keyboard
Is there a software, command or way to know what keys from an external non apple keyboard are being mapped to which mac keys?
And also is there a way to remap the shortcut keys of my keyboard: back, forward, home, search & mail?
The play and volume keys on my keyboard do work as expected, but the other keys don't seem to de anything.
PS: I have this one:
KeyMap4MacBook can actually do this. As I told in the question, the problem is Windows and Mac OSX interpret Home and End differently. So what I needed was an app that allowed me to have different mappings for different apps (Windows is in VM Ware or Parallels, which are apps)
KeyMap4MacBook allows to have different key mappings for the Mac and different ones for VMs / Remote Desktops:
KeyRemap4MacBook also supports device-specific settings:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<root>
<devicevendordef>
<vendorname>KINESIS</vendorname>
<vendorid>0x05f3</vendorid>
</devicevendordef>
<deviceproductdef>
<productname>ADVANTAGE</productname>
<productid>0x0007</productid>
</deviceproductdef>
<item>
<name>modifierkeys</name>
<identifier>modifierkeys</identifier>
<device_only>DeviceVendor::KINESIS, DeviceProduct::ADVANTAGE</device_only>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::CONTROL_L, KeyCode::FN</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::FN, KeyCode::CONTROL_L</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::COMMAND_L, KeyCode::OPTION_L</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::OPTION_L, KeyCode::COMMAND_L</autogen>
</item>
</root>
You can see the vendor and product IDs from EventViewer.app. If it can't remap any keys on the external keyboard, try uninstalling other keyboard or HID drivers.
See the source for the key code values and predefined settings.
Best Answer
ControllerMate does this. At work I use the Microsoft Natural ergonomic keyboard and a Logitech mouse. ControllerMate has hardware profiles for both, and I have many of the MS-specific keys remapped to other functions.
Like yours, my keyboard also has an otherwise useless Mail button. With Controllermate open, if I press the Mail button while viewing the Microsoft keyboard profile, the list of available key sequences automatically jumps to the one it just received. You can then program that key to do whatever you like, even when ControllerMate isn't open.