17777 One of the things I miss when using my laptop Macs in actual hands-on laptop mode, as opposed to with the external keyboard I use at my normal workstation, is a Forward Delete key. It's something I've gotten used to having, and it's an annoyance not to have it available.

Actually, Apple does build a forward delete function into its notebook keyboards, although it requires a modifier key. If you have a G3 Series or newer PowerBook, iBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook, or MacBook Air, you can delete the character to the right of your cursor by pressing fn-Delete (function-Delete). All Mac laptops since beginning with the PowerBook G3 Series WallStreet have had a fn modifier key.

While this is not as convenient as having a real, dedicated Forward Delete key, it's a lot better than no forward delete function at all.

However, there is a way to have one-touch forward delete on your laptop's keyboard. DoubleCommand is Open Source Preference Panel software for Mac OS X (a kernel extension) that lets you remap key functions. Often used to make a PC keyboard more comfortable with a Mac, swapping the Alt (Option) and Windows (Command or Apple) keys, since they are in swapped positions on Mac and PC keyboards, DoubleCommand also allows you to reconfigure one of the more redundant keys on a notebook's keyboard (say, the right-hand Option key) to work as a forward delete key.

DoubleCommand 1.6.6b4 allows you to use the right Option key as forward delete, Control or Enter, swap delete and forward delete, and using caps lock as forward delete, to name a few examples.

DoubleCommand Feature List

• Enter key acts as a Command key


• Enter key acts as a Control key


• Enter key acts as an Option key


• Enter key acts as an fn key (partial support, cursor keys only)


• Command key acts as an Option key


• Command key acts as a Control key


• Option key acts as a Command key


• Control key acts as a Command key


• Swaps Control key and Option key


• Capslock key acts as a Control key


• fn key acts as a Control key


• Swaps numpad . with numpad shift+.


• Shift + Delete acts as a Forward Delete


• Disable Command and Option


• PC style Home and End keys


• Backslash (\) acts as a Forward Delete


• Swap function key behaviour on new 'Books


• Disable Capslock


• Enter key acts as Forward Delete


• Caps lock acts as delete

You can find out more about DoubleCommand at:
http://doublecommand.sourceforge.net/index.html

Charles W. Moore

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