[Ghoser777]

This is something I bumped into thanks to a problem with my vnc server (I get my screen to my X box, but then my machine starts to think that the option key is always pushed down - in both vnc clients and when I'm actually sitting at it!). Try this:
1) Move your volume in the menubar all the way to the max
2) Start a song in iTunes or Mu or whatever you use
3) Hold down the option key
4) Change the volume in the menu bar
5) Notice that your song doesn't change in volume
6) Notice that your alert volume has been changed
7) Release the option key
8) Notice that the menubar volume control now controls the system volume again.

Pretty spiffy, huh?

F-bacher

[Jim Paradise]

Pretty cool!

[Archangel]

Originally posted by Ghoser777:
<STRONG>. . . my X box . . .
</STRONG>

Augh! Don't call it that! Thanks for the tip.

[stupidFish23]

Yeah! I L*O*V*E undocumented features like this one. Now I got something to show my friends at work that they don't...

[clebin]

Originally posted by stupidFish23:
<STRONG>Yeah! I L*O*V*E undocumented features like this one. Now I got something to show my friends at work that they don't...

</STRONG>

Come on, this is classic Mac stuff! (with a small c, of course).

I must spend a whole day doing everything with the Option key held down. There's a whole world of minor functionality out there...

Chris

[Archangel]

www.macinstein.com is a good place to start for finding hidden features w/ the option key.

Having hidden features in the OS transforms the typical OS-experience into an Easter egg hunt. I dig it.

[greggers]

hahaha Ghoser777 -- you rock! You know why? Becauseof your post I was messing with the option key and the sound up/ sound down keys on my powerbook g4.

opt + .5f3 (sound down) opens up system prefs!


muchas gracias.

[Person Man]

Originally posted by greggers:
<STRONG>

opt + .5f3 (sound down) opens up system prefs!

</STRONG>

It works on my QuickSilver G4 too... holding down option + the sound down key (or the sound up key or mute key) on the Pro Keyboard will open System Preferences too.

[funkboy]

Huh, so that's what happened to launching apps from Function keys from OS 9 - Apple somehow forgot to document it, and made it only work for the sound keys, and made it non-user-editable and only open System Prefs

That's weird! Works here on my iBook, too. What other sorts of crazy eggs are there I wonder...

[AJ]

Originally posted by funkboy:
<STRONG>Huh, so that's what happened to launching apps from Function keys from OS 9 - Apple somehow forgot to document it, and made it only work for the sound keys, and made it non-user-editable and only open System Prefs

That's weird! Works here on my iBook, too. What other sorts of crazy eggs are there I wonder...</STRONG>

I am pretty sure that the interface files are in there somewhere (check the keyboard sysprefs nib file) but they haven't been linked up to any functionality yet. I don't really miss them myself, but it would be nice to have them back for the sake of options

AJ

[kennethmac2000]

Originally posted by Ghoser777:
<STRONG>This is something I bumped into thanks to a problem with my vnc server (I get my screen to my X box, but then my machine starts to think that the option key is always pushed down - in both vnc clients and when I'm actually sitting at it!). Try this:
1) Move your volume in the menubar all the way to the max
2) Start a song in iTunes or Mu or whatever you use
3) Hold down the option key
4) Change the volume in the menu bar
5) Notice that your song doesn't change in volume
6) Notice that your alert volume has been changed
7) Release the option key
8) Notice that the menubar volume control now controls the system volume again.

Pretty spiffy, huh?

F-bacher</STRONG>

Would be much better if the menu was live updating, ie, it switched between displaying your alert sound volume and your system volume while the volume menu extra was still open.