weird keyboard symbols

[geokker]

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?

[tbsingleton73]

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.

[tbsingleton73]

Opps I forgot this one:

8. ^ Ctrl

[ThreeDee]

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.

[geokker]

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).

[DeltaMac]

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 ?

[Gaffer74]

Quote: Originally Posted by DeltaMac Anyone ever see a 'circle with the spiral arms under the escape key'?

I think he means §

[ThreeDee]

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

[Gaffer74]

Well it's right there on UK keyboards:

[DeltaMac]

Russian-Phonetic ?

[ThreeDee]

It was just an example...

[ThreeDee]

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

[Gaffer74]

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).

[gboone]

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

[geokker]

Quote: Originally Posted by DeltaMac 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 ?

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).

[mark hunte]

⌅

Its a return key.

[DeltaMac]

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

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

[NovaScotian]

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):

tell application "System Events"
	if exists process "KeyboardViewerServer" then
		do shell script "killall KeyboardViewerServer"
	else
		tell application "KeyboardViewerServer" to activate
	end if
end tell

and this one for the keycodes:

tell application "System Events"
	if exists process "CharPaletteServer" then
		do shell script "killall CharPaletteServer"
	else
		tell application "CharPaletteServer" to activate
	end if
end tell

[Gaffer74]

Quote: Originally Posted by gboone you could use spotlight and search for stuffit. I'm guessing your top result will be Stuffit Deluxe

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 .....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:


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 , 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

[AHunter3]

Quote: 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 , so you can spend a lot of time hunting for it) is: # which is option+3

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.