I recently found out that Mac has system wide keybindings based on Emacs, but have had difficulty finding a complete list of them. Anyone know of any resources for this?
I've been learning Vim, but might start with Emacs instead if the OSX functionality is greater than just the arrow key style navigation I've found so far.
For the full monty of key bindings in Emacs, you can start with C-h b (or, equivalently, M-x describe-bindings). You can also check out this terrifyingly long table of default bindings. That's probably way more than you want or need right now, though.
Here's a list of default OSX system key bindings. The ones you're probably interested in are the ^ + LETTER keys, many of which are analogous to Emacs bindings.
A post on Irreal about Emacs Keybindings for Mac OS X talks about this system, and points out that the Cocoa Text System is customizable, which would allow you to add additional Emacs bindings (or whatever else you like). There's a link in the post that points to a keybindings file that creates a lot of those bindings.
Related
I'm running OS X 10.11. I've been creating customized key binding by editing my ~/Library/KeyBindings/DefaultKeyBinding.dict file, and I've successfully got a bunch of emacs-like shortcuts to work in parts of some applications, but for the most part, my User-specific keybindings have been overridden by app-specific shortcuts.
For example, Command-a in Mail moves to the beginning of the line. But Command-a in textedit or notes doesn't move to the beginning of the line. Instead, it selects all. Command-e moves to the end of the line (as I want it to), I'm guessing because Command-e is not already a predefined app-specific shortcut...
Anybody had experience with this problem? My understanding was that any bindings defined in DefaultKeyBinding.dict were supposed to supersede app-specific bindings...
Thanks!
Nope, afaik app specific shortcuts supersede global ones. Also, personally I think it's better to use ctrl+KEY for navigation and remap the existing ones. See OS X Human Interface Guidelines for Keyboard Shortcuts and the official os x shortcuts.
Good evening,
I have a problem using Emacs in Terminal.app the last 9 hours but wasn't able to solve it on my own.
The workarounds I have found on Stackoverflow etc. didn't persuade me.
I didn't want to use the Option 'Wahltaste als Metataste verwenden' (alt/option as meta), because I have to type for example {}[] with my alt-key. Keybinding of these Charakters in Emacs is no solution for me, because outside of Emacs in nano I want to use []{}..., too.
I also didn't want to use iTerm2.app, I think it should be possible in Terminal too.
Because sometimes I use Emacs over SSH, it is not possible to choose an GUI-based Emacs either.
A possibilty I would accept is to use the left alt/option key for meta and the right one for typing []{}... Or the Fn-Key for meta...
But I wasn't able to do it the last 9 hours...
I already ported 'emulate-mac-keybord-mode.el' from Aquamacs, but I didn't get it work as expected.
Does anybody have an idea?
Thanks in advance,
Zappel
If you insist on a TTY Emacs within Terminal.app, you may probably have some success with kernel level remappings of modifier keys, using KeyRemap4MacBook. I do not know, because I never used it for such things, and since the key codes, Terminal.app sends to the TTY process when a modifier is pressed, are ultimately hard-coded in Terminal.app, this is neither easy nor particularly pretty.
iTerm2 probably provides means to customize modifiers individually, and is generally a superior terminal emulator (with the notable exception of color management), but frankly, do yourself a favor, and use a GUI Emacs.
A GUI Emacs provides a much nicer expierence on OS X. You are not only able to map each modifier key individually with mac-option-modifier and friends, you also more modifiers available, namely Super and Hyper.
For instance, the following setting uses the Command keys as Meta, the function key has Hyper, and keeps the Option keys for OS X, so that you can still use the alternate layout level:
(setq mac-option-modifier 'none
mac-command-modifier 'meta
mac-function-modifier 'hyper)
To edit files on remote systems, you'd just use Tramp then.
Specifically I'm attempting to map my MacBook's fn key to left mouse click.
Back in the old days when I was using Windows, I came across a wonderful little utility that let me map anything to anything: http://www.autohotkey.com/
You create a little text file, e.g.
^!s:: ; CTRL + ALT + s
Send Sincerely,{enter}John Smith ; sends keystrokes to active window
return
Creating a simple text file was infinitely better than any GUI based remapper.
I can look through it and see everything that is going on at a glance
I can customise every last detail
I can save / retrieve / post / share my scripts
Really, it's the one thing I really miss about Windows.
So my question is: How do I go about doing this in OS X? Every Google search leads to https://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/ and I dislike this package: it has an insanely cluttered GUI.
I would be very happy if I could do it in a shell script, or even compile code.
HotKeys on OS X
Even though AHK is seemingly absent on Mac, the functionality that AHK provides on Windows can likely be achieved in OS X. It could be a matter of coding your own solution, modifying something that's open-source, or using a combination of applications that will work together. I haven't tried all of the following, but might as well mention them as they might be worth checking out:
Open Source
IronAHK - .NET rewrite of AHK ported to OS X
AHK Forum Thread
Github Project
*the original project might be dead
CliClick - command-line application that will emulate mouse clicks
Github Project
Commercial
TextExpander - scriptable text completion / hotkey / macro app (supports AppleScript, Shell scripts)
Typinator - similar to TextExpander, although some features vary.
KeyMo - mostly for mapping keys exclusively to your mouse.
FastScripts - maps hotkeys/user-definable keyboard shortcuts to AppleScripts
*I use Text Expander and FastScripts together and can't live without them.
Rolling Your Own
It's fairly easy to create something with an AppleScript, or a shell script for just about anything imaginable in OS X. For example, I've seen CliClick used along with a custom AppleScript to achieve a certain functionality that it might not provide otherwise. To find an AHK replacement on Mac it'll probably be through trial and error, patience, and ultimately what ends up working best for you.
It is possible with a program called ControllerMate, instructions here. It is, however, a commercial software. I'm also interested in finding a free alternative.
Sikuli project looks promising. Not sure about your particular problem (e.g. Fn key remapping), but it's definitely a crossplatform alternative to AHK.
Another Open Source solution to this problem not mentioned in l'L'l's answer is Karabiner; I have been looking for a way to remap the key to the left of 1 to Esc for a while, and this worked perfectly. It even resolved an issue I was having where swapping Cmd and Alt using the built in OSX key remapping was breaking terminal Alt shortcuts! Highly recommend it.
I am trying to override Control-Meta-Down Arrow and Control-Meta-Up Arrow in emacs.
I've tried all sorts of combinations of: (global-set-key [C-M-down] 'function) and: "\C-\M-<down>" etc... but it always says: ESC undefined. This means it is only taking into account the M-<down>. Why is it ignoring the Control?? I've been working on this for 3 hours and emacs online documentation with regards to key bindings is surprisingly absolutely terrible.
When using Emacs in the terminal (which you mentioned in a comment), you are limited to the key sequences that the terminal is capable of. Unfortunately, C-down is not one of them...
Some versions of Emacs on Mac OS X have had problems with the qualifier keys. Try to update it to a newer version.
I tested this on an Emacs built from the source archive, and it works as intended. (In this case, it simply says that function is not defined, which is what expected.)
I am using the Emacs keybinding on Komodo IDE where Komodo uses the command key for "Meta" by default. So you press Command-X when you normally press Alt+X for Emacs on Linux.
I want to use the actual Alt key .. so when I tried to assign Alt+K, Komodo informs that "This key combination is not available" (see screenshot below)
Komodo Preferences Dialog screenshot http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/87045/permalinks/komodo-alt-key.png
How do I use the Alt key in Komodo? Is it possible?
On the Mac the Option/Alt key is used to quickly enter non-ASCII characters.
Komodo provides a few bindings involving control keys, like Alt+Return to
edit a file's properties, but it stays away from the Alt/Option key for
the most part.
I tried binding [Go to file...] to Cmd+Alt+K. The preferences dialog
accepted it (although it said it was first bound to Cmd+¬, and later said
it was bound to Cmd+Alt+Û, both of which gave me the feeling that
the binding would fail to work. There have been Mozilla bugs dealing
with inconsistencies in keybindings on OS X, and we're seeing that here.
Komodo will also let you create keybindings using combinations of
the Command, Control, and Shift keys -- I would stick with those,
and leave the Alt key for entering non-ASCII characters.
One can workaround this behavior using ControllerMate or a similar tool:
Create a new Driver Configuration for your normal keyboard
In that configuration, swap the Option and Command keys
Disable this new configuration
Create a new ControllerMate page
Add an Application Block to that page which only triggers when Komodo IDE is running in the foreground
Add a Properties Block connected to the Application Block which enables your Driver
Configuration.
Thus, when Komodo IDE is running in the foreground, ControllerMate swaps
Command and Option, giving you the Meta behavior you get everywhere else in OS X.