Full keyboard navigation

ashevin · 04-23-2002, 11:02 AM

Hi all,

This has been mentioned before, but I figure a thread dedicated to the idea can only help with visibility. (Reading this, all you Apple engineers lurking in these forums?

)

Since Windows 3.1, I have been able to use almost every single application without a mouse. Sure it's not the most convenient all the time, but for simple navigation withing an application, it's almost always the faster way.

Coming to the Mac with OS X, it's the one feature of Windows that I miss the most.

Another annoying thing is that the navigation that is supported is not consistant between applications. For example, moving along a line of text in an editor is not done the same way in all apps. That is, moving the beginning or end of a line, or moving from word to word.

Access keys (alt+<letter>) are another thing that's missed.

Feel free to chime in with other keyboard navigation shortcuts that are missed or any that you think would simply be nice.

- Avi

griffman · 04-23-2002, 11:29 AM

Although it's not perfect, OS X is better than OS 9 was. Try enabling Full Keyboard Access in the Keyboard System Prefs; it lets you get to menus and dock items and such.

But I agree - I'd love a system-wide manner in which to navigate keyboard-only.

-rob.

bakaDeshi · 04-23-2002, 11:39 AM

You can turn it on.

Open System Preferences:Keyboard.
Go to Full Keyboard Access.
I have it selected with Letter keys instead of function keys as I'm on a PB G4 and the Function keys are also my brightness and sound. This still doesn't give you all the Mnemonic <alt + letter> keys to get to specific menus, <alt + e> to get edit menu but that actually bothered me with windows. Too many Mnemonics to choose from and they didn't always make sense.

<edit>beat me to it

stop typing...

04-23-2002, 11:02 AM	#1
ashevin Triple-A Player Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 158	Full keyboard navigation Hi all, This has been mentioned before, but I figure a thread dedicated to the idea can only help with visibility. (Reading this, all you Apple engineers lurking in these forums? ) Since Windows 3.1, I have been able to use almost every single application without a mouse. Sure it's not the most convenient all the time, but for simple navigation withing an application, it's almost always the faster way. Coming to the Mac with OS X, it's the one feature of Windows that I miss the most. Another annoying thing is that the navigation that is supported is not consistant between applications. For example, moving along a line of text in an editor is not done the same way in all apps. That is, moving the beginning or end of a line, or moving from word to word. Access keys (alt+<letter>) are another thing that's missed. Feel free to chime in with other keyboard navigation shortcuts that are missed or any that you think would simply be nice. - Avi

04-23-2002, 11:39 AM	#3
bakaDeshi Triple-A Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Restaurant at the End of the Universe Posts: 171	You can turn it on. Open System Preferences:Keyboard. Go to Full Keyboard Access. I have it selected with Letter keys instead of function keys as I'm on a PB G4 and the Function keys are also my brightness and sound. This still doesn't give you all the Mnemonic <alt + letter> keys to get to specific menus, <alt + e> to get edit menu but that actually bothered me with windows. Too many Mnemonics to choose from and they didn't always make sense. <edit>beat me to it stop typing... __________________ —bakaDeshi Caution! Mac User at the Command Line.

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04-23-2002, 11:29 AM	#2
griffman MVP Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,471	Although it's not perfect, OS X is better than OS 9 was. Try enabling Full Keyboard Access in the Keyboard System Prefs; it lets you get to menus and dock items and such. But I agree - I'd love a system-wide manner in which to navigate keyboard-only. -rob.