app switcher & app force quit menu commands are not working from external KB

Question

app switcher & app force quit menu commands are not working from external KB

This issue is important because I use app switcher constantly while I work. I've never had a problem like this before, and when I do have issues, I usually find the answer here on this forum, or another similar forum.

Mid-2014 15" MBP 11,2

Command-tab does not call up the app switcher from external wired apple keyboard. At first it was working intermittently, then it stopped altogether, even after shutdown and restart.
Command-option-esc doesn't call up the force quit window.

For the past 2-3 hours I've searched "app switcher not working" "command tab not working" and every variation I could find. I've followed every suggestion I've found. I've read hundreds of comments and a couple dozen threads in various communities. Nothing has worked.

• Command keys work for other operations.

• I did everything suggested on this forum and others.

• I rebooted, I reset PRAM, SMC.

• I checked the actual key, cleaned under it.

• I installed a program (karabiner) that allowed me to remap the key to caps lock, but even that stopped working. (uninstalled that program as soon as I discovered this)

I just need command-tab to work on the external apple keyboard so I can quickly switch between apps.

Data from EtreCheck attached. I thought I only had one Antivirus App, but it says I'm running two.

First entry in launch agents refers to "saicloud" - that is a weird app that I have to run in order to control a plotter I have. Seems odd that I have to sign into a cloud to operate something that does nothing more than read vector data to cut shapes in vinyl. I think I removed it a year or two ago and was not able to run the plotter.

Anyway, please advise - I have no idea about this stuff. I'll do my best to follow instructions.

EtreCheck Report

MacBook Pro Retina

Posted on Aug 19, 2019 7:46 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Old Toad

Level 10

207,403 points

Aug 20, 2019 10:28 AM in response to AppleUserSince1996

You still have remnants of CleanMyMac on your hard drive. You can check to see if you've removed all of the files by downloading and running Find Any File to search for any files with the application's name and the developer's name in the file name. For example for CleanMyMac you'd do two searches:

1 - Name contains cleanmymac

2 - Name contains macpaw

Any files that are found can be dragged from the search results window to the Desktop for deletion.

FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't like invisible folders, system folders and packages.

Next boot into Safe Mode and test the App switcher and force quit from there. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing some system cache cleaning, volume verifying and directory repairing.

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

122,519 points

Aug 20, 2019 5:33 AM in response to AppleUserSince1996

Removing the two apps was not to cure the problem. They just shouldn't be installed because they cause various issues.

Test while in Safe Mode. Takes a few to boot.

Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Aug 20, 2019 10:25 AM in response to Lexiepex

Same language as keyboard - US.

Also, now that I've been restarting and uninstalling things, browser windows flicker some and other hard-to-define odd behaviours in safari, such as a moment where everything on a page was suddenly highlighted without any input from trackpad / kb, etc.

I uninstalled google chrome using an uninstaller, as well as other apps that I might not use. Only running safari at the moment, but I've even gotten random beachball while typing this. Not sure how to get other files that are leftover / showing up in EtreCheck. I'm not familiar with navigating the libraries structure, or using terminal to find and delete things.

It looks like I'll have to go buy yet another external so I can back up just my images and work files and do a clean install of the OS. Was hoping to avoid this, but it seems things are going in that direction.

Also, I have a friend bringing by another apple keyboard so I can see if maybe the tab key is dead.

Posting latest EtreCheck for reference.

EtreCheck - most recent report

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Answer 4

Aug 20, 2019 3:26 PM in response to Old Toad

I just plugged in a new(er) keyboard. After all this, it appears that the primary issue was a keyboard failure. The tab key was the only key on a (visually) mint condition keyboard to fail. So, in conclusion, much of this was related to a failed keyboard - but not all.

Other issues (resolved with help from this thread)

command-option-esc - issue was resolved earlier today after uninstalling and cleaning off more suggested apps and files.

unneeded/unknown processes & leftover app junk - greatly reduced by following advice on installing and using Find Any File app

potential issues - avoided by no longer purchasing or installing 3rd party security / cleaning apps going forward : )

Why I didn't think of the key/keyboard sooner

I hypothesize that while the tab key was flickering between working and not working, I was making changes. Then, I assumed I'd fixed the problem - and what really happened was the tab key had resumed working for a few more hours. The key must have failed permanently when the issues returned.

"...create a user account identical to the current account"

Thank you, this is exactly why I asked. My luck would be that I'd do this one critical step incorrectly and then end up waiting at the Apple store while I should be working - or worse.

"short name" is this the name that is on my user account for the workstation?

Yes, reinstalling 3rd party software would be my aim there. These EtreCheck and Find Any File scans have given me the impression that, though my client directories might look nice in the finder, the stuff I can't see may be preparing to avalanche.

If I can perform an OS reinstall, a manual files migration and eradicate most clutter and unneeded process, then it would probably be worth it to reset preferences in each app.

Just want to make sure I follow protocol correctly... Sounds like my plan should be to:

boot into recovery mode
OS re-install
sign in with exact credentials as previous admin account
drag in working files / client directories from Time Machine (I don't use apps like mail, photos, itunes - 95% or more is adobe / google)
reinstall 3rd party apps and plugins

"I propose to remove all that is in the Users&Groups->Login, the Adobe things are not for you there but for Adobe."

If I can do that without causing issues, that would be awesome. It appears Adobe has been spraying all sorts of files and processes all over the place over the years. There's no way all this stuff is essential anymore. Especially files dated 2006-2011.

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Answer 5

Aug 21, 2019 3:20 AM in response to Lexiepex

Yes, piles of rubbish indeed.

I'll remove those too and/or do the full reinstall over the weekend.

These measures solved another issue I'd been working around.

I just realized that an issue I'd tried to solve months ago. Adobe Illustrator 2015 or 2019 (coin flip) eventually would crash and then crash repeatedly on startup until reboot - that has resolved somewhere along the way. For months I've just been dealing with it, or working solely in 2015. (I use both because certain plugins / devices only work with one or the other.)

smcfancontrol

That's similar to how I've been using SMCfancontrol. I mostly monitor temperature, and rarely changed it from stock. However, you're saying I should not ever use it to change fan speeds, say for 1-2 hours at a time at 30% increase? That's all I've used it for - and only about 2-3 times per month.

conclusions

Don't install 3rd party security and system 'cleaning' apps. Ever.
Wired Apple keyboards are getting harder to find. (got a nearly-new one today though)
Removing rubbish apps and app litter properly can solve a range of issues and revive performance.

Thanks again!

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Answer 6

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Aug 20, 2019 7:07 AM in response to AppleUserSince1996

There are a lot of leftovers of older apps CleanMyMac: remover by hand; Next time uninstall really, not just move the app to the Trash.

What do you need CleanMyDrive2 for? better remove it.

I suspect Dymo, too old.

Question: is it only on your wired external keyboard that has this issue?

Or also on the native keyboard? If yes, issue also when the external keyboard is not connected?

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Answer 7

Aug 20, 2019 7:40 AM in response to Lexiepex

"Test while in Safe Mode."

I started up in safe mode and tested. Problem persists.

"CleanMyMac: remover by hand; Next time uninstall really, not just move the app to the Trash."

I never move apps to the trash to uninstall. If EtreCheck thinks I did, then the uninstaller did not work correctly.

Is it only on your wired external keyboard that has this issue?

Yes, only on the wired keyboard.

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Answer 8

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Aug 20, 2019 8:49 AM in response to AppleUserSince1996

OK, remove all the s**t leftovers by hand.

The issue is only with the external keyboard then, is it exactly the same language etc as the built in keyboard? If no, the codes are not the same. If yes, you have to find what generates the same command as in the internal keyboard. Now I am not on my best at the moment (party), someone will come probably back with it. You can check the codes for the internal keyboard in SystemPreferences->Keyboard->Shortcuts, also check the "input Sources" next to that.

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Answer 9

Aug 20, 2019 10:47 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks, I will do that.

Also, a related question that may help me get things clean in a more efficient manner:

I'm not entirely clear on whether or not I can do a clean install and pull all my work files from a TimeMachine backup. What I mean is, is there a way to reinstall the OS and then pull only the files I need from TimeMachine? Is there a known protocol that addresses this sort of process specifically?

I'm finding articles/posts that vaguely point to this, but none that specifically cover the details of my specific question. I'm trying to avoid getting another hard drive for this specific purpose when I have a time machine that's sitting right here and has been running for several months. (I also have an offsite backup if anything were to happen to the backup I have onhand.)

I know these questions may seem dumb, but it's my experience that simple things can sometimes stack up into complex situations when it comes to operating systems. That's what I'm trying to avoid - and also why I'm following everyone's suggestions in this thread.

BTW, thanks everyone for all your help! I hope others will find this thread useful if they experience an issue like this.

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Answer 10

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Aug 20, 2019 11:20 AM in response to AppleUserSince1996

Not much to say on your last etrecheck list.

General remark:

don't find remnants of CleanMyMac: if you ever have used that to remove "unused languages", please reinstall OS (in the RecoveryPartition, it leaves your data alone).

smc-fancontrol: recently I saw a negative statement about fancontrol, good app, but not good for the mac, I uninstalled it after that;

I am not convinced about the Dymo thing;

I propose to remove all that is in the Users&Groups->Login, the Adobe things are not for you there but for Adobe.

But nothing has to do with the keyboard issue, imho.

Please keep us informed about your test with another keyboard.

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Answer 11

Old Toad

Level 10

207,403 points

Aug 20, 2019 11:45 AM in response to AppleUserSince1996

AppleUserSince1996 wrote:

Thanks, I will do that.

Also, a related question that may help me get things clean in a more efficient manner:

I'm not entirely clear on whether or not I can do a clean install and pull all my work files from a TimeMachine backup. What I mean is, is there a way to reinstall the OS and then pull only the files I need from TimeMachine? Is there a known protocol that addresses this sort of process specifically?

If you do an erase and install of the system you will want to create a user account identical to your current account, right down to the short name and password.

Then when you install the new system and account you can enter the Time Machine and restore your Documents folder and any other files from the Pictures and Music folders.

One downside is that you will have to reinstall any 3rd party software and set it up because many of the supporting files and preference files will be in the Library which you probably don't want to restore. If you do you might as well use the Migration Assistant when setting up the new installation.

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Answer 12

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Aug 21, 2019 12:41 AM in response to AppleUserSince1996

OK, the keyboard as I suspected from the beginning. And a lot of rubbish apps.

If you reinstall OS from the RecoveryPartition, your user data are left alone.

Login: these apps in there should be removed from there with the minus sign underneath: they will not start at startup, that is all. The Adobe Acrobat remains fully available when you start it from the Applications folder or the "Loungepad".

The smcfancontrol you may have uninstalled, if not it must not be started automatically at login. If you want to keep it, set it such that it does not change anything in the fan settings, you can then read parameters without having it control your fans.

Good plan altogether. !

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