Where's my Insert key?!

TheMonarch · Jul 15, 2006

I feel like suck a newb for asking, but... Does anybody know what the insert key is on a Mac?

Right now I'm in desperate need of the insert key. And its nowhere to be found.

Thanks

EDIT: I'm using an Apple BT keyboard, if thats any help.

kildraik · Jul 15, 2006

blaskillet4 said:
I feel like suck a newb for asking, but... Does anybody know what the insert key is on a Mac?

Right now I'm in desperate need of the insert key. And its nowhere to be found.

Thanks

EDIT: I'm using an Apple BT keyboard, if thats any help.

Insert Keys are found only on PC keyboards.

Chaszmyr · Jul 15, 2006

What does an insert key do anyway?

trainguy77 · Jul 15, 2006

blaskillet4 said:
Right now I'm in desperate need of the insert key. And its nowhere to be found.

Why do you need a insert key? They seem to be annoyance for me on the PC. Why would you ever want to turn it off? Its just a annoying thing that little kids turn off....... unless you have a reason to turn it off. I have no clue what that would be.

Me1000 · Jul 15, 2006

Chaszmyr said:
What does an insert key do anyway?

if you hit the insert key it will over write the next character with whatever you type. and it will keep doing it until you hit it again!

annoying if you ask me!

TheMonarch · Jul 15, 2006

trainguy77 said:
Why do you need a insert key. They seem to be annoyance for me on the PC. Why would you ever want to turn it off? Its just a annoying thing that little kids turn off....... unless you have a reason to turn it off. I have no clue what that would be.

Me1000 said:
if you hit the insert key it will over write the next character with whatever you type. and it will keep doing it until you hit it again! annoying if you ask me!

Yeah, I know it can get very annoying. But I don't need it for word processing. I'm doing my 3D modeling HW (Maya), and I need to change the center of an object, which would be done by pressing the Insert key [On a PC].

I get plenty of crap for using a Mac for 3D work

Me1000 · Jul 15, 2006

ive never touched maya but can you change the preferences. also i have found that most 3d modeling programs have a way to do everything through the menu if you look hard enough!

emptyCup · Jul 15, 2006

Essentially you are always in insert mode on a Mac. Microsoft Word used to have some kludgy keyboard command to trigger destructive overtype. Because it is destructive, and an easy way to ruin your work, the Mac never had it and Microsoft got rid of it. In the Mac version of Word there is a little OVR button in the staus bar (on the bottom of the screen). If you click it, it turns green and this "feature" will work just as before. I believe Microsoft plans to get rid of overtype in all future versions of Word.

The Mac way is to highlight the text you want to remove, and then type the replacement text. There are quick ways of selecting words, lines, paragraphs and arbitrary chucks of text which are worth learning.

You might want to check out David Pogue's "Switching to the Mac: the Missing Manual". It explains many of the differences that switchers find confusing. There are also numberous online guides. Usually it takes about two weeks to adjust. After a few months, most switchers come to prefer the Mac way.

Best wishes.

Nermal · Jul 15, 2006

Try the Help key.

mduser63 · Jul 15, 2006

Nermal said:
Try the Help key.

Nermal is right. The help key on a Mac keyboard is actually the same key as the insert key on a PC keyboard. Of course it doesn't do the same thing on a Mac, but if you plug a Mac keyboard into a Windows machine, it works like insert. The only thing that confuses me is why Maya would require the use of the insert key when it's known that there is no insert key on a Mac, and Maya is used on a lot of Macs.

TheMonarch · Jul 15, 2006

emptyCup said:
Essentially you are always in insert mode on a Mac. Microsoft Word used to have some kludgy keyboard command to trigger destructive overtype. Because it is destructive, and an easy way to ruin your work, the Mac never had it and Microsoft got rid of it. In the Mac version of Word there is a little OVR button in the staus bar (on the bottom of the screen). If you click it, it turns green and this "feature" will work just as before. I believe Microsoft plans to get rid of overtype in all future versions of Word.

The Mac way is to highlight the text you want to remove, and then type the replacement text. There are quick ways of selecting words, lines, paragraphs and arbitrary chucks of text which are worth learning.

You might want to check out David Pogue's "Switching to the Mac: the Missing Manual". It explains many of the differences that switchers find confusing. There are also numberous online guides. Usually it takes about two weeks to adjust. After a few months, most switchers come to prefer the Mac way.

Best wishes.

Thank you for the lengthy and informative response, but I need the insert key for Maya (3D app)

Nermal said:
Try the Help key.

No dice

TheAnswer · Jul 15, 2006

This is a complete shot in the dark as I don't know Maya, but how about the Home key. Just on the intuitive thought that the home of the object would be at it's center.

TheMonarch · Jul 15, 2006

TheAnswer said:
This is a complete shot in the dark as I don't know Maya, but how about the Home key. Just on the intuitive thought that the home of the object would be at it's center.

Yess!!!

Thank you!

(BTW, I'm still a beginner in Maya, and going back and forth from a Mac and PC can get confusing with these kind of apps [which aren't very intuitive]

)

Nermal · Jul 15, 2006

mduser63 said:
The only thing that confuses me is why Maya would require the use of the insert key when it's known that there is no insert key on a Mac, and Maya is used on a lot of Macs.

Maya has actually become "less Mac" with each release. When I used 3.5, it said to use the Command key, the Option key, etc. In 5, it says to use Control and Alt

FocusAndEarnIt · Jul 15, 2006

maybe control alt help key?

apple shift option?

kinda play aroudn with the shift, apple, control, help, and alt keys.

Nermal · Jul 15, 2006

We've already figured it out, it's Home.

mmmcheese · Jul 16, 2006

Well, since the author of this thread has the answer....I have to ask....where, in the name of Bob, is the help key? I have never seen a help key on any Mac I own...

steve_hill4 · Jul 16, 2006

emptyCup said:
The Mac way is to highlight the text you want to remove, and then type the replacement text. There are quick ways of selecting words, lines, paragraphs and arbitrary chucks of text which are worth learning.

With Windows I often used holding shift to select and control to move blocks, (words), rather than characters. With Mac, it becomes shift and option. I always found it easier than moving to the mouse, selecting then back to keyboard to type.

TheAnswer · Jul 16, 2006

blaskillet4 said:
Yess!!!

Thank you!

(BTW, I'm still a beginner in Maya, and going back and forth from a Mac and PC can get confusing with these kind of apps [which aren't very intuitive] )

You're more than welcome. I actually can't believe it was right...I just looked over on that side of the keyboard and saw it right there next to Help and thought "that would make sense", usually that just gets me in trouble, but I'm glad it worked this time.

dpaanlka · Jul 16, 2006

Nermal said:
Maya has actually become "less Mac" with each release. When I used 3.5, it said to use the Command key, the Option key, etc. In 5, it says to use Control and Alt

Wow, I've never even used Maya, but I hate it already.

amg40 · Mar 3, 2007

MAYA ANSWER for G4

For a G4 powerBook or MacBook keyboard you must hit fn + home (the back arrow)- This will activate the pivot in Maya.

eatpopplers · Mar 11, 2007

i figured out how to do the insert on a mac (it's called overtype).

i weeded through the responses and it didnt look like anyone answered your question.

if you still need to know its a funciton that you can toggle via a radio button on the lower right corner of the document window. rec, trk, ext, and ovr. click on the ovr one and you should be in insert mode.

if this is too late of an answer, oh well, maybe some other person can get some use out of it.

(found the this info at macoshints.com)

sixxpixels · Oct 28, 2007

Maya 8.5 - Pivot Point

Theres several other ways to move your pivot point in Maya. The simplest way is to go into your; (Have your object selected)

Attribute Editor, for example: pCube1:
Highlight -Check Mark - your Display Rotate Pivot;
Scroll Down to; World Space.
When use your ZXY Axis to move your pivot point (Scale or Rotate) to your desired location.

Hope this helps...

mankar4 · Nov 6, 2007

just found this. at least it works in windows on my mbp. fn + enter.

mio · Apr 6, 2008

Moving the pivot point in Maya

I had the exact same problem just now as I'm using Maya... only even worse as I don't seem to have a home key either!

Anyway the answer is you hold down D while you move the pivot point to where you want. Phew...I thought Macs were supposed to be easier to use

Where's my Insert key?!

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