MacOS – Backtick as a non-dead key

keyboardmacos

On my mac (azerty keyboard layout), I have this key: `, but I'd like it to place the backtick immediately, as I don't have a need to place it on letters.

How can I get my mac to make touching the ` button place the backtick immediately? I use it a lot in Q&A here and have never used it to place it on a letter.

Best Answer

A keyboard layout called Belgian2 with the backtick you want can be found at this page.

Install the .keylayout file (remove any .txt extension if there is one) in Home/Library/Keyboard Layouts. Then go to System Preferences/Keyboard/Input Sources and use the plus and add buttons to activate it (look in the Others folder). Then select in the "flag" menu at the top right of the finder.

To get to Home/Library, you need to hold down the option key while doing Finder > Go. You can also install in Library/Keyboard Layouts to make available to all users.

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How to make keyboard viewer to automatically show up only when I’m holding the option key

You could use a private.xml like this with KeyRemap4MacBook:

<root>
  <vkopenurldef>
    <name>KeyCode::VK_OPEN_URL_KEYBOARDVIEWER</name>
    <url>file:///System/Library/Input%20Methods/KeyboardViewer.app</url>
  </vkopenurldef>
  <vkopenurldef>
    <name>KeyCode::VK_OPEN_URL_QUITKEYBOARDVIEWER</name>
    <url>file:///Applications/QuitKeyboardViewer.app</url>
  </vkopenurldef>
  <item>
    <name>test</name>
    <identifier>test</identifier>
    <autogen>
    __KeyToKey__ KeyCode::OPTION_L,
    ModifierFlag::OPTION_L | ModifierFlag::NONE,
    KeyCode::OPTION_L,
    Option::KEYTOKEY_BEFORE_KEYDOWN,
    KeyCode::VK_OPEN_URL_KEYBOARDVIEWER,
    Option::KEYTOKEY_AFTER_KEYUP,
    KeyCode::VK_OPEN_URL_QUITKEYBOARDVIEWER
    </autogen>
    <autogen>
    __KeyToKey__ KeyCode::OPTION_R,
    ModifierFlag::OPTION_R | ModifierFlag::NONE,
    KeyCode::OPTION_R,
    Option::KEYTOKEY_BEFORE_KEYDOWN,
    KeyCode::VK_OPEN_URL_KEYBOARDVIEWER,
    Option::KEYTOKEY_AFTER_KEYUP,
    KeyCode::VK_OPEN_URL_QUITKEYBOARDVIEWER
    </autogen>
  </item>
</root>

Save this script as /Applications/QuitKeyboardViewer.app in AppleScript Editor:

quit application "KeyboardViewer"

There is a noticeable (but not that long) delay before KeyboardViewer is opened or closed. If for example you hold option and command simultaneously, KeyboardViewer is shown if you press option first but not if you press command first.

Best Answer

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