Sorry, I didn't know where to post this but in my hopes of saving someone else from this headache, I offer the following story/tip.
TL;DR "Having seeming software problems with macros? Clean your keyboard — especially your modifier keys!"
My Macbook Air 11" running Monterey was recently developed two problems:
- The application switcher stopped working consistently
- The macro I used to move windows between the internal and external displays wasn't working consistently
I figured this was a software issue and was unhappy that these things broke when I recently upgraded my OS to Monterey from Catalina (hoping that other stuff that broke in Catalina might get fixed — spoiler alert, NOPE, Mac Mail still sucks at searching). This was very frustrating as I use both macros frequently, often multiple times a minute! Then I noticed something odd:
- Advancing the cursor forward by words instead of individual characters stopped working in Word and Mail.
In my frustration, I pushed harder on the Option key which is the modifier that lets the arrow keys move the cursor by words, not characters. This "worked' but not consistently -- I had to almost smack the key repeatedly to get it to work right.
YES, I KNOW! But when you just want things to work right so you can get your stuff done....
I hadn't really noticed it at first, but the Option key's feel/action had changed. For some reason, I tried using the other Option key, which I never use because of my dominant hand(edness) and also because of the ergonomics of a laptop keyboard and overly-close proximity of the Option key to the arrow keys. To my surprise, it consistently worked to modify the arrow keys for cursor movement and also made my "move windows" macros work. The Application Switcher still had occasional problems and I think that is because the left Option key was sticking and modifying the Tab key occasionally.
Finally, I turned off my laptop and unplugged it, popped off the left Option key and cleaned it and the underlying mechanism with 99% isopropyl alcohol, and also removed some fuzz and debris from around the edge. When I put it all back together and powered the laptop on again, surprise, ALL THE PROBLEMS WERE GONE! I felt simultaneously relieved and dumb and wanted to help others who might have mysterious macro issues.
If anyone has suggestions on where to better (cross?) post this, I am open to it.
TL;DR "Having seeming software problems with macros? Clean your keyboard — especially your modifier keys!"
My Macbook Air 11" running Monterey was recently developed two problems:
- The application switcher stopped working consistently
- The macro I used to move windows between the internal and external displays wasn't working consistently
I figured this was a software issue and was unhappy that these things broke when I recently upgraded my OS to Monterey from Catalina (hoping that other stuff that broke in Catalina might get fixed — spoiler alert, NOPE, Mac Mail still sucks at searching). This was very frustrating as I use both macros frequently, often multiple times a minute! Then I noticed something odd:
- Advancing the cursor forward by words instead of individual characters stopped working in Word and Mail.
In my frustration, I pushed harder on the Option key which is the modifier that lets the arrow keys move the cursor by words, not characters. This "worked' but not consistently -- I had to almost smack the key repeatedly to get it to work right.
YES, I KNOW! But when you just want things to work right so you can get your stuff done....
I hadn't really noticed it at first, but the Option key's feel/action had changed. For some reason, I tried using the other Option key, which I never use because of my dominant hand(edness) and also because of the ergonomics of a laptop keyboard and overly-close proximity of the Option key to the arrow keys. To my surprise, it consistently worked to modify the arrow keys for cursor movement and also made my "move windows" macros work. The Application Switcher still had occasional problems and I think that is because the left Option key was sticking and modifying the Tab key occasionally.
Finally, I turned off my laptop and unplugged it, popped off the left Option key and cleaned it and the underlying mechanism with 99% isopropyl alcohol, and also removed some fuzz and debris from around the edge. When I put it all back together and powered the laptop on again, surprise, ALL THE PROBLEMS WERE GONE! I felt simultaneously relieved and dumb and wanted to help others who might have mysterious macro issues.
If anyone has suggestions on where to better (cross?) post this, I am open to it.
