Ambient Light Sensor in correlation to Backlight Keyboard

[Dilster3k]

I use to remember a time a few Mac OS X iterations ago when I shut down my lights in my room, the backlight keyboard within my MBP would light on automatically. This doesn't seem to be the case anymore with Mavericks or Yosemite (even previous versions) and this bothers me for some reason.

To my knowledge there isn't a setting that can adjust this or bring this back, and I am aware that the brightness of the display and keyboard are adjusted accordingly to the light environment you find yourself in. (But only if the backlight is already on)
Also there doesn't seem to be an application to do this or an official API that gives access to the sensor.

What are your thoughts on this, do you miss the feature? Want it back?
Maybe you guys have alternative solutions to this. It's not a major deal but it was pretty convenient and a cool magic trick.

 

[SarcasticJoe]

Whenever I put the lights out it's usually for the ambiance and I hated it when after turning the lights out the first thing I had to do was turn down the keyboard backlight. Felt like playing a game of light whack-a-mole.

 

[snaky69]

I use to remember a time a few Mac OS X iterations ago when I shut down my lights in my room, the backlight keyboard within my MBP would light on automatically. This doesn't seem to be the case anymore with Mavericks or Yosemite (even previous versions) and this bothers me for some reason.

To my knowledge there isn't a setting that can adjust this or bring this back, and I am aware that the brightness of the display and keyboard are adjusted accordingly to the light environment you find yourself in. (But only if the backlight is already on)
Also there doesn't seem to be an application to do this or an official API that gives access to the sensor.

What are your thoughts on this, do you miss the feature? Want it back?
Maybe you guys have alternative solutions to this. It's not a major deal but it was pretty convenient and a cool magic trick.

Image

My 2012 does exactly that and I'm on Mavericks. Display brightness and backlit keyboard both adjust automatically according to light levels. Perhaps you have the setting turned off somehow?

 

[Dilster3k]

My 2012 does exactly that and I'm on Mavericks. Display brightness and backlit keyboard both adjust automatically according to light levels. Perhaps you have the setting turned off somehow?

Yeah it adjusts itself, but it doesn't activate the backlight when it's off.

 

[Qaanol]

For me, the “automatic” keyboard light setting works the opposite of how I want, so I don’t use it.

What I want:
• When the room is very dark the keyboard light should be dim, so I can see the keys but the light is not distracting.
• When the room is mostly dark the keyboard light should be medium, so it is enough to see the keys but not excessive
• When the room is only a little bit dark, the keyboard light should be bright, so I can see the keys above ambient light
• When the room is light enough to see the keys, even if it is not a bright room, the keyboard light should be off

What it currently does:
• The darker the room is, the brighter the keyboard light
• When the room is very dark, the keyboard light is glaringly bright
• When the room is slightly dark, the keyboard light is dim so it doesn’t help
• When the room is at normal brightness, the keyboard light stays on for no reason
• The keyboard light only turns off in extremely bright direct light

Ideally I would want adjustable settings for
• Ambient brightness at which keyboard light turns off
• Ambient brightness at which keyboard light reaches maximum
• Checkbox for whether keyboard light gets brighter or darker with ambient brightness

 

[snaky69]

For me, the “automatic” keyboard light setting works the opposite of how I want, so I don’t use it.

What I want:
• When the room is very dark the keyboard light should be dim, so I can see the keys but the light is not distracting.
• When the room is mostly dark the keyboard light should be medium, so it is enough to see the keys but not excessive
• When the room is only a little bit dark, the keyboard light should be bright, so I can see the keys above ambient light
• When the room is light enough to see the keys, even if it is not a bright room, the keyboard light should be off

What it currently does:
• The darker the room is, the brighter the keyboard light
• When the room is very dark, the keyboard light is glaringly bright
• When the room is slightly dark, the keyboard light is dim so it doesn’t help
• When the room is at normal brightness, the keyboard light stays on for no reason
• The keyboard light only turns off in extremely bright direct light

Ideally I would want adjustable settings for
• Ambient brightness at which keyboard light turns off
• Ambient brightness at which keyboard light reaches maximum
• Checkbox for whether keyboard light gets brighter or darker with ambient brightness

A setting must be off somewhere, because mine behaves EXACTLY as you describe in your "What I Want" list.

 

[Dilster3k]

For me, the “automatic” keyboard light setting works the opposite of how I want, so I don’t use it.

What I want:
• When the room is very dark the keyboard light should be dim, so I can see the keys but the light is not distracting.
• When the room is mostly dark the keyboard light should be medium, so it is enough to see the keys but not excessive
• When the room is only a little bit dark, the keyboard light should be bright, so I can see the keys above ambient light
• When the room is light enough to see the keys, even if it is not a bright room, the keyboard light should be off

What it currently does:
• The darker the room is, the brighter the keyboard light
• When the room is very dark, the keyboard light is glaringly bright
• When the room is slightly dark, the keyboard light is dim so it doesn’t help
• When the room is at normal brightness, the keyboard light stays on for no reason
• The keyboard light only turns off in extremely bright direct light

Ideally I would want adjustable settings for
• Ambient brightness at which keyboard light turns off
• Ambient brightness at which keyboard light reaches maximum
• Checkbox for whether keyboard light gets brighter or darker with ambient brightness

Wow, I somewhat agree with you. But they should make this options available again since the hardware is already in our systems. Giving us the options at least so we can configure it or shut it off.