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Seriously no key repeat in Lion?

This has to be the most ******** thing I've ever seen. Only certain keys that apple has deemed repeat-worthy repeat when you hold them down. As someone who supports unix systems and is in VI a LOT, this is simply unacceptable! Make it a configuration option!

Posted on Jul 20, 2011 1:35 PM

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144 replies

Jan 29, 2012 1:55 PM in response to gonedigital

Yes, the Delete key is disabled in Finder (let's not even get started on that POS). You can get around this with KeyRemap4MacBook (a free utility); there's an application-specific mode so you can make the Delete key (the real one) send stuff to the trash when Finder is active. The only problem is that it can't tell when you're renaming a file, so if you hit Delete while changing a filename, the file will disappear to the trash.


KeyRemap4MacBook can also correct other deficiencies, such as making the Home and End keys go to the beginning and end of the current line instead of the entire document.


I dug up an IBM Model M keyboard the other day and got an active USB adapter for it (passive ones won't work). Despite the lack of any key to replace Command (since these '80s keyboards don't have a Windows key), I set the left Alt key to be Command with KeyRemap4MacBook, and it works great with my iMac. I even have the Pause key controlling iTunes stop/start and Ctrl+arrow keys doing track selection and volume.


Haven't done anything with Scroll Lock yet!

Jan 29, 2012 2:01 PM in response to gonedigital

Yes, at work, I have a Logitech keyboard and mouse that do a decent job of correcting the issues. But when I'm at home or away from my desk at work, I have to shift gears in my head and retrain my fingers... and my habits. Makes things awful fun when mapping keys to macros for writing code. I'm sure with an unlimited budget, I could make this machine work almost just like I'd expect it to. THAT is the reason for the burgeoning market for third-party devices for Apple products. [smiley!]

Mar 31, 2012 10:36 PM in response to Barney-15E

Word of caution. Turning the Press and Hold back on by runnning the above command and setting it to 'true' will apply it globally. Including apps such as Terminal and Vim (which were able to have repeating keys with Lion's default settings).


I had to go back and reset it to false again. I'm hoping that installing Mountain Lion will get all the defaults back in place.

Jan 1, 2013 8:38 AM in response to Mateusk.

Hi Mateusk. I'm new to all of this. I don't know how to do anything. I just got a macbook pro for Christmas. (Yay!) But I noticed right away that there's no key repeat!! So I found your solution, but I don't know what to do with that information. Where is the terminal to enter that code? Would you be able to tell me step-be-step of how to get key repeat?

Seriously no key repeat in Lion?

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