ENTER key doesn't "return" like the "RETURN" key does...

[pnickles]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I really hate revealing my idiocy on a regular basis but... How do I map the ENTER key to react just like the RETURN key? I tried it in SysPref (but ENTER doesn't respond) and I tried it using Butler mapping but the ENTER key doesn't even register in either of these programs.)

I spend much of my time entering numbers into columns but on my Mac keyboard (plugged into my Macbook Pro) the "Enter" key doesn't respond like the "Return" key does...

I need to be able to enter a # and drop right down and start entering the next #. Unfortunately I'm currently required to move my hand back to the QWERTY keyboard and hit Return. This is slowing me down dramatically. Surely there's a simple change/fix??

Thank you,

Patrick

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I really hate revealing my idiocy on a regular basis but... How do I map the
ENTER key to react just like the RETURN key? I tried it in SysPref (but ENTER
doesn't respond) and I tried it using Butler mapping but the ENTER key doesn't
even register in either of these programs.)

I spend much of my time entering numbers into columns but on my Mac keyboard
(plugged into my Macbook Pro) the "Enter" key doesn't respond like the
"Return" key does...

I need to be able to enter a # and drop right down and start entering the next
#. Unfortunately I'm currently required to move my hand back to the QWERTY
keyboard and hit Return. This is slowing me down dramatically. Surely there's
a simple change/fix??

Thank you,

Patrick

N a Mac, the Enter and Return Keys have always behaved differently
(correctly) from the PC where there is no difference. But, in Excel, they
are interchangeable. Did you look at the Edit preferences? You can move in
any direction. Try the down arrow key to enter the number and move down.

 

[pnickles]

When I goto Excel, Preferences I see an option to use RETURN to drop Down (or any other direction) but I don't see an option to alter the function of the Enter key. ???

Am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

When I goto Excel, Preferences I see an option to use RETURN to drop Down (or
any other direction) but I don't see an option to alter the function of the
Enter key. ???

Am I looking in the wrong place?

No, there is no other place. If you set it to down, what happens when you
hit enter?

 

[phillman5]

There is a great little program that gets put in your Mac preferences
called KeyReMap4MacBook that will remap any key to any keyboard code.
The new MacBook Pro does not have an enter key! Thats important for
some programs that require it. This program took care of that by
letting the right option key be an enter key.

 

[CyberTaz]

Interesting - My MBP was just purchased in March of this year & it has 2
enter keys: one immediately to the left of the arrow keys & one as a
secondary function of the return key. I'm surprised that Apple would make
such a radical & sudden design change.

At any rate, I don't mean to cast any aspersions on the utility you found as
I'm not at all familiar with it. In general, however, if you begin to
experience any keystroke anomalies in the software you use you might look to
that utility as the source. Such apps often have been known to do strange
things Hopefully this one is an exception.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[pnickles]

If I set it to "DOWN" it works when I hit "RETURN" but nothing happens when I hit "ENTER".

I don't know if I explained this previously BUT I'm using a MBP w/ an external Apple keyboard attached. The 10-key pad works fine except for the lack of response (in every program) of the ENTER key. This is obviously a system-wide issue, not just an issue in Excel. (It only presents a real problem when I'm working in Excel.) Yes, I've already tried swapping keyboards to no avail.

 

[pnickles]

I just tried to remap it using the com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist but I've never done this and couldn't figure it out. Frustration setting in...

 

[pnickles]

Figured out how to remap the key (using "Pref Setter" and "UI Browser" programs) but it still doesn't work. It works ONE time when I type in my username/pw upon reboot. Then it stops responding to any input. It's obvious something is mapping/remapping the key sometime after the sign-in process but I don't know how to solve this issue.