![]() I don’t use many universal automations in BTT, but there is one that I think could be useful to almost everyone in almost every kind of pro application: the “Hyper key”. You can instantly make this automation more powerful by adding the same trigger to other applications: Finale and Sibelius both have similar page navigations, but even beyond notation, the idea of back and forward could be applied to everything from slide presentations to web browsers. (To send the diagonal arrows on a standard Magic Keyboard, you’ll need to use Fn-left arrow and Fn-right arrow.) You can also have BTT act by invoking any Menu Bar item for the application. There are a number of ways to accomplish what I’m after, but the simplest is to have BTT emulate the keyboard shortcuts for this by default ↖ and ↘ for previous and next, respectively. Then, I can assign an Action for each trigger. There are lots of options, but the one I like for this is tapping in the top left corner of the trackpad to go to the previous page, and the top right corner to go to the next page. In BTT, I select an application (say, Sibelius) and add a Trackpad Gesture. I use a BTT trigger to keep my hand on the trackpad and to let me use the same gesture in any application. Most of the applications I use have a keyboard shortcut for Previous Page and Next Page. Using the trackpad to zoom around a score is a pretty common task for those of us who use a track pad. Here’s a simple BTT trigger that you can start using right away. Starter automation: Previous and Next Page shortcuts The action, which can include emulating keyboard input, moving windows around, or even running scripts.Įvery BetterTouchTool automation has these three components.The trigger, which can be anything from a tap on the trackpad to drawing a shape with the mouse to pressing a note on a MIDI keyboard.The application scope, which can be an individual application, a group of applications, or all applications.These triggers can be defined globally, or only within specific applications. Like a lot of automation tools, BTT allows the user to define a trigger, and then associate one or more actions that will be launched when that trigger is detected. However, this article is about extending your keyboard shortcuts in software using a Mac app called BetterTouchTool by folivora.Īs the name implies, BetterTouchTool (hereafter BTT) began life as a way of extending the capabilities of the trackpad, and it has since grown to include many different input methods, including the keyboard, MIDI, the TouchBar, and others. They prevent excessive context switching, which can break your flow and slow you down.Īll of our favorite applications have both built-in shortcuts as well as the capacity to create custom shortcuts, and of course there are ways to extend those even further by using things like the Stream Deck. There did appear to be technical support available in the form of feedback and error reporting.īetterTouchTool for Mac functions well and gives users control of device gestures, although advanced users may not need the assistance.If you’ve been using any professional software application - or reading Scoring Notes - for more than a few days, you’ve likely learned the importance of keyboard shortcuts. Once we were acquainted with the interface, assigning functions proved relatively easy, although some required changes to the system preferences. ![]() Additional options include allowing window snapping just as in the Microsoft operating system. A large arrow indicates where to press to begin assigning functions to the selected device. These functions can be specifically applied to individual apps or the system as a whole if desired. Users can add functions for the Magic Mouse, keyboard, trackpad, Apple remote, and BTT remote. The overall appearance of the program is very good, albeit a little confusing. Lacking instructions, the program was difficult to interpret outside of the main menus, which were featured at the top of the window. After initial startup, BetterTouchTool for Mac attempted to access all of the computers on the test network, which is a strange function for the type of features offered. BetterTouchTool for Mac allows users to customize the trackpad operation for their whole system or individual applications.Īvailable as freeware, the program downloaded and installed quickly. For average Mac users, the trackpad's default functioning can sometimes be frustrating.
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