Hello community!
I am coming from PC environment with AutoHotKey which I use for macros. So please excuse me in advance for noob questions since i am new to Mac ecosystem and KM.
Basically I need when i press F5 to send å as key (not as a text -if that makes sense) is that possible with KM?
The problem is that my program beside its own key commands it can use unicode characters as input so I am unfortunately forced to use it that way cause program interfere with existing shortcuts/key commands (the same is on PC with AHK)
@Karlos -- it would help if you say what the program is and, perhaps, where you are trying to type, and even the language your OS/keyboard is set to. And since you're coming from a PC -- is it a Mac program or are you running it in a VM? At least then someone might be able to replicate your issue.
Meanwhile, here are three other KM actions that will insert your "å" -- the first two use the Unicode code point, and you can find the codes for other characters here -- in the KM token you must use the two, four, or six character hex codes from the first column of those tables.
Sorry I didn't know its necessary so here are the details:
MacBook Pro late 2017
Language/Keyboard: U.S
Program I want to control with KM is "Cubase" Its music creation native mac app so no VM is involved.
Also to rule out its only cause of Cubase I tried also on other audio production software called "Reaper". In case someone is generous to try out Reaper is lightweight ~20mb and relatevly easy to setup through Reaper/Preferences/General/Keyboad-Multitouch/ "Assign keyboard shorcuts to actions..."
I tried Insert Text by (all variations) and when I try to assign that it represents as "Opt+A" in mentioned program and the same happens with Simulate keystroke as you suggested from the last screenshot.
Is there some way to get "å" symbol into keystroke field? Since from my observation Cubase/Reaper receives that literally as that, like its receiving Opt+A from screnshot above not as "å" symbol as it receives in TextEdit or other text based fields. So logically if it gets "å" in keystroke field it will send it as that. Or I am wrong?
You've assigned "å" as a keyboard shortcut for an action within Cubase/Reaper
You want to trigger that action by sending "å" from KM
If that's right, my first reaction is "Ewww!" and the second is "I don't think so" -- but I'm new to KM myself so hopefully other, more experienced, users will chip in.
I am really surprised how some of the aspects in KM are straight forward and better solved compared to AHK. Unfortunately I haven't get much luck to find solution on the web to my particular problem above maybe its MacOS system limitation and not necessary KM's
It's an OS thing. I've just tested by downloading REAPER, switching to French, and setting the debugger action shortcut to é (which is the "2"-key under F2 on a UK keyboard). Both keyboard and a KM "Type keystroke" action work fine and bring up the debugger. Switch back to English and neither the keyboard nor KM work.
You can even see KM change the action's keystroke from é to 2 as soon as it notices the OS language change. Unfortunately REAPER isn't as smart and retains the é shortcut even though it can no longer be typed.
Unless someone comes up with something clever, I suggest you simply change the shortcut! If you chose Å when running under a different language then pick the equivalent keystroke for your current setup so your fingers don't have to relearn anything.
Above is interesting find, maybe i can find workaround. I will brainstorm that later on.
The characters are must since otherwise I don't get reliable results if I use standard keys especially with modifiers and mouse clicks (leakings, wrong keys etc etc). The same happens on PC and its cause of the framework of the Cubase itself.
Honestly, the "workaround" would be to switch your language to one that has the "å" character as a "standard" keypress, activate the macro, switch back to your normal language. That sounds... horrible.
Are Cubase's "normal" shortcuts unreliable in general, or unreliable when triggered via KM/AHK? If the latter then there's a bunch of musical people (not me!) on this board who may be able to give you some tips -- try another post with "Triggering Cubase Shortcuts" or similar in the title to grab their attention.
Ok thats somehow work but its not elegant, I found free app called "Ukelele" which allows making custom keyboard layouts. So I made one with those characters I need and make macro bellow:
It kinda works but not in a sleek way since it change kb layouts it sometimes trigger the key in the US layout instead from my custom one (Cubase KM unicode) where is å placed, cause as you mentioned that as soon as you change kb layout keystroke field changes accordingly in KM....
So the only way I see is to somehow bypass that changing and have character static in US layout or to iron above set of actions and not get that leaking from US layout while I am toggling hot key (F5 in my example)
Normal works as it should, but when I trigger them via KM/AHK I get leaking similar to above when switching kb layouts. Especially in combination for commands that involves Command/Option/Shift in practice Cubase trigger some commands that I don't want, that's why I solve it with unicode characters assigning them beside normal commands. So instead to call some command via KM which is by default in Cubase is lets say Cmd+Opt+A i call it with "å" character avoiding leaking results such as Cmd+A, Opt+A, or in some cases just A.
Thanks once again for the input I will see what I can do these days with above informations, and will report it back if I find solution
In all honesty, it just sounds like Cubase is a bit slow to react and your macros are out-running it. Try popping some pauses in before you do the keypress actions -- you won't notice eg a 0.2 second pause but that can make all the difference in some apps.
and the second is "I don't think so" -- but I'm new to KM myself so hopefully other, more experienced, users will chip in.
