`shift-control-option-command` `backspace` remap not working

Bug Reports
1

Describe the bug
When I try to create a keyboard shortcut to remap shift-control-option-command backspace, I click into the Click here to record a shortcut box, press the keys, and nothing happens. I use Karabiner Elements to remap capslock to shift-control-option-command but even if I press all 4 modifier keys manually, the same behavior occurs.

It'll work for every other modifier key combination (any 3, 2, or 1 of the 4 can be paired with backspace, and all 4 together work for every other normal key like they should.

After downloading the latest alpha version (can't find the version number in the settings :eyes:) I noticed that if I held the combo in the box for a second, it'd register and show the correct combo there but then when I'd go press (or even hold) the combo in a text box, still nothing happens.

This behavior is new, I would have noticed it on Friday at the latest. I also tried switching to the old (>v2.4) keyboard shortcut implementation with no difference in behavior.

Affected input device (e.g. MacBook Trackpad, Magic Mouse/Trackpad, Touch Bar, etc.):
Keyboard (built into Macbook Pro, as well as Magic Trackpad 2)

Screenshots

Device information:

  • Type of Mac: MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
  • macOS version: 12.3.1
  • BetterTouchTool version: 3.771

Additional information (e.g. StackTraces, related issues, screenshots, workarounds, etc.):
Workaround: capslock and shift are close enough that it'll do for now but I really hope this doesn't persist. Can I be hired to fix this?

2

kind of looks like a change in macOS. Can you confirm that recording this shortcut also doesn't work in System Preferences => Keyboard => Shortcuts? (without BTT)

I'll need to check whether there is a way to still catch it

3

It looks like macOS doesn't send a key down event for backspace anymore if ctrl, opt and cmd are pressed. I added a workaround to the latest alpha, so it can at least trigger again on key up, but some functionality will not work until Apple fixes this (key repeat, long press etc.)

For recording that combination in the BTT UI you will need to keep the shortcut pressed for a bit.

1 Like
4

The only shorcuts I can customize in this menu are under App Shortcuts and Function Keys, neither of which allow me to do anything like this remap.

5

Now on version 3.772. now the remap works (pressing capslock backspace yields opt backspace as desired to delete a word) but either the 1st or 2nd keystroke afterward is ignored/produces no output. I can't find a pattern in it.

6

I'm getting the same behaviour for the following keys:

shift-control-option-command-,
shift-control-option-command-.
shift-control-option-command-/

Is there any chance of a fix/workaround for this?

I'm using:

  • macOS 12.3.1
  • BTT 3.777
7

what behavior do you see with these? the keyboard key being ignored after trigger?

8

I had thought the keys were being ignored, but…

I've found out that shift-control-option-command-, and shift-control-option-command-. invoke sysdiagnose. (See Running sysdiagnose and Wireless Diagnostics With Self Service | Nathaniel Strauss)

Both the above flash the screen when invoked, but only if sysdiagnose is not already running (at least once sysdiagnose has been running for a few seconds).

shift-control-option-command-/ seems to do nothing.

I think ideally I'd like to be able to map those key combinations and maybe use different key combinations for sysdiagnose. That's because I have a 4x4 grid of shift-control-option-command-something keys — 7 8 9 0 then u i o p then j k l ; then m , . /
Maybe I have to come up with another way to do that.

1 Like
9

As far as I've been able to find out, there's no way to change the key combinations for sysdiagnose, so probably you should ignore my request.

10

I didn't know about this sysdiagnose shortcut. Sounds like it might be too deeply integrated in the system, so BTT might not be able to override this shortcut - but I'll look into it.

1 Like
11

Thanks for considering this.

FWIW, I've come up with a different bunch of key combinations that avoid the conflict.

12

Omg that's why that kept happening to me lol, I never realized those were the keystrokes that made that big file appear

13

Yeah, I also hadn't linked the keystrokes and the popping up, several minutes later, of a Finder window showing the generated file. It was only when I read the link I posted that I realised.