weird keyboard symbols
 

I've been using Macs for quite a long time and yet, there are a few symbols on the keyboard that I don't use or understand. Is there an explanation anywhere on the web which describes the apple keyboard in depth?

1. ⌘ Command Key (Apple Key)
2. ⌥ Option Key
3. ⌫ Delete
4. ⎋ Escape (same as esc)
5. ⏏ Eject
6. ⇧ Shift
7. ⇪ Caps Lock

There are also sometimes (usually on notebooks) symbols on the F keys (F1-F12) these usually control hardware functions when used with the fn key.

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, but hope it helps.

Opps I forgot this one:

8. ^ Ctrl

I think I might know what your looking for.

Using what tbsingleton73 said, say you have "Command+C".
This means you hold the command key, or ⌘ Key down and press C. This does the same thing instead of going to the Edit menu and choosing Copy.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61474 - For window shortcuts
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459 - even more shortcuts
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61544 - forn screenshots

They are also used for typing other symbols like å or â. Try opening TextEdit and type: "Option+Shift+q". You end up getting Œ.

thanks, that helps. There is still the question of the circle with the spiral arms under the escape button, the box with a cross through it and the dash with a skward facing chevron (both on the numeric keyboard).

the box with a cross through it - that's the Clear key (for your keypad)
Dash with chevron (triangle) sounds like the eject key (for your optical drive)

Anyone ever see a 'circle with the spiral arms under the escape key'? I can't figure that one out, and nothing like it on a U.S. keyboard

Are you using a foreign language keyboard ?

I think he means §

http://i1.tinypic.com/rt0twi.jpg

http://i1.tinypic.com/rt0x8h.jpg

http://tlt.psu.edu/suggestions/inter...oardViewer.gif

I'm trying to find it using a almost unknown part of OS X, the Keyboard Viewer.

Well it's right there on UK keyboards:

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/8136/picture11vz.jpg

Russian-Phonetic ?

It was just an example...

Gaffer, do you actually use that Stuffit menu? Each one of those meun things takes up some memory and CPU.

Actually i do :)
slightly quicker than going through utilities->stuffit folder->stuffit deluxe

*my docks already cluttered with 26 items so I thought it might be better up there.

Was considering removing it though, along with the LetterStick app (which hasn't alerted me to anything in 6 months).

you could use spotlight and search for stuffit. I'm guessing your top result will be Stuffit Deluxe

No, not the eject key which is also F12, the symbol that looks like a 'K' which has fallen on it's face. It has an entire button of keyboard real estate dedicated to it - when they could have made the cursor or return keys bigger (read: normal sized).

⌅

Its a return key.

Technically not Return, but Enter - which sometimes is not the same function.

The Keyboard Viewer shows a curvy arrow for the Return key.

I use this little AppleScript to toggle the keyboard viewer (using FastScripts to give it a hot key, but QuicKeys and a number of others would work as well):

and this one for the keycodes:

I also figured out that all/most of the required stuffit options are in the 'ctrl-click' menu when you click on any item anyway....so I've since disabled magic menu (as it's already in "right click" menu :) ) and stuffit AVR deamon from the pref pane (because it's actually easier to create/expand archives using...yes, you guessed it..."ctrl-click" and selecting what you need, than holding down the mouse, waiting for it to allow you to alter the text (getting it wrong 5 or 6 times first though and accidentally "launching" the item instead :mad: .....this is the only aspect of OSX I hate) and then altering the extreme right side of the items label.

Here is my menu bar now:
http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3782/picture15xj.png

I've also removed the keyboard item (flag) because;
a: I've never had the need to use another country's keyboard
b: "Character Pallette" can already be accessed from edit->specialCharacters (or option+apple+T) and
c: "Keyboard Viewer" can be accessed from this free app (store it in utilites and avoids the need for writing new scripts).....KeyViewer

PS a "Shameful" apple character (so called because it seems apple is so ashamed of it, it doesn't even print it on the keyboard :mad: , so you can spend a lot of time hunting for it) is:
# which is option+3

PPS HenWen still there 'cos I finally configured it correctly, so now it is alerting me at times :p

Think of it as "the other pound sign", so therefore option-£.

BTW, on US keyboards, the # is printed on the keyboard and it's what you get with Shift-3, and it's the £ sign that requires the option key.

There is room for all three (3,£ and #) to be printed on. After all, the adjacent key has 2,@ and € on it all together.