Software for remapping keys

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Behodar

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#205650 21-Nov-2016 19:22

Hi all,

My keyboard broke and for a cheap replacement, I bought the same as I have at work: A Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600. However, Microsoft has decided to be sneaky and change the product without changing the model number. Unlike my work one, my home one doesn't have a right Windows key (which I would use as a Command key) and instead has an "Fn" key.

Is anyone aware of any software for 10.11 that can reprogram this key? I've seen mentions of Karabiner but was unable to get it to work; it complains that it can't connect to its kext. Does anyone know of any other software for remapping keys?

Hammerer

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#1675164 21-Nov-2016 20:56

Remapping or reprogramming of keyboard keys is found in a few software categories.

Lifehacker: Best Key Remappers for Windows

Gizmo's Freeware: Best Free Hot Key and Macro Recorder Utility

programs launchers and start menus

etc

Behodar

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#1675166 21-Nov-2016 20:58

Thanks for posting links to Windows software in the Mac forum...

mdf

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#1675214 21-Nov-2016 22:00

I hate to add to your problems, but...

On many keyboards, the FN key doesn't function as a key at all. It rather acts as a modifier for other keys at a much deeper layer of software and it makes it hard to assign it to a particular keystroke. I had all sorts of problems with this before eventually giving up (see, here for example). Though fingers crossed it might work on yours.

I've used AutoHotKey to do other remapping (though not the blasted FN key). It's not available on Mac, but there are some suggestions about alternatives on StackExchange that might be a starting point for you. The macro/chording approach is kinda overkill just to reassign one keystroke to another but it (usually) works.

Hammerer

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#1675217 21-Nov-2016 22:06

Behodar:

Thanks for posting links to Windows software in the Mac forum...

Very sorry.

PaulBags

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#1675263 21-Nov-2016 23:15

mdf:
I hate to add to your problems, but...

On many keyboards, the FN key doesn't function as a key at all. It rather acts as a modifier for other keys at a much deeper layer of software
-snip

As I understand fn keys are usually hardware/firmware modifiers - your OS will never see the key press. If OP is really lucky microsoft might have a tool somewhere to edit the firmware on their keyboard. The only solution I've seen floating around the net through is popping the keyboard open and physically wiring/mapping the button to the other windows key. Both keys would appear to be (in this case) left win (or whatever macs equiv. is), so if you have any reason to differentiate between the two you're still out of luck.

Behodar

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#1675300 22-Nov-2016 07:25

Gah! I have some code floating around somewhere which reports "raw" keypresses so I'll be able to see whether Fn is producing anything at all. It'll have to wait until after work though. [Edit: Which I didn't get around to... maybe on the weekend]

MS does have a keyboard app available for Windows; I'll give that a try and see whether it has an option to remap the key. If it's possible in Windows then it must theoretically be possible in OS X too.

Edit: Microsoft's "Mouse and Keyboard Centre" is hopeless. Despite saying that it can remap keys, it can't. It can only disable them entirely, and even then you can only choose from a cherry-picked list of five keys.