6 ms·

Ditch Caps Lock on Your Mac

16 points by showngo 16y ago

_delirium 16y ago
I use caps lock while programming quite a bit for some reason, mainly in C. It might just be habit, but when I want to type something like CONSTANT or MACRO, it's easier for me to do a quick caps-on, constant, caps-off than to hold shift while typing it. I imagine this isn't a particularly common use case among the general public, though.
- cmadan 16y ago
  Same here, I do use caps lock pretty often while programming (C++) especially when defining enums. I do think however it wouldn't be a big deal if keyboards didn't have it.
- rads 16y ago
  In emacs you can press C-Space, start typing, then use C-x C-u to capitalize what you just typed.
- dools 16y ago
  I use caps lock whenever I want to type more than two letters in upper case. Quite a few of my passwords have upper case strings in them and I get used to the motion of hitting caps-lock for a few characters then hitting it again to turn it off. Needless to say the absolutely moronic "fix" for accidental caps lock in OSX (just used caps lock there) which delays activation for a fraction of a second makes this far less accurate and is mind blowingly frustrating. I almost returned my laptop because of it (but the suspend/resume on the macbooks is so good I had to take the good with the bad).
sirsean 16y ago
I changed Caps Lock to Control, which is extremely helpful. Especially since on the Macbook keyboard, it's tough to reach down and hit the Control button without accidentally hitting Function instead.
- mcaruso 16y ago
  Super annoying. Very first thing I did when I got my MacBook was install KeyRemap4MacBook (http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook) to switch Control and Fn.
  - jensnockert 16y ago
    I do the same, in addition I also use it to map caps lock to an unused key (F14 or something) and use it for changing input sources.
mcaruso 16y ago
I used mine as an extra control for awhile. Currently I use it to switch to Japanese input mode. It's unfortunate that you can't set it to Escape (without some dodgy hack at least), would be great for vim.
- dfox 16y ago
  XKB keyboard maps recently got option to swap esc and capslock, but for long time that required dodgy hacks with xmodmap or writing your own keymap. On the other hand swaping capslock and esc (or for that matter any other keys) is trivial in windows (althought it requires writing obscure binary blocks into keyboard driver's configuration).
dfox 16y ago
For a long time I toyed with idea of repurposing old Apple Enhanced II Keyboard that I got somewhere for free to use with my desktop, as it is quite well built. And there was one giant problem with that: I use capslock as another control key (almost everywhere, including Windows) and this is simply impossible to do with that keyboard, because capslock latches mechanically...
geuis 16y ago
Nice tip. Just disabled it. Will see how well this works out.
xpaulbettsx 16y ago
Switch Caps Lock and Ctrl - it'll drive you crazy for a week or two, then you'll never go back; Caps Lock is far more ergonomically placed than Ctrl considering how often you hit the latter vs. the former
- jluxenberg 16y ago
  The famous Happy Hacking (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hacking_Keyboard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hacking_Keyboard) uses this layout by default.
- xpaulbettsx 16y ago
  Ah, forgot to mention - on Mac and Linux it's easy, on Windows there's Ctrl2Cap from Sysinternals that'll make the Caps Lock also act as Ctrl
  - bad_user 16y ago
    On Windows it's simpler than that. Just import this registry settings file if you want Caps to behave as Ctrl: http://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/emacs/windows/docs/ntemacs/contrib/caps-as-ctrl.reg http://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/emacs/windows/docs/ntemacs/contri... Or this one if you want to switch Caps and Ctrl (although I never miss CapsLock personally): http://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/emacs/windows/docs/ntemacs/contrib/caps-ctrl-swap.reg http://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/emacs/windows/docs/ntemacs/contri...
    - xpaulbettsx 16y ago
      Ah, don't do that, weird things happen when you're using TS, if the host machine also has the same Ctrl-Caps switch.
  - StavrosK 16y ago
    How do you do it on Linux?
    - bad_user 16y ago
chrisbroadfoot 16y ago
Caps -> Meta (alt/option on Mac) Works a charm for me. I've used this for years. I don't feel that using it as Ctrl is useful.
unicornporn 16y ago
My Ctrl key is on Caps Lock Ctrl is still ctrl though, I like having two. When in Windows via VMWare fusion it is much more comfortable to use the standard ctrl key when doing ctrl + shift + right/left arrow.
akamaka 16y ago
I love changing caps lock to ctrl, because it's just like the old Sun Microsystems keyboards I used to use in my university computer lab. Does anyone know if the Sun keyboard introduced this layout, or if it dates back even further? Edit: While I was looking for info on the Sun keyboards, I came across this article, about why it's a bad idea to switch caps lock and ctrl. I don't agree, but it's interesting: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1996002 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1996002
- bad_user 16y ago
  That link doesn't work btw. Also, I recommend ditching Caps Lock altogether, not just switching.
- enf 16y ago
  It is very old. Control was next to A on the Teletype Model 33, the first ASCII keyboard.
Tycho 16y ago
switching for Control would be nice. but even nicer would be switching for the right-arrow key. reaching across with my right hand every time i want to traverse a closed bracket in an IDE is ergonomically absurd
- Tycho 16y ago
  wow, i just noticed that Control-F does that on most Mac applications (control-B moves the cursor back). Control-D deletes forwards, Control-E moves cursor to end of line, and Control-A to start of line. in nearly 20 years of Mac usage i've failed to realize that
  - ams6110 16y ago
    This behavior came with OS X, a carry-forward from NEXTSTEP where these emacs-inspired key bindings worked in all text input boxes. I do not believe that Mac OS 9 and earlier had this.
dedward 16y ago
Did anyone with a mac NOT know that you could re-map keys from the keyboard syspref?
- rkudeshi 16y ago
  Yes.
StavrosK 16y ago
Does it still exhibit that ridiculous "protection" where it requires you to press it for half a second or so before it activates? It drives me mad, I have to press it two or three times before I remember where I'm typing and hold it down for the ages it requires.
- slig 16y ago
  Never noticed that before, but yeah, it still does.
- riobard 16y ago
  Always a problem for fast typists… Is there anyway to disable the stupid feature?
- tzs 16y ago
  OS X has no such feature. Some particular keyboards have built-in protection against accidental CAPS LOCK, though, so that may be what you are seeing. If you are using an Apple keyboard and it has that behavior, check for a firmware update. They issued an update a long time ago that turns off that behavior on that key when it is being used for something other than CAPS LOCK.
  - StavrosK 16y ago
    Yeah, I guess you're right, since I run Ubuntu and still can't turn the damn thing off...
samatman 16y ago
I switched CapsLock for delete, rather than control. It's an ergonomic lifeline; I can draft as much as I want, without developing shooting pain from the 'pinky shoot'. Tip: disable CapsLock first, or there will be system lag when you use it as the delete key. Also, consider temporarily disabling the hardware backspace key until you learn to use the new one.
teilo 16y ago
Whenever I have activated it, it has always been by accident. I have been in the habit, for a long time, of holding the shift key with my left pinky whenever I need all caps. I can still type an A with my ring finger, and it feels completely natural to do so. Despite this, it never once occurred to me to turn the blasted thing off. I just mapped it as a Ctrl key. I feel so old school. I may even learn Emacs now.

16 points by showngo 16y ago

I use caps lock while programming quite a bit for some reason, mainly in C. It might just be habit, but when I want to type something like CONSTANT or MACRO, it's easier for me to do a quick caps-on, constant, caps-off than to hold shift while typing it. I imagine this isn't a particularly common use case among the general public, though.

cmadan 16y ago
Same here, I do use caps lock pretty often while programming (C++) especially when defining enums. I do think however it wouldn't be a big deal if keyboards didn't have it.
rads 16y ago
In emacs you can press C-Space, start typing, then use C-x C-u to capitalize what you just typed.
dools 16y ago
I use caps lock whenever I want to type more than two letters in upper case. Quite a few of my passwords have upper case strings in them and I get used to the motion of hitting caps-lock for a few characters then hitting it again to turn it off. Needless to say the absolutely moronic "fix" for accidental caps lock in OSX (just used caps lock there) which delays activation for a fraction of a second makes this far less accurate and is mind blowingly frustrating. I almost returned my laptop because of it (but the suspend/resume on the macbooks is so good I had to take the good with the bad).

sirsean 16y ago

I changed Caps Lock to Control, which is extremely helpful. Especially since on the Macbook keyboard, it's tough to reach down and hit the Control button without accidentally hitting Function instead.

mcaruso 16y ago
Super annoying. Very first thing I did when I got my MacBook was install KeyRemap4MacBook (http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook) to switch Control and Fn.
- jensnockert 16y ago
  I do the same, in addition I also use it to map caps lock to an unused key (F14 or something) and use it for changing input sources.

mcaruso 16y ago

I used mine as an extra control for awhile. Currently I use it to switch to Japanese input mode. It's unfortunate that you can't set it to Escape (without some dodgy hack at least), would be great for vim.

dfox 16y ago
XKB keyboard maps recently got option to swap esc and capslock, but for long time that required dodgy hacks with xmodmap or writing your own keymap. On the other hand swaping capslock and esc (or for that matter any other keys) is trivial in windows (althought it requires writing obscure binary blocks into keyboard driver's configuration).

dfox 16y ago

For a long time I toyed with idea of repurposing old Apple Enhanced II Keyboard that I got somewhere for free to use with my desktop, as it is quite well built. And there was one giant problem with that: I use capslock as another control key (almost everywhere, including Windows) and this is simply impossible to do with that keyboard, because capslock latches mechanically...

geuis 16y ago

Nice tip. Just disabled it. Will see how well this works out.

xpaulbettsx 16y ago

Switch Caps Lock and Ctrl - it'll drive you crazy for a week or two, then you'll never go back; Caps Lock is far more ergonomically placed than Ctrl considering how often you hit the latter vs. the former

jluxenberg 16y ago
The famous Happy Hacking (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hacking_Keyboard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hacking_Keyboard) uses this layout by default.
xpaulbettsx 16y ago
Ah, forgot to mention - on Mac and Linux it's easy, on Windows there's Ctrl2Cap from Sysinternals that'll make the Caps Lock also act as Ctrl
- bad_user 16y ago
  On Windows it's simpler than that. Just import this registry settings file if you want Caps to behave as Ctrl: http://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/emacs/windows/docs/ntemacs/contrib/caps-as-ctrl.reg http://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/emacs/windows/docs/ntemacs/contri... Or this one if you want to switch Caps and Ctrl (although I never miss CapsLock personally): http://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/emacs/windows/docs/ntemacs/contrib/caps-ctrl-swap.reg http://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/emacs/windows/docs/ntemacs/contri...
  - xpaulbettsx 16y ago
    Ah, don't do that, weird things happen when you're using TS, if the host machine also has the same Ctrl-Caps switch.
- StavrosK 16y ago
  How do you do it on Linux?
  - bad_user 16y ago

chrisbroadfoot 16y ago

Caps -> Meta (alt/option on Mac) Works a charm for me. I've used this for years. I don't feel that using it as Ctrl is useful.

unicornporn 16y ago

My Ctrl key is on Caps Lock Ctrl is still ctrl though, I like having two. When in Windows via VMWare fusion it is much more comfortable to use the standard ctrl key when doing ctrl + shift + right/left arrow.

akamaka 16y ago

I love changing caps lock to ctrl, because it's just like the old Sun Microsystems keyboards I used to use in my university computer lab. Does anyone know if the Sun keyboard introduced this layout, or if it dates back even further? Edit: While I was looking for info on the Sun keyboards, I came across this article, about why it's a bad idea to switch caps lock and ctrl. I don't agree, but it's interesting: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1996002 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1996002

bad_user 16y ago
That link doesn't work btw. Also, I recommend ditching Caps Lock altogether, not just switching.
enf 16y ago
It is very old. Control was next to A on the Teletype Model 33, the first ASCII keyboard.

Tycho 16y ago

switching for Control would be nice. but even nicer would be switching for the right-arrow key. reaching across with my right hand every time i want to traverse a closed bracket in an IDE is ergonomically absurd

Tycho 16y ago
wow, i just noticed that Control-F does that on most Mac applications (control-B moves the cursor back). Control-D deletes forwards, Control-E moves cursor to end of line, and Control-A to start of line. in nearly 20 years of Mac usage i've failed to realize that
- ams6110 16y ago
  This behavior came with OS X, a carry-forward from NEXTSTEP where these emacs-inspired key bindings worked in all text input boxes. I do not believe that Mac OS 9 and earlier had this.

dedward 16y ago

Did anyone with a mac NOT know that you could re-map keys from the keyboard syspref?

rkudeshi 16y ago
Yes.

StavrosK 16y ago

Does it still exhibit that ridiculous "protection" where it requires you to press it for half a second or so before it activates? It drives me mad, I have to press it two or three times before I remember where I'm typing and hold it down for the ages it requires.

slig 16y ago
Never noticed that before, but yeah, it still does.
riobard 16y ago
Always a problem for fast typists… Is there anyway to disable the stupid feature?
tzs 16y ago
OS X has no such feature. Some particular keyboards have built-in protection against accidental CAPS LOCK, though, so that may be what you are seeing. If you are using an Apple keyboard and it has that behavior, check for a firmware update. They issued an update a long time ago that turns off that behavior on that key when it is being used for something other than CAPS LOCK.
- StavrosK 16y ago
  Yeah, I guess you're right, since I run Ubuntu and still can't turn the damn thing off...

samatman 16y ago

I switched CapsLock for delete, rather than control. It's an ergonomic lifeline; I can draft as much as I want, without developing shooting pain from the 'pinky shoot'. Tip: disable CapsLock first, or there will be system lag when you use it as the delete key. Also, consider temporarily disabling the hardware backspace key until you learn to use the new one.

teilo 16y ago

Whenever I have activated it, it has always been by accident. I have been in the habit, for a long time, of holding the shift key with my left pinky whenever I need all caps. I can still type an A with my ring finger, and it feels completely natural to do so. Despite this, it never once occurred to me to turn the blasted thing off. I just mapped it as a Ctrl key. I feel so old school. I may even learn Emacs now.