HOME and END Keys

M

mpwiedemann

Registered
Howdy All,

I'm a programmer that has made the 'switch' and I must say that I really like my new dual G4 and 22" cinema display. Except for the fact that the HOME and END keys do not behave the same way they do on a Windows box. On Win they will go to the beginning or end of a line of text and on the Mac they do NOTHING! This drives me crazy and since I'm editing code it's a pretty important feature for me. This leaves me using the arrow keys and it takes forever! Does anyone know how to make these keys behave the way I'm accustomed to using them?

Thanks from a convert,
Martin

PS.
It seems that they do ‘behave’ in M$ Word, but not in any of the editors or IDEs I’m using.
 
its probably the apps you are using, the6y are most likley carbon (you can tell if they are not carbon if you can show package contents)

You could try a utility like Keyboard Maestro to remap those keys Otherwise i dunno!
 
My Home takes me to the first character in a text box. The End takes it to the very last character. That's how it's been and how it should be. Though, when I converted I too got disoriented with that.

Instead press Command + Left for Home and Command + Right for End.
 
Which programs are you using in which you'd like to change them? Some programs have the ability to customize keyboard behavior.

Although I am a die-hard Mac user, the inconsistant behavior (even from one Mac program to another) of the Home and End keys is bothersome.
 
I've noticed that, and quick way to see that - open Text Editor and try using the home and end keys in the middle of text... nothing.

Annoys me a little too but I've learned to live with it. :p
 
Originally posted by senne
where are the HOME and the END keys??
Click to expand...

I'm not sure which keyboard you have, and I'm not sure if the older Apple keyboards had it, but on the Pro Keyboards, they're under the F14 key betwen the `help` `del` and `page up` `page down` keys.
 
Originally posted by Tormente
I'm not sure which keyboard you have, and I'm not sure if the older Apple keyboards had it, but on the Pro Keyboards, they're under the F14 key betwen the `help` `del` and `page up` `page down` keys.
Click to expand...

ah, ok, i have those! I didn't know it where arrows...:rolleyes:
 
In cocoa apps, emacs bindings work in text fields, so you can hit Cntrl-a to go to the begining of a line, and Cntrl-e to go to the end.
 
For some reason the Home and End keys have always been "second citizens" in Mac OS. However most - if not all - text editors use these modifier keys:

Command-left .... beginning of the line
Command-right ... end of the line
Command-up ...... top of the document
Command-down .... bottom of the document

Control-left .... beginning of the line
Control-right ... end of the line
Control-up ...... page up or scroll up
Control-down .... page down or scroll down

Option-left ..... left one word
Option-right .... right one word
Option-up ....... top of page / page up
Option-down ..... bottom of page / page down

Add the shift key to most of these to extend the selection.

Note that on Mac OS using the Page-up, Page-down, Home, and End keys by themselves do not move the insertion-point, but just change the view of the document.

Another cool Mac OS text-editing feature:

single-click: place insertion point
double-click: select a word
triple-click: select a line/paragraph

As for dragging text, almost all Mac apps let you drag the selection right away. A few (like Project Builder) require you to click-and-hold before dragging begins.

(Wow, I didn't know the emacs bindings worked in Cocoa apps. I'm using OmniWeb and sure enough they work in this here text box. Cool.)
 
Yeah I have that same problem - I hate having no home and end keys. I'm here using Internet Explorer, and pressing [HOME] in here just takes me to the top of the page, regardless of whether I'm typing in here or not... Command-Left doesnt work in here either, but I will check out in some other appz... could be a welcome edition to my love of keyboard shortcuts.
 
Originally posted by LordOphidian
In cocoa apps, emacs bindings work in text fields, so you can hit Cntrl-a to go to the begining of a line, and Cntrl-e to go to the end.
Click to expand...

I've moved from those to command+left or right for the following reason: where I often use these is in a text box in a web browser. Since the text in these gets treated as one long line (unless of course you use a hard carriage return), ^A will shoot you all the way to the beginning of the "line". Command+left works more like you would expect Home to in Windows.

Overall, the lack of consistency of this type of key action really pissed me off when first using the Mac. As I was told by a friend who has also moved from Windows to Mac, just get used to it, as it's one of those things that just doesn't work consistently. Web browser is a good example. Unless specifically programmed to, command+left will move back in history - from anywhere.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top