have just plugged it in an although the Mac was very confused by it and >> said it did not recognise it as a keyboard it nevertheless works perfectly >> with Voiceover and the Num Pad commander. I just closed keyboard assistant >> and all was fine. I can now go ahead and purchase a Mac Ergonomic keyboard >> and hopefully the masses of typing I have to do inn the next 12 months will >> be a more pleasurable experience. >> >> David griffith >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On 12/12/2011, at 12:49 AM, David Griffith <daj.griff...@gmail.com> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I have finally found a UK supplier who will provide a high quality >>>>>>>> ergonomic keyboard for the Mac. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> It is very expensive compared to Windows versions but I would buy it >>>>>>>> like a >>>>>>>> shot because I am fairly desperate to have comfortable typing again. >>>>>>>> However >>>>>>>> there is one problem. The keyboard does not have a numeric keypad and >>>>>>>> I am a >>>>>>>> fan of num pad commander. >>>>>>>> The suggestion that they have made to me is that I purchase a separate >>>>>>>> numpad keyboard from them to go with the ergonomic keyboard . >>>>>>>> The numpad keyboards they sell are standard PC USB devices but they >>>>>>>> believe >>>>>>>> that they will work on a Mac. Having found it impossible to connect a >>>>>>>> windows ergonomic keyboard which is compatible with the Mac I am >>>>>>>> suspicious >>>>>>>> of claims that things should be compatible. >>>>>>>> Does anybody have successful experience of using a separate numpad >>>>>>>> keyboard >>>>>>>> with the Mac? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Regards >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> David Griffith >>>>>>>> > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. 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