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Switch FN keys to standard use, only for After Effects? (Mac)

Explorer ,
Feb 22, 2023 Feb 22, 2023

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I'm an Apple Mac user, and when NOT using After Effects I like my FN keys to be used for their alternative functions they provide. When I AM using AE, I'd love the machine to swap over and disable this alternative function.

 

Basically is this even possible on a Mac to make a certain program use the FN keys differently than the system?

 

Sorry, I appreciate this may be more of an Apple question, but I thought someone here may have wanted to find the same answer in the past.

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Feb 22, 2023 Feb 22, 2023

The ability to customize the function keys on an app-by-app basis went away a long time ago. You used to be able to assign different keyboard functions on a by-the-app menu in System Preferences. Now the only option is to turn on or off the Function key.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 22, 2023 Feb 22, 2023

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Apparently not, at least not completely:

 

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/appkit/nsevent/1535851-function-key_unicode_values

 

The logic is apparently reversed and instead of initializing them to be usable in your app you actually have to explicitly disable and override their behavior, with some keys just not being accessible via public APIs.

 

Mylenium 

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Explorer ,
Feb 23, 2023 Feb 23, 2023

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Ok, thanks guys.

So, if I understand correctly, I may be able to permanently (i.e. not specific to an app) make F9 be F9 (so to speak) and leave all the other keys to behave as they currently do. The alternative function on my F9 key is the 'fast forward' key which I never use anyway.

@Mylenium using the relevant codes/script you shared in that link, I need to somehow set my system to change the behaviour of F9? That correct? (I'll now have to read into how I do that!)

 

Thanks

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Community Expert ,
Feb 22, 2023 Feb 22, 2023

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The ability to customize the function keys on an app-by-app basis went away a long time ago. You used to be able to assign different keyboard functions on a by-the-app menu in System Preferences. Now the only option is to turn on or off the Function key.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 23, 2023 Feb 23, 2023

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I'm not a Mac guy and these are API functions, so there's no way to just hack that in somewhere. I just randomly looked it up and understand the abstract process, not the specific way it's used. You'd clearly need an actual app that escalates privileges and is allowed to disable/ override the default system functions. whether that can be AE or a custom system control is entirely another question, but either way, some keys will remain inaccessible and just continue to use default functions.

 

Mylenium

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