Modding Mac OS X

Keyboard Shortcut Equivalents

In the world outside of the Keyboard Shortcuts preferences pane, each keyboard shortcut key/value pair consists of a menu name associated with a short string that defines the key or keys used to activate that shortcut. The string is built by associating optional modifiers with a single character. These modifiers indicate the keys that are pressed in combination with that character, and include the usual suspects: Shift, Option, Control, and Command.

A shortcut can contain zero, one, or up to four modifiers. The list of modifiers and their associated symbols are shown in Table 8-1. For example, $C corresponds to Shift-C, @^C corresponds to Control-⌘-C, which is certainly a finger twister. You can even define a shortcut to the C key without any modifiers, although it would make it difficult to type the word “Connecticut” in an application, since any time you tried to type the letter C the shortcut would activate.

Table 8-1. Keyboard shortcut modifier keys

Modifier	Symbol
Shift	$
Option	~
Command	@
Control	^

Curiously enough, if you map a normal character key (such as “2” or “C” or “?”) to a menu item, you cannot predict whether the key will continue to work during normal data entry. Some applications will transfer control completely to the linked menu item. Others will run the menu and still accept that key as an input character. Your results will vary based on the key chosen and the affected application.

The primary character you pick can affect ...