Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

northernpaul

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 20, 2008
42
0
Hi

I'm a reasonably experienced Mac user, but there is one thing that I'm yet to figure out: how to invoke the right click menu using the keyboard only.

I have a MBP, so I understand that I can just tap the trackpad area with 2 fingers, however I'd love to be able to tap a 'right click' button, as I do at work on my Windows keyboard. Since my MBP doesn't have such a button, I wondered if there was a keyboard shortcut that I could invoke to replicate this functionality?

An example of when this would be very useful is when I'm typing something, and have spelt a word wrong. To be able to bring up the menu of alternatives, at the moment I need to move my hands from the keyboard, navigate the mouse pointer to the word, right click and then move my hands back to the trackpad. It hardly takes more than a second or two, however it does annoy me slightly (especially since my spelling is pretty bad!).

So - 1) Is there a way to do this natively? 2) If not, is there a way to program a shortcut using OSX/ Launchbar? Ideally, I'd like to be able to assign Control + Space to right click.

Thanks in advance
 

yotd

macrumors member
Feb 21, 2010
41
0
I've been looking for this too. One of the things I miss about Windows (I've been a concurrent Windows and Mac user for a while) is the ability to work with menus (including context-menu) with the keyboard. The provision in Mac OS isn't up to scratch (and keyboard shortcuts don't cut it in all circumstances).
 

yotd

macrumors member
Feb 21, 2010
41
0
Control + click

I would have thought that's a given. What I'm talking about (and what I think the OP is talking about) is the ability to bring up a context-menu without using the mouse/trackpad in any way. A Windows keyboard has a special key for it.

I don't think it's possible because of the way focus works differently in Mac OS and Windows.
 

Z06jerry

macrumors regular
Feb 2, 2008
213
0
Ontario, Canada
I would have thought that's a given. What I'm talking about (and what I think the OP is talking about) is the ability to bring up a context-menu without using the mouse/trackpad in any way. A Windows keyboard has a special key for it.

I don't think it's possible because of the way focus works differently in Mac OS and Windows.

OK, I understand you want to use only the keyboard. On a laptop its such a natural way to access the contextual menu while leaving your fingers free to scroll the trackpad, no?

Just out of curiosity what's wrong with Apple's Control + click?

The OP is asking for a control + space keyboard shortcut, while the trackpad click is so close by. Maybe the OP is unable to use the trackpad to click.
 

northernpaul

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 20, 2008
42
0
Just out of curiosity what's wrong with Apple's Control + click?

Because when you control and click, the Mac right clicks where-ever the pointer is hovering over. When you press the right click button on Windows, it right clicks at the cursor. BIG difference when text editing.

(for information, I can use the trackpad to click without any issues, but it's an inferior alternative from a usability point of view in circumstances such as text editing)
 

Z06jerry

macrumors regular
Feb 2, 2008
213
0
Ontario, Canada
Because when you control and click, the Mac right clicks where-ever the pointer is hovering over. When you press the right click button on Windows, it right clicks at the cursor. BIG difference when text editing.

Not to beat a dead horse, but how would the keyboard shortcut - control + space be better than the control + click?
 

yotd

macrumors member
Feb 21, 2010
41
0
Right clicking the mouse and control + click on the keyboard are the same, they both locate the contextual menu at the curser. How would a control + shift keyboard shortcut be different?

As posted above, on Windows it would be wherever focus is (for example a caret in a word processing document), not necessarily where the cursor is.
 

Z06jerry

macrumors regular
Feb 2, 2008
213
0
Ontario, Canada
I'd assume it would take its location cue from the cursor, rather than the mouse?

I think that would be an incorrect assumption.

As posted above, on Windows it would be wherever focus is (for example a caret in a word processing document), not necessarily where the cursor is.

Adding a new keyboard shortcut in OSX will not change the behaviour of the contextual menu in OSX to replicate the way it works in Windows.
 

zzoltan

macrumors newbie
Mar 19, 2010
3
0
...i've been looking for this keyboard shortcut for a while now, but nothing. some hints from advanced users would be appreciated... from very advanced ones :cool:
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.