Wacom Intuos 4 misbehaving with Keynote 7.3.1, Pages 6.3.1 and Numbers 4.3.1

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Wacom Intuos 4 misbehaving with Keynote 7.3.1, Pages 6.3.1 and Numbers 4.3.1

I just upgraded to High Sierra and with that was able to upgrade the three iWork Apps (Keynote, Pages and Numbers). Since doing so, the Wacom pen no longer highlights text - when I click and drag through text, i get the blue highlight colour but, when I release at the end, the highlighting colour disappears and the text is no longer selected.

This doesn't happen with other Apps (Safari, Mail, Calendar, Photoshop and the Finder are unaffected), only the three iWork Apps. My mouse works just fine too.

I have upgraded to the latest Wacom drivers and spoken to Wacom support - since the Intuos works fine with everything else, they unsurprisingly say its not their device.

Can anyone help?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Jan 8, 2018 7:55 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Gary Scotland

Level 7

25,929 points

Jan 9, 2018 8:44 AM in response to Dick Powell

When using iWork applications, the mouse and the keyboard keys work in a slightly different way to other Mac applications.

When using a tablet pen to select text:

place the cursor in the text box, with the Wacom pen, the cursor will blink to show it is in text edit mode
then either press the shift key on the keyboard, or press the appropriate Express Key on the Wacomtablet*
using the Wacom pen, drag the cursor across the text you require to be selected
move the pen off the Wacom tablet
release the modifier key

* On the model of Intuos 4 we have with 8 express keys, button 4 is the shift key, refer to the user manual for other models.

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Answer 2

Dick Powell Author

Level 1

53 points

Jan 9, 2018 9:11 AM in response to Gary Scotland

Hey Gary in Scotland, great to hear from you! I hear you've had snow! Down in the South East it's been just mild, dull and grey!

This Wacom behaviour is pretty weird. Here's why: I never had to do this before the upgrade to the latest Keynote - you may remember that you advised me a while back that you had tested it thoroughly and rated it good to go, and I have had no problems other than this since the upgrade to high Sierra and Keynote 7.3.1. Previously, once in text edit mode, I could just press down with the pen and drag through text and release. Now, as you have suggested, I have to use the shift key to shift select text. I have the same Intuos and I wonder if you guys encountered the same irritating change as me when you upgraded a while ago?

Since it's an issue specific to iWork apps, and doesn't seem to be a Wacom issue, I'd like to notify Apple. You may recall from the past that, as a product designer, I get passionate about unnecessary changes of deeply embedded human behaviour (like the change to autosaving) and I would love them to fix it.

Best

D

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Answer 3

Jan 10, 2018 12:14 AM in response to Dick Powell

No snow as yet where I am, just early morning frost at minus 5.

Yes there is a change in how our Wacom's work with Keynote in High Sierra compared to Sierra, just as you found.

We accept there will be minor changes with software updates, and as Keynote makes a lot of use of the modifier keys anyway, its not a concern to us.

I’m sure you also know that Wacom drivers are specific for each Mac OS release, so as we have three Mac OS in use, we have to use the correct drivers with each OS or strange things happen.

Iv only found that Keynote has this oddity, all other applications are as before: Word PowerPoint Apple Mail Safari Photoshop

Here is the link to the Keynote for Mac feedback page, where you can let Apple know of your concern, I'v just sent in my report: Apple Feedback

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Answer 4

Dick Powell Author

Level 1

53 points

Jan 10, 2018 12:14 AM in response to Gary Scotland

Thanks Gary! Very helpful as always.

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