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Creating a Hyper Key (i.e., remapping capslock to become an additional modifier key) is a game changer! I use Capslock [1] with Karabiner Elements on macOS. [1

by sxg 5y ago

Creating a Hyper Key (i.e., remapping capslock to become an additional modifier key) is a game changer! I use Capslock [1] with Karabiner Elements on macOS. [1] https://github.com/Vonng/Capslock https://github.com/Vonng/Capslock

reaperducer 5y ago
If you're not into installing third-party tools, you can create your own hyper key by using a combination of the Shift, Control, Option, and Command keys† (Shift, Control, Meta, Super). Because macOS uses Control+Option to activate the on-screen magnifying glass, I use Shift+Option+Command, which works well for my hand size. I haven't found any macOS or third-party programs that use Shift+Option+Command for shortcuts yet, so there haven't been any conflicts. Once you get your personal shortcuts set up in Apple → System Preferences → Keyboard → Shortcuts, it's really a major productivity boost. †I think you can use Function now, too, since Preview uses it, but haven't tried it yet.
rrdharan 5y ago
I use Karabiner Elements to make CapsLock either Escape (when tapped) or Control (when held / pressed with another key) - works great with a Kinesis Advantage: https://pastebin.com/6gQFV9EY https://pastebin.com/6gQFV9EY
chris37879 5y ago
I get this horrible bug with Karabiner where it just slams one of my CPU cores... I was actually planning to replace it because of that. My current issue is that I can't have my macbook's keyboard use the system control keys while my external uses F keys. Like if I don't have the 'use f keys' option on in prefs, my external F1 and F2 become brightness keys...
- dylan604 5y ago
  That makes some logical sense to me though. If your keyboard layout is set up for a Apple keyboard where the function keys are actually OS specific keys, then it shouldn't matter if your keyboard has a F[1-9]+ printed on them or Apple symbols. The key will just do what it's mapped to do. It's like expecting a DVORAK keyboard to work when the computer is still in QWERTY mode. There's just more matching overlap between keyboards with function keys vs Apple symbols.
saagarjha 5y ago
Note that if you just need to remap a key, the built-in hidutil command is more than sufficient.
- recuter 5y ago
  I don't remember which Mac OS added this, but: System preferences => Keyboard prefs => Modifier keys You can just remap caps lock to escape without getting fancy. I used to do the hyperkey stuff but it messes with my muscle memory when I'm not using my computer. There's something to be said for keeping things as simple and close to default as possible.
  - saagarjha 5y ago
    Yeah, that's good if you're looking to use it as just another modifier key. For my hyper key though I need it bound to F18 so this requires hidutil.
SkyPuncher 5y ago
I use Karabiner to move my symbols to my home row and arrow keys just above. When I'm programming, that means I rarely need to move my fingers off the home row. * caps + a = ! * caps + s = @ * caps + d = # * etc ----- Single tap caps is also an escape key.
evanb 5y ago
I set capslock to an iTerm terminal window.

by sxg 5y ago

reaperducer 5y ago

If you're not into installing third-party tools, you can create your own hyper key by using a combination of the Shift, Control, Option, and Command keys† (Shift, Control, Meta, Super). Because macOS uses Control+Option to activate the on-screen magnifying glass, I use Shift+Option+Command, which works well for my hand size. I haven't found any macOS or third-party programs that use Shift+Option+Command for shortcuts yet, so there haven't been any conflicts. Once you get your personal shortcuts set up in Apple → System Preferences → Keyboard → Shortcuts, it's really a major productivity boost. †I think you can use Function now, too, since Preview uses it, but haven't tried it yet.

rrdharan 5y ago

I use Karabiner Elements to make CapsLock either Escape (when tapped) or Control (when held / pressed with another key) - works great with a Kinesis Advantage: https://pastebin.com/6gQFV9EY https://pastebin.com/6gQFV9EY

chris37879 5y ago

I get this horrible bug with Karabiner where it just slams one of my CPU cores... I was actually planning to replace it because of that. My current issue is that I can't have my macbook's keyboard use the system control keys while my external uses F keys. Like if I don't have the 'use f keys' option on in prefs, my external F1 and F2 become brightness keys...

dylan604 5y ago
That makes some logical sense to me though. If your keyboard layout is set up for a Apple keyboard where the function keys are actually OS specific keys, then it shouldn't matter if your keyboard has a F[1-9]+ printed on them or Apple symbols. The key will just do what it's mapped to do. It's like expecting a DVORAK keyboard to work when the computer is still in QWERTY mode. There's just more matching overlap between keyboards with function keys vs Apple symbols.

saagarjha 5y ago

Note that if you just need to remap a key, the built-in hidutil command is more than sufficient.

recuter 5y ago
I don't remember which Mac OS added this, but: System preferences => Keyboard prefs => Modifier keys You can just remap caps lock to escape without getting fancy. I used to do the hyperkey stuff but it messes with my muscle memory when I'm not using my computer. There's something to be said for keeping things as simple and close to default as possible.
- saagarjha 5y ago
  Yeah, that's good if you're looking to use it as just another modifier key. For my hyper key though I need it bound to F18 so this requires hidutil.

SkyPuncher 5y ago

I use Karabiner to move my symbols to my home row and arrow keys just above. When I'm programming, that means I rarely need to move my fingers off the home row. * caps + a = ! * caps + s = @ * caps + d = # * etc ----- Single tap caps is also an escape key.

evanb 5y ago

I set capslock to an iTerm terminal window.