Hi Alex,
Thank you for the reminder. Just wrote my request and reminder to
Apple. I try to ask for this every 6 months or so! I hope others who find
this is a needed improvement will add their voices.
In the meantime Not only do you have a way to get the VO keys to work as the
caps lock key but you can also get a Number pad making the num pad commander
available on the standard keypoard. This is very helpfull for those who don't
have a full size keyboard. This is something Apple removed a few years ago and
the keyRemap4Macbook allows the user to put back.
Eric Caron
On Sep 2, 2012, at 7:48 AM, Alex Hall <[email protected]> wrote:
> I agree. However, if you think that choosing the modifier to use with vo is a
> good idea, please email [email protected] and tell them so. They won't
> change anything if the interest isn't there, and using this amazing resource
> to tell apple themselves what we want is a great way to effect change for the
> better in VoiceOver. I emailed them a few days ago, explaining how making my
> capslock key into the vo key has increased my productivity and ease of use on
> the mac, and asking if they could add an option in the vo utility to let
> users chosse which key(s) they want to use as the vo keys. If you agree with
> me, please do the same.
> On Sep 2, 2012, at 2:01 AM, Ricardo Walker <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Right,
>>
>> I think Apple decided to go to do things the way they did because they
>> didn't want voiceover hijacking your keyboard like screenreaders on windows
>> do. So, they made the modifier 2 keys instead of one.
>>
>> Ricardo Walker
>> [email protected]
>> Twitter:@apple2thecore
>> www.appletothecore.info
>>
>> On Sep 1, 2012, at 11:10 PM, Alex Hall <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> I don't think it's a legal thing at all. Rather, I suspect it's a standards
>>> thing; apple started it that way, so rather than change an integral part of
>>> their UI for a group of users, they kept it. Just my thoughts, and I could
>>> be wrong. Still, if there were a legal issue, then NAVDA wouldn't use caps
>>> lock, yet that is an option in that program.
>>> On Sep 1, 2012, at 10:56 PM, Rodney Haynie <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Eric,
>>>> Finally got a chance to install and setup these two apps. Great find and I
>>>> love it.
>>>> Since I am still on a Windows box on my 9to5, I always used the CapsLock
>>>> with the screen reader. I am so use to it, and it is so productive.
>>>> I assumed there was some legal issue as to why Apple did not implement
>>>> this.
>>>> Thanks.
>>>> Rodney
>>>>
>>>> On Aug 28, 2012, at 10:47 PM, Eric Caron <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi Mary,
>>>>>
>>>>> If you follow my podcast you will no longer have a caps lock key but
>>>>> rather a very convenient Voice Over key. If you want your caps lock back
>>>>> you can either go to the extras menu in Mountain Lion for
>>>>> KeyRemaper4Macbook and press the preferences button and then you can
>>>>> either temporarily turn off the key remap with a check box or uncheck it
>>>>> permanently.
>>>>>
>>>>> For me this is a non issue as I almost never use the caps lock key and
>>>>> can use the shift key when needed. The advantage of having the caps lock
>>>>> act as the voice over modifier key is infinitely more important to me. I
>>>>> keep finding ways why this works so well. for example opening a
>>>>> disclosure triangle is now so much easier. I just holde the caps lock
>>>>> key down with my left little finger and tap the \ key with my other
>>>>> little finger. I never take my hands off the home keys. In the past my
>>>>> left hand had to go all the way down to the Option Control keys on the
>>>>> left side completely stopping my typing flow.
>>>>>
>>>>> I still have a lot of muscle memory that causes me to use the old VO Keys
>>>>> but little by little I am increasing my speed by taking advantage of the
>>>>> caps lock. It is great! another key I now use more often is vo w and VO
>>>>> w twice. This is the word and the spelling of a word. with caps lock
>>>>> and w it is fast and easy. with standard vo keys on the bottom left I
>>>>> had to reach my right hand way over to the w key, and this was quite a
>>>>> contortion just to hear what word I was on, I don't need to do this any
>>>>> more. I do it all with my left hand never leaving the home row keys.
>>>>>
>>>>> Hope this info helps.
>>>>>
>>>>> Eric Caron
>>>>>
>>>>> On Aug 28, 2012, at 12:20 PM, Mary Scott <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> So what does happen when you need the caps lock?
>>>>>> On Aug 27, 2012, at 7:01 PM, Eric Caron <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hello listers,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have long wanted the VO keys "Control Option" to be available as the
>>>>>>> caps lock key. this would allow one finger to hold down the keys.
>>>>>>> Also, the location of the Caps Lock key is ideal for reaching many keys
>>>>>>> that need to be pressed with the Voice Over keys.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Using the caps lock key as the VO modifier would dramatically reduce
>>>>>>> the times I find my fingers contorted trying to press multiple keys all
>>>>>>> over the keyboard.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> For those of us who type with our fingers on the home row this allows
>>>>>>> us to use the VO modifier while keeping our hands ready to continue
>>>>>>> typing.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm pleased to let you know that this is now possible. Thanks to
>>>>>>> Takayama Fumihiko, the developer of KeyRemap4Macbook. this application
>>>>>>> in conjunction with another application by the same developer allows a
>>>>>>> Mac user to remap the caps lock key as the "Control and Option" keys
>>>>>>> pressed together.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The other application is called PCKeyboardHack. These two apps and a
>>>>>>> file created for VO users makes this possible.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Although a write up of this process would probably be more efficient
>>>>>>> for most of us, that is not my strength. Instead, I have provided a
>>>>>>> link below to a podcast that walks through the set up.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In addition below are links needed to obtain the applications and the
>>>>>>> specially constructed xml file.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Finally, I have provided links to some additional help documentation
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The application developer responded to my request for this capability
>>>>>>> within hours of my written request. I have also been asked to contact
>>>>>>> again if there are any other ways the application can help blind users.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> This was such a nice response. I'm still amazed as I have written to
>>>>>>> Apple asking for this every few months or so, only getting back the
>>>>>>> standard answer,"thank you for your suggestion." .
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm so grateful to now have this ability.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Also, please be aware that this application can also remap other keys.
>>>>>>> For example you could make the command key on the right of your space
>>>>>>> bar a Control key giving you another set of Voice Over Keys.
>>>>>>> KeyRemap4Macbook also creates a num pad on your regular keyboard. this
>>>>>>> makes it possible to use num pad commander on a standard keyboard.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> This is covered in a excellent post by Ester on the Mac-Access.net
>>>>>>> list.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> One gentle reminder. This is donation ware so if you use this as much
>>>>>>> as I do please support this developer. and, as we come up with more
>>>>>>> ways this application can help and as the OS changes we will want this
>>>>>>> developer to support us.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> This was the most challenging podcast I have created so far.
>>>>>>> If you see a need for revision please let me know.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I will be submitting this podcast to applevis.com . In the meantime
>>>>>>> here is a dropbox link
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5620907/KeyRemap4Macbook.mp3
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Below are the links I give in the podcast and also the XML text you
>>>>>>> will need.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Link to KeyRemap4MacBook and PCKeyboardHack applications.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/pckeyboardhack-usage.html.en
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Link to instructions on changing the Caps Lock key to PC application
>>>>>>>> key. the needed key code number is 110.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/pckeyboardhack-usage.html.en
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Link to private.xml, that changes PC Application Key to
>>>>>>>> Control+Option.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> https://github.com/tekezo/Files/blob/master/KeyRemap4MacBook/private.pc_application_to_controloption/private.xml
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Link to instructions on how to use private.xml.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/document-private-xml.html
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The Following is the text of the Private xml
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> <?xml version="1.0"?>
>>>>>>>>> <root>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> <item>
>>>>>>>>> <name>Change PC Application Key to Control+Option.</name>
>>>>>>>>> <identifier>private.pc_application_to_controloption</identifier>
>>>>>>>>> <autogen>--KeyToKey-- KeyCode::PC_APPLICATION, KeyCode::OPTION_L,
>>>>>>>>> ModifierFlag::CONTROL_L</autogen>
>>>>>>>>> </item>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> </root>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>>>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group.
>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>>>>>> [email protected].
>>>>>>> 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 [email protected].
>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>>>>> [email protected].
>>>>>> 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 [email protected].
>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>>>> [email protected].
>>>>> 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 [email protected].
>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>>> [email protected].
>>>> For more options, visit this group at
>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Have a great day,
>>> Alex (msg sent from Mac Mini)
>>> [email protected]
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>>> "MacVisionaries" group.
>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>> [email protected].
>>> 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 [email protected].
>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>> [email protected].
>> For more options, visit this group at
>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
>>
>
>
>
> Have a great day,
> Alex (msg sent from Mac Mini)
> [email protected]
>
>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "MacVisionaries" group.
> To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> [email protected].
> 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 [email protected].
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected].
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
