Generic device working but also invoking system functionality - can I stop that?

Configuration Help & General Discussion
1

This is only broadly an issue relating to BTT itself! :slight_smile:

I picked up a cheap "USB volume control" from Amazon - basically, it's a large rotary knob designed to control the Mac's volume. My idea was to use BTT to re-map the knob's left/right motion in order to move video content left & right in Davinci Resolve for editing.

So far so good, the tutorial video on the BTT site was excellent and explained how to get the generic device working perfectly. The problem is that when turning the knob left or right I also invoke the Mac's on-screen UI for volume up or down (as if I'd pressed the volume keys on the keyboard).

This is a long-shot, but does anyone have any ideas on how I can stop the Mac's system-level volume control control from being invoked?

Thanks,

Steve

volumeControl
volumeControl2308Ă—1886 385 KB

2

it depends a bit how the devices implements this. If it’s basically just a keyboard with a volume up and a volume down button, you might be able to remap them in the keyboard shortcuts section in BTT, without using generic devices at all. Just make sure to select the „only works on keyboard used for recording“ option.

If it’s not acting as a keyboard you can usually use the „exclusive access“ option in the generic device config, so the system won’t talk to the device

3

Interesting ideas, thanks Andreas. I will experiment.

To further complicate things I don't want to entirely lose the ability to alter the volume control via a remote device (eg; an external keyboard for example) but I just don't want this "USB volume control" device to do it.

On further thoughts, I may end up abandoning this particular device, as it was clearly designed to be a volume control - but my positive experience with configuring a generic device inside BTT (and your excellent video tutorial) has given me the confidence to try a different device instead, of which eBay seems to offer plenty! :slight_smile:

Thanks again.

4

you won’t if you set the „works on keyboard used for recording“ when recording the shortcut :slight_smile: Then it will only catch from that device

5

Got it. Managed to get things working in just a few seconds following your suggestion of using the Keyboard Shortcuts feature instead of Generic. Sure enough, BTT recognises me turning the USB volume control left as "Volume Down' and turning it right as "Volume Up".

I took note to select "Works on keyboards with the same type as recording" as you suggested. This seems to work and the Mac doesn't alter its volume which is exactly what I wanted. But I've noticed two things:

  1. If I slowly turn the USB volume control all is well - BTT obeys my assigned action of left/right arrow keys. But if I turn the control quickly BTT seems to miss my config and the Mac's volume is altered up or down instead.

  2. The Mac's up/down volume keys now obey my BTT assignment of left/right arrows and no longer operate as volume controls. (MacBook Pro 2015)

Thanks,

Steve

6

that’s strange, which version of BTT are you running? Could you try with the latest alpha version? (it might be possible the device claims to be an Apple keyboard to be able to recreate the volume ui )

7

Hi Andreas, yes I did wonder if the device might be pretending to be the same device type as a regular Macbook keyboard.

I've tried the alpha version and both issues are the same. I'm on version 4.289 (42890), and when I move the volume control device slowly - all is well. When I move it quickly the Mac volume goes up/down depending on the direction I turn the control.

By "quickly" it isn't particularly fast, just more than equivalent of tap, tap, tap on a keyboard.

Steve