Clear key does not work in most applications

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Level 1

19 points

Clear key does not work in most applications

I have a new Apple aluminum keyboard with numerals. The keyboard features a ⌧ Clear key that does not work very often.

Per the Mac OS Human Interface Guidelines, the key is supposed to:
“The Clear key has the same effect as the Delete command in the Edit menu: It removes the selection without putting it on the Clipboard.”

The Edit menu > Delete removes the selection in all applications. In a very limited number of Apple’s applications, the same can be achieved by pressing the Clear key. Most applications, however, just plays a system sound when pressing the key.

Am I doing something wrong, or does not the button work very well in never versions of OS X?

Macmini3,1, Mac OS X (10.5.6), Intel C2D 2GHz, 4 GB RAM

Posted on Apr 8, 2009 4:59 PM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Apr 8, 2009 6:06 PM in response to Macsential

Don't know. It works in TextEdit and MS Word 2004. For which applications isn't it working for you?

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Answer 2

thomas_r.

Level 7

32,031 points

Apr 8, 2009 6:10 PM in response to Macsential

What's wrong with just pressing the Delete key? It does what you describe. Is there something you want to do that Delete doesn't do?

If you're just wondering why it doesn't work, think about it from a developer's point of view. How many people, in this age of heavy laptop use, actually have a Clear key? Of the people who have a Clear key, how many of them have ever pushed it? (I had a Clear key for many years, and never touched it.) Do you really want to do a bunch of extra work to create a distinct semantic function for a Clear key and then have to find some way to provide that function for people without a Clear key?

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Answer 3

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Apr 8, 2009 6:31 PM in response to thomas_r.

If I understand the distinction, the clear key deletes the selection without saving it to the clipboard, whereas the delete key saves it to the clipboard. However, I've not done any extensive testing. That's left as an exercise for those so inclined to pursue it. BTW, good programming allows for those contingencies.

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Answer 4

Macsential Author

Level 1

19 points

Apr 9, 2009 1:32 AM in response to thomas_r.

I just want to know why there is a key on my keyboard that does not work. 🙂

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Answer 5

Macsential Author

Level 1

19 points

Apr 9, 2009 1:35 AM in response to baltwo

Safari is one important application I use all the time that does not support this key.

Try pressing Command + L and then Clear. It should have cleared the location bar, instead I hear the system notification sound.

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Answer 6

thomas_r.

Level 7

32,031 points

Apr 9, 2009 3:58 AM in response to baltwo

I can tell you definitively that pressing the Delete key *does not* affect the clipboard. Delete behaves exactly as the Clear key was described to work. I honestly don't understand the need for the Clear key, as there is no semantic difference between its function and that of the Delete key.

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Answer 7

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,252 points

Apr 9, 2009 4:05 AM in response to Macsential

Macsential wrote:
I just want to know why there is a key on my keyboard that does not work. 🙂

The programmers did not trap for it.

Why do you need to clear the address field? Type cmd-l and start typing. It will clear when you type over the selection, like every other editable text field.

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Answer 8

Macsential Author

Level 1

19 points

Apr 9, 2009 4:13 AM in response to Barney-15E

With Steve Jobs hate on keys, I think it is weird they decided to put a Clear key on the new aluminum keyboards. That is all.

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Answer 9

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Apr 9, 2009 10:02 AM in response to Macsential

As noted earlier, it works here, including in Safari. The location is cleared and there's no sound. Create a new admin user account, log into it, and try again. Report back.

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Answer 10

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Apr 9, 2009 10:03 AM in response to Macsential

Why? It works here.

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Answer 11

Macsential Author

Level 1

19 points

Apr 9, 2009 10:18 AM in response to baltwo

It works almost everywhere in OS X with a US keyboard layout. Apple’s Norwegian keyboard layout seams to break it. Too bad that is the one I use all the time. (Got to have my three extra keys, you know – æ, ø, å.)

So it really is just a localization bug in OS X and not an entirely broken key. That is a—somewhat—more satisfying answer than just “it does not work”.

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Answer 12

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Apr 9, 2009 10:24 AM in response to Macsential

Then, you have a different issue. If you want to report this to Apple, either send Feedback or send bug reports and enhancement requests via its Bug Reporter system. To do the latter, join the Apple Developer Connection (ADC)—it's free and available for all Mac users and gets you a look at some development software. Since you already have an Apple username/ID, use that. Once a member, go to Apple BugReporter and file your bug report/enhancement request. The nice thing with this procedure over submitting feedback is that you get a response and a follow-up number; thus, starting a dialog with engineering.

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