Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

WSE · Nov 1, 2003, 06:02 PM

I must have hit some hidden keystroke combination that disabled the ability for Expose to work via keyboard shortcuts.

When I use either the default F9 or F10, or even if I specify another keystroke combination and use it, I get a greyed out expose icon with a "no you can't" white circle and a cross through it

Expose still works by putting my mouse pointer in a user-specified corner

I've been searching for a preference file for expose (corrupted?) but can't find that either.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

drewm · Nov 1, 2003, 07:24 PM

go to keyboard prefpane and hit restore defaults. try that.

MacNugget · Nov 2, 2003, 12:25 AM

Originally posted by WSE:
I must have hit some hidden keystroke combination that disabled the ability for Expose to work via keyboard shortcuts.

When I use either the default F9 or F10, or even if I specify another keystroke combination and use it, I get a greyed out expose icon with a "no you can't" white circle and a cross through it

Expose still works by putting my mouse pointer in a user-specified corner

I've been searching for a preference file for expose (corrupted?) but can't find that either.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Dude, you've been playing with Expos� too much?? Cut it back a bit!!!

WSE · Nov 2, 2003, 12:56 AM

Originally posted by drewm:
go to keyboard prefpane and hit restore defaults. try that.

Thanks for the suggestion, but it didn't work. Any other suggestions appreciated.

G-mac · Nov 2, 2003, 01:28 AM

Do you still have the Expose preference pane in your System Preferences? If so, it's just a matter of selecting the F9 and F10 keys to do what you want them to. That's all I can think of this late at night!

WSE · Nov 2, 2003, 08:10 AM

Originally posted by G-mac:
Do you still have the Expose preference pane in your System Preferences? If so, it's just a matter of selecting the F9 and F10 keys to do what you want them to. That's all I can think of this late at night!

Using the Expose preference pane, I can get any key combination to work EXCEPT F8, F9 and F10, and when I try those, I get the greyed out image of Expose with the "you can't do that" white circle with the line through it.

At least I can get some keys to work, it's still baffling why the main keys won't work. I don't have any unusual apps installed, no OS hacks, etc.

Geobunny · Nov 2, 2003, 08:15 AM

In the pref pane, if you hold down a modifier key (shift, command, control or option, or any combination of those) can you now select F9 etc?

If so, have you maybe set F9 to do something somewhere else like zoom in Universal Access pane for example?

cybergoober · Nov 2, 2003, 08:34 AM

Does the Command-Tab app switcher still work?

Try killing the Dock.

Code:
killall Dock

This happens to me sometimes, but I never thought to try to kill the DOck, though. A restart always seemed to do the trick�

WSE · Nov 2, 2003, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by Geobunny:
In the pref pane, if you hold down a modifier key (shift, command, control or option, or any combination of those) can you now select F9 etc?

If so, have you maybe set F9 to do something somewhere else like zoom in Universal Access pane for example?

The preference pane will allow me to set any of the normal keystroke combinations for Expose, (including using control, command, etc) but any combination that involves the F8, F9 or F10 keys will not work, I get the same greyed out icon when I press those keys, either alone or in combination with modifier keys.

I rechecked the Universal Access pane and everything is set to default, nothing uses F8, F9, or F10

But thanks for the thoughts, keep those ideas coming please!

gorickey · Nov 2, 2003, 10:22 AM

Is this a system-wide problem? For example, can you log into another User account and see the same thing? If not, it's a User specific issue....

You have restarted, correct?!?

WSE · Nov 2, 2003, 11:01 AM

Originally posted by gorickey:
Is this a system-wide problem? For example, can you log into another User account and see the same thing? If not, it's a User specific issue....

You have restarted, correct?!?

Yes, it is system-wide. I created a brand new user, and that user has the same problem, and it survived a restart.

I suspect there is an undocumented keystroke combination that disables those function keys and I accidentally hit it; or the preference file for those keys is corrupted but I can't find it. It's also odd that I can use the Expose pane to move the keystroke combinations to other function keys, and it works. So I do have a work-around, it is just annoying that the 'main' keys for expose won't work for me

romanesq · Nov 2, 2003, 11:19 AM

I had the same problem and was trying to work in an application and sorely needed to hit the F8 key to acknowledge an agreement to continue with the program install.

I was looking everywhere for the solution.

The F8, 9, and 10 keys were all out.

You have also hold the control and fn keys on the lower left before hitting those f keys.

Worked for me.

As for changing some preferences in the finder, I don't know about that.

cybergoober · Nov 2, 2003, 11:21 AM

Try trashing /Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist and then restarting.

That was the most recent file that was modified after changing the Expose key settings.

xi_hyperon · Nov 3, 2003, 01:14 PM

I've noticed that using Backlight will kill Expos� on my Powerbook, which of course sucks. No need to restart though - just logging out and back in brings Expos� back.

WSE · Nov 3, 2003, 03:04 PM

Originally posted by cybergoober:
Try trashing /Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist and then restarting.

That was the most recent file that was modified after changing the Expose key settings.

I tried this, and unfortunately it didn't work.

For the time being, I've got a workaround using F11 and F12 and option-F11 instead of F9 and F10, but I sure would like to know why this is happening.

Taipan · Nov 3, 2003, 10:15 PM

Hi!

The non-latest versions of USB Overdrive are said to disable some keys in Panther, you don't happen to have installed one of those lately (in /Library, so it affects all users)?

WSE · Nov 3, 2003, 11:39 PM

Originally posted by Taipan:
Hi!

The non-latest versions of USB Overdrive are said to disable some keys in Panther, you don't happen to have installed one of those lately (in /Library, so it affects all users)?

Thanks for the suggestion, but no, I have not ever installed USB Overdrive.

Please keep the ideas coming!

WSE · Nov 4, 2003, 07:21 PM

As it turned out I had to make a trip to the Apple Store today (white spots on new Aluminum Powerbook 15 inch, they are getting me a new screen).. and I demonstrated the problem to them.

The reply --- this isn't a bug, it is a feature!

Apples want us to hit the function key along with F8, F9 and F10 to use Expose on a backlit comptuer; and if I do, it works normally.

The greyed out icon means "you are in daylight, the key backlights have been disabled"

The "problem" that I saw was a conflict between the keys used for adjusting the backlighting of the keyboard and Expose.