Caps lock as Control Usefulness?

[davkol]

Then it's modal in actuality I guess.

[neun_sechs_zwei]

Do you use Vim-like modes in your window manager?

I used 'set -o vi' in my shell for a long while. Then I came to my senses

But anyway I will try to remap tilde to esc, ctrl to tilde, and esc to caps on my next keyboard (picking out keycap colors with that expectation anyway)

Always found caps lock as ctrl the better way since using Sun machines in the 90s, isn't it called Sun-style still? Your pinky doesn't have to fold down awkwardly. For ctrl-X ctrl-C, etc of course... Also if you use GNU Screen you're hitting ctrl-A all the time.

On a MacBook where you only have one ctrl key (left) the caps lock is also bigger and more accessible.

[adder]

Using emacs for many many years, my pinky was seriously suffering. With a bad case of carpal tunnel syndrome now, and I use vi bindings everywhere (including emacs). Swapping Ctrl with caps has improved my typing speed but, more importantly, is much less painful for my hands. If you use Ctrl for a couple of basic shortcuts, e.g., copy/paste, left bottom is fine. If you interact with your computer mainly (or exclusively) through the keyboard and rely heavily on shortcuts, swapping ctrl with caps will help you greatly.

[CJNE]

It's a great move, especially if you spend a lot of time in the terminal and/or in vim! I especially like Ctrl-c to exit insert mode instead of reaching for Esc.

[smferris]

I've been using emacs for decades so turning capslock into a control key is an old habit.  There are built-in options for it in the keyboard settings on both MacOS and Linux, and on Windows I usually google up a registry entry to change it.

On my Macbook Pro I've started using KeyRemap4MacBook, which also has an option to turn the return key into a control key when you chord it with another key.  It's nice to have another control key on the right side in a fairly symmetrical position to capslock.  keyremap4macbook also has many other useful remaps built-in, such as making a press of both shift keys be capslock, and various ways of making letter keys into arrows.  Definitely a program worth looking into if you're running MacOS.

[CJNE]

On my Macbook Pro I've started using KeyRemap4MacBook, which also has an option to turn the return key into a control key when you chord it with another key.  It's nice to have another control key on the right side in a fairly symmetrical position to capslock.  keyremap4macbook also has many other useful remaps built-in, such as making a press of both shift keys be capslock, and various ways of making letter keys into arrows.  Definitely a program worth looking into if you're running MacOS.

KeyRemap4MacBook is really great, it has A LOT of options. I had missed the return as ctrl feature, thanks for that!
Another useful feature, especially if you have weird arrow key placement like on the HHKB-Pro, is simultaneous vi mode, hold down S and D and then use H J K L to move around (like in vi).

[n0rvig]

On my Macbook Pro I've started using KeyRemap4MacBook, which also has an option to turn the return key into a control key when you chord it with another key.  It's nice to have another control key on the right side in a fairly symmetrical position to capslock.  keyremap4macbook also has many other useful remaps built-in, such as making a press of both shift keys be capslock, and various ways of making letter keys into arrows.  Definitely a program worth looking into if you're running MacOS.

KeyRemap4MacBook is really great, it has A LOT of options. I had missed the return as ctrl feature, thanks for that!
Another useful feature, especially if you have weird arrow key placement like on the HHKB-Pro, is simultaneous vi mode, hold down S and D and then use H J K L to move around (like in vi).

+1 KeyRemap4MacBook is awesome. I love CAPS as CTRL. You can even make CAPS double as both ESC and CTRL. If you tap it works as ESC. If you hold it down and press another key its CTRL. You'll need PCKeyboardHack by the same guy to get the dual role caps lock working. Of course there is so much more you can do too!

[minium]

I've been using emacs for decades so turning capslock into a control key is an old habit.  There are built-in options for it in the keyboard settings on both MacOS and Linux, and on Windows I usually google up a registry entry to change it.

On my Macbook Pro I've started using KeyRemap4MacBook, which also has an option to turn the return key into a control key when you chord it with another key.  It's nice to have another control key on the right side in a fairly symmetrical position to capslock.  keyremap4macbook also has many other useful remaps built-in, such as making a press of both shift keys be capslock, and various ways of making letter keys into arrows.  Definitely a program worth looking into if you're running MacOS.

I was reading the thread to see if anyone had posted the return-as-control meme. Buckle up, it's time to breathe deep of the spice Melange and become a guild navigator.

[hotnvicious5]

If you are doing a lot of typing it will probably be better to map Caps Lock to Backspace, Colemak-style. If you'll be Vimming/Emacs-ing try xcape.

[angelic_sedition]

+1 KeyRemap4MacBook is awesome. I love CAPS as CTRL. You can even make CAPS double as both ESC and CTRL. If you tap it works as ESC. If you hold it down and press another key its CTRL. You'll need PCKeyboardHack by the same guy to get the dual role caps lock working. Of course there is so much more you can do too!

If you are doing a lot of typing it will probably be better to map Caps Lock to Backspace, Colemak-style. If you'll be Vimming/Emacs-ing try xcape.

If you are doing a lot of typing it will probably be better to map Caps Lock to Backspace, Colemak-style. If you'll be Vimming/Emacs-ing try xcape.

I'll add again that you can do all these things simultaneously. Why settle for just backspace, control, or escape on release when you can do all of them and much more with a layer? If you're going to take the time to remap it, why stop with that? Am I missing something?

I have backspace and escape on my caps layer. Furthemore I have navigation keys (left, right, up, down, home, end, page up, and page down) easily accessible from the home row. I have modifiers for use with them (alt, shift, control, etc.). This can come in handy for non vim like programs, for example when I have to use word processor. I also have symbols remapped to more easily reachable places.

As for control functionality, I will again add that there is no reason that I know of to use a lot of control keybindings. If you're trying to browse with just your keyboard, use something like vimium or pentadactyl. A bunch of ctrl+t, ctrl+w, ctrl+tabs can really hurt your fingers.

As for basic copy, cut, and paste, you can easily add that to caps+c, caps+x, and caps+v. You can put whatever you want on the layer. You could probably even have a layer that worked essentially as control for any combinations you wanted to use and then add symbols or anything you wanted. You could do all this and have escape on release as well. If you want to do more complicated things, it gets more complicated, but for the most part, this is easy stuff.

Then it's modal in actuality I guess.

Interestingly enough, I've just switched to bspwm and sxhkd which allows for an actual window management mode instead of repetitive prefix key presses.

[mljs54]

Does anyone know of a trick to remap on a machine that does not have admin rights (I can't really edit the registry it seems or install any 3rd party program)?

Thanks

[angelic_sedition]

Does anyone know of a trick to remap on a machine that does not have admin rights (I can't really edit the registry it seems or install any 3rd party program)?

Thanks

Using windows? Either you need pkl (which can be run portably without installation), an ahk script turned into an exe (which would be the simplest option probably), or another portable program..   or a hardware programmable keyboard.

[Pacifist]

An update since I made this thread.

Caps lock is now control and has been for a while. Control has stayed control, because I don't use caps lock at all, and when i do its by accident.

I like it. I have the option of doing both styles when I feel like it, and its awesome.

[angelic_sedition]

Does anyone know of a trick to remap on a machine that does not have admin rights (I can't really edit the registry it seems or install any 3rd party program)?

Thanks

Using windows? Either you need pkl (which can be run portably without installation), an ahk script turned into an exe (which would be the simplest option probably), or another portable program..   or a hardware programmable keyboard.

[neunelfer]

Does anyone know of a trick to remap on a machine that does not have admin rights (I can't really edit the registry it seems or install any 3rd party program)?

Thanks

A quick Google search came up with this.

Looks like you just run that script and then it will associate and run any .ahk file.

[kod]

keyremap4macbook to use return as control is almost a necessity on mac laptops imho.  With capslock as control, it gives you symmetrical contorl keys for each hand.

Only problem is when you have to use someone elses macbook, and are wondering why there are extra newwlines all over the place

[nomaded]

keyremap4macbook to use return as control is almost a necessity on mac laptops imho.  With capslock as control, it gives you symmetrical contorl keys for each hand.

Only problem is when you have to use someone elses macbook, and are wondering why there are extra newwlines all over the place

I seem to only ever use control on the left side, so only mapping capslock to control works fine for me.