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You can still find the official documents about how to make changes in the MacOS X kernel itself (dated 2004 or so...). It's really sad that we have come to th

You can still find the official documents about how to make changes in the MacOS X kernel itself (dated 2004 or so...). It's really sad that we have come to this. The platform became more and more closed off in the name of security and no serious law or regulation is preventing that. And if at least it was bug free it would be worth it, maybe. But my kernel extensions are all for circumventing bugs or stuff that does not work properly, e.g. Karabiner for remapping the ctrl character of my keyboard to command, necessarily since I work with a lot of OSes at a time.

jen20 5y ago
You don’t need to use Karabiner for that: keyboard preferences has a modifier keys setting (per keyboard) that achieves this exact remapping with no kernel extensions.
- wlesieutre 5y ago
  And even if it were required, Karabiner-Elements is already running as a userspace DriverKit device instead of a kernel extension: > Changed the virtual keyboard and mouse implementation to DriverKit from deprecated kernel extension. https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/releasenotes/#karabiner-elements-1300 https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/releasenotes/#karab...
- spicybright 5y ago
  Surprisingly not. You can't re-bind the FN key's function using normal settings. On a 2019 mac pro, catalina, btw, looking at Settings > Keyboard > Modifier Keys...
  - jen20 5y ago
    Same Mac, Big Sur, the Fn key binding is there. This article [1] suggests that it was the case at least in Catalina given the screenshots - but I don't have it easily available to test. [1]: https://howchoo.com/mac/mac-remap-fn-to-ctrl https://howchoo.com/mac/mac-remap-fn-to-ctrl
  - duskwuff 5y ago
    Possibly stupid question: are you using an Apple keyboard? The Fn key remapping doesn't show up for third-party keyboards, as those won't have a Fn key (or, at least, not one that's remappable in the same way).
    - spicybright 5y ago
      Yeah, I'm using the built in keyboard on the laptop itself.
  - TMWNN 5y ago
    The Fn function is available for rebinding on a 2012 Macbook Pro with Mojave.
Klonoar 5y ago
I mean, when they last dumped kernel sources there was a member of the team who blogged about how to compile and use them. It’s still possible, just almost nobody bothering.

jen20 5y ago

You don’t need to use Karabiner for that: keyboard preferences has a modifier keys setting (per keyboard) that achieves this exact remapping with no kernel extensions.

wlesieutre 5y ago
And even if it were required, Karabiner-Elements is already running as a userspace DriverKit device instead of a kernel extension: > Changed the virtual keyboard and mouse implementation to DriverKit from deprecated kernel extension. https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/releasenotes/#karabiner-elements-1300 https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/releasenotes/#karab...
spicybright 5y ago
Surprisingly not. You can't re-bind the FN key's function using normal settings. On a 2019 mac pro, catalina, btw, looking at Settings > Keyboard > Modifier Keys...
- jen20 5y ago
  Same Mac, Big Sur, the Fn key binding is there. This article [1] suggests that it was the case at least in Catalina given the screenshots - but I don't have it easily available to test. [1]: https://howchoo.com/mac/mac-remap-fn-to-ctrl https://howchoo.com/mac/mac-remap-fn-to-ctrl
- duskwuff 5y ago
  Possibly stupid question: are you using an Apple keyboard? The Fn key remapping doesn't show up for third-party keyboards, as those won't have a Fn key (or, at least, not one that's remappable in the same way).
  - spicybright 5y ago
    Yeah, I'm using the built in keyboard on the laptop itself.
- TMWNN 5y ago
  The Fn function is available for rebinding on a 2012 Macbook Pro with Mojave.

Klonoar 5y ago

I mean, when they last dumped kernel sources there was a member of the team who blogged about how to compile and use them. It’s still possible, just almost nobody bothering.