Remapping shortcut buttons on the kinesis freestyle 2 - macos

This is a niche problem, but making a reference if it helps anyone!
If you have a keyboard with built in shortcut keys and you want to reprogram them, what do you do? I had a kinesis freestyle 2 keyboard (mac and PC versions) that had two rows of built in shortcut keys mapped to a mac, but I wanted to use it on a PC (no way to return for PC dedicated version and printed keys have different shortcuts).
If you go to kinesis' website - a bit user hostile customer service in my experience - they will tell you there is no way to remap the existing buttons... and then they'll happily link you to buying a new $200 keyboard, their "Pro" model, if you want remappable buttons.
Of course there is an easy fix. While there are multiple approaches, I turned to a kind soul with a free utility they've released to make the world a bit better. The utility for Windows is called "SharpKeys" by RandyRants.com and on a Mac, you have a system setting you can change. Here is a good write up on that by Matt Klein at "howtogeek"
After remapping the control and command keys and purposefully assigning the web back and forward buttons, I then had a useful keyboard... no thanks to Kinesis and their upsell tactic leaving their customers (who paid a premium for their ergonomic keyboard) in the dark with an easy solution in reach..

Related

MSI mechanical keyboard gives wrong inputs on MacBook Pro

I'm trying to use an MSI mechanical keyboard on my MacBook Pro, however, when using a keyboard tester the computer registers two inputs for one keyboard stroke (E.g. I press number 5 and the computer registers 5a). I've looked online but have not been able to find anyone else having a similar problem.
Just for completion, I ended asking the manufacturer (MSI) and this particular keyboard does not support macOS. So better check next time.

Make Windows appear to have a custom OS

My company just bought some windows tablets to use. I have since designed a webpage that will be the OS. They want me lock out all of the windows features, so how would be the best way to go about doing this?
I have tried adding using kiosk mode in chrome, but the user can still use windows keys, the task bar, and use Alt+F4.
I also would like if it didn't show the windows lock screen because the employees will be in charge of powering it up. This is so complicated, there are so many things that I will have to disable. If anyone has any tips, or resources please let me know!

How can I lock down a Mac to exhibit one website?

I'm currently working on a website that will be in an exhibition soon. Users will have a keyboard and mouse in front of them, so I need to lock down the machine to be restricted to just one website. Guided Access mode on iOS is a perfect example. I wish Apple had an OS X version for this reason.
I'm currently trying parental controls but it seems to be quite buggy/not responding to my preferences. I'd really love to just have Chrome or Safari locked to fullscreen somehow so users can't exit the browser/redirect to another website.
Thank you in advance!
I'm thinking you could put Chrome in kiosk mode(can't change website) then change the shortcut keys for exiting out of fullscreen mode if you can on a Mac, and maybe having another desktop and monitor for emergencies. I would have made this a comment but I can't :P This isn't really an answer, just a suggestion. It would really be easier on another OS to do the stuff above.
Recently used 'Web Kiosk' software for exactly this purpose: https://www.macproline.com/webkiosk
It has a lot of options for locking down the machine, both in terms of web sites visited, and disabling key commands, preferences, switching apps, quitting apps, etc.
When searching for a solution for this, I was surprised how few options there were. That said, I would give this a look.

Windows 7 Taskbar Widget or Toolbar

My Lenovo laptop has two task bar type programs that show the network status and battery status. I have been trying to search for what these types of widgits are called. Unfortuantly my google-foo is only returning results for minimizing programs to the system tray.
I am not even sure if these are system tray apps or taskbar apps. but either way, please help me find a API reference or even better a tutorial.
I want to make a Work Week Widgit, that displays the current work week number on this widget. I program mostly in python, but am willing to learn another language just to make this tool.
They are known as Desktop Bands, also known as DeskBands. Note that Desktop Bands are not recommended starting in Windows 7. Note also that since they are shell extensions, they must be written in native code.

Synergy between mac and pc change mac hotkeys

Synergy is a program that enables you to use the same mouse and keyboard in two computers. I have a PC and mac connected directly with an Ethernet cable therefore the connection is great and it seems as if there is only one computer.
I am developing an iPad application and the only software that I have found that supports iwebkit for CSS is Expresso. I use that to edit my CSS files in the mac and I use dream weaver on my PC to edit PHP, HTML and JavaScript files. The only problem is that I am constantly using both computers to develop the application and its very frustrating using different shortcut keys for each computer. It would be very nice if I could use the same hot-keys on both computers.
So far I have tried:
Changing the modifier keys in the keyboard section under system preferences in the mac. That works but just with the keyboard from the mac not with the keyboard that I am using with synergy that controls both computers.
Creating applescripts that what they do is to send a shortcut key then compiling them and saving them as an application. After they are saved as an application I go to system preferences and try to run them with a different shortcut key. when I create that shortcut key system preferences crashes and closes without saving the changes.
Creating shortcut keys in synergy which it works but only in one computer. Synergy will always send the same keystroke regardless on which computer you are using.
Lastly I have tried looking for "IronAHK" which in a lot of posts people say it modifies the mac hotkeys but I have not been able to find it for the mac.
Is there a way to have the same universal access keys across my machines?
THe following article was very helpful for me (working from a Mac, controlling a PC):
http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-properly-map-keyboard-between-mac-and-pc-when-share-mouses-with-synergy/
Step 1: Configure Server
Step 2: Double-click on the PC (or Mac if the Server is a PC)
Step 3: Toggle the key Ctrl and Super to mirror each other
When adding a new computer in synergy you can change command and control keys. Here is an example in windows. I was not able to find it because synergy place this in a location where I never thought I could find it.
Now I can use control + c to copy files both in the mac and in the pc and most of the command such as control + a to select everything etc. To fix the other issues so that I can use 'home' to go to the beginning of the line for example I use the program provided by Evan Moran which was the first answer in this post.
For the mac I use KeyRemap4MacBook. It is pretty good for being free.
That said, consider using different source editors so that you can code only on one system. This will make your life a ton easier. Dreamweaver is not necessarily the best. Visual Studio is pretty good on Javascript, CSS, and HTML, and their express versions are free.
If all you need is syntax highlighting EditPlus is great on the PC and will work on all languages you mentioned. If you need to stay on a mac then TextWrangler is great as a basic source editor. Both have free trials. Good luck!

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