Using the play/pause button on my mac...

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Level 1

9 points

Using the play/pause button on my mac...

Hi, recently i set my mac keyboard to standard function keys becasue i use the functions keys in my work with Photoshop and indesign. I was able to reassign the exposé and Dashboard functions to their keys when the standard function keys are turned off but i can't figure out how i assign the play/pause key.

I watch video tutorials on my QuickTime player and then make notes on a Word doc. Its really handy using the play/pause so i don't have to click pause on the QuickTime video and then navigate back to my Word doc to make notes. Can anyone help? Cheers

iMac

Posted on Jul 26, 2010 2:27 AM

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Answer 1

sig

Level 8

35,862 points

Jul 26, 2010 4:22 AM in response to Stuartie B

Use the space bar to toggle play and pause.

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,606 points

Jul 26, 2010 4:31 AM in response to Stuartie B

When you toggle the 'standard' function key setting, you then use the fn key to get the other function of the key. No reassigning is necessary.

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Answer 3

Stuartie B Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 26, 2010 7:48 AM in response to Barney-15E

I can't use the space bar because as i mentioned i use Word because i like to make notes when i watch video tutorials and if i press the space bar it would simply make a space in my Word doc!

Pressing the fn key while pressing the play/pause key is an alternative but i don't want that, i just want to press the play/pause key and only that key, it's really bugging me!!

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,606 points

Jul 26, 2010 4:20 PM in response to Stuartie B

…but i don't want that, i just want to press the play/pause key and only that key, it's really bugging me!!

Really??? Good luck in your hunt for something else. You can probably do it with Quicksilver.

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Answer 5

Stuartie B Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 27, 2010 5:39 AM in response to Barney-15E

Well i know if you go to Keyboard in the System Preferences and then go to Keyboard Shortcuts you can assign the function keys for things like the Dashboard. In the menu on the left you can add shortcuts to applications, i tried assigning the F8 key to play Quicktime movies the trouble is i don't know what the name of the function is in Quicktime, i tried Play, start/stop, play/pause etc and these didn't work.

It seems to me like it should be a pretty basic thing to do, but I'm just coming up with dead ends.

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Answer 6

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,606 points

Jul 27, 2010 3:06 PM in response to Stuartie B

You can't just guess at what the command might be. It must be a menu item and you must spell it exactly the same. Since there isn't a 'Play' menu command in Quicktime Player, there is no way to create a shortcut. I couldn't make one for Play/Pause in iTunes. I assume it is because it already has a shortcut.

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