Aluminum keyboard Howto: Remap alt and cmd keys, use eject as sleep

[andrewsh]

Hello,

I have spent some time modifying the apple aluminum keyboard firmware in order to make it function as I wanted in Windows.
What I have achieved until now:

a) I am using the eject button as a sleep button (this also works in windows)
b) Swap alt and cmd buttons

There are no extra drivers/utilities involved. Everything is stored in the apple keyboard firmware and works even without bootcamp software.

If there are others interested, please post and I will make a tutorial.
This is primarily for users interested in using their aluminum keyboard on a windows PC

 

[skorpien]

I would definitely be interested as I currently have issues when switching between OS X and Windows in Boot Camp. As it is now, the keys on my Apple keyboard that correspond to Alt and the Start Menu are swapped and I constantly have to go through a readjustment period every time I switch. One question though, would one have to remap the keys everytime one switches between OS X and Windows or is there a way to set it up so that it only swaps when in Windows?

 

[andrewsh]

Unfortunately no.
The change is in the keyboard itself and is OS independent. So if you swap the keys, they will get swapped for both Windows and Macos.

 

[skorpien]

Thanks, andrewsh. That's slightly disappointing, although I should have suspected as much when you were talking about changing the firmware on the keyboard (slight blond moment).

I'd still be interested in a tutorial in case I choose to use an Apple keyboard for any Windows based PCs I may purchase in the future.

 

[kramerica2]

Using the freeware sharpkeys for windows you can swap the command and alt (or any other key) only in windows, without changing anything in the firmware. However, you can't assign actions to keys not found in a standard windows keyboard like the eject or F13-F19.

 

[skorpien]

Using the freeware sharpkeys for windows you can swap the command and alt (or any other key) only in windows, without changing anything in the firmware. However, you can't assign actions to keys not found in a standard windows keyboard like the eject or F13-F19.

Thanks kramerica2, I wasn't aware such a program existed.

 

[Patrick J]

Tutorial pleasE?

 

[yma]

Remapping other keys

Hey I was wondering if anyone could tell me how to remap the question mark & colon keys. They stopped working a few days ago and it's driving me a bit nuts not having them. I was hoping to map them to keys I don't use often. Anyone know how I would do this <insert QM>