Can left-option and right-option be used for separate modifier sets?
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Alex Bicksler
May 12, 2016, 3:15:14 PM5/12/16
to Ukelele Users
I've been trying to create a keyboard layout which has separate modifier maps using left-option and right-option respectively. However, Ukelele and OS X don't seem to detect the difference.
If there are modifier sets which specify right-option, but none that specify left-option, then both option keys will trigger the right-option map. If there are separate modifier sets for left- and right-option, then both option keys always trigger the left-option map.
I have used the EventViewer utility that comes with Karabiner to ensure that my option keys are sending different signals. Indeed, left-option sends Option_L with code 0x3a, and right-option sends Option-R with code 0x3d.
Since Ukelele gives the ability to specify left vs right modifiers, I imagine that it is able to treat them differently. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?
If there are modifier sets which specify right-option, but none that specify left-option, then both option keys will trigger the right-option map. If there are separate modifier sets for left- and right-option, then both option keys always trigger the left-option map.
I have used the EventViewer utility that comes with Karabiner to ensure that my option keys are sending different signals. Indeed, left-option sends Option_L with code 0x3a, and right-option sends Option-R with code 0x3d.
Since Ukelele gives the ability to specify left vs right modifiers, I imagine that it is able to treat them differently. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?
Sorin Paliga
May 12, 2016, 3:39:09 PM5/12/16
to ukelel...@googlegroups.com
OS X does not treat left and right modifer keys differently, and this is the correct way to deal with this detail. If you are accustomed to Windows-style, you may modify this by using Karabiner, free download.
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Gé van Gasteren
May 12, 2016, 3:49:35 PM5/12/16
to ukelel...@googlegroups.com
The full story is in the manual, but the gist is something like this:
The layout’s syntax allows for defining separate assignments for left and right modifier keys, and that’s why Ukelele allows it, too. But in practice, software developers have ignored/overridden that behaviour and thus rendered the feature very unreliable. It may work in one program but not in another. So the general advice given is not to use it, in order to ensure consistent behaviour everywhere.
The layout’s syntax allows for defining separate assignments for left and right modifier keys, and that’s why Ukelele allows it, too. But in practice, software developers have ignored/overridden that behaviour and thus rendered the feature very unreliable. It may work in one program but not in another. So the general advice given is not to use it, in order to ensure consistent behaviour everywhere.
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