Remapping Currency Keys on an Apple Keyboard for MacBook Pro (Swedish Layout)
If you have a wireless keyboard from Apple and use it with a MacBook Pro with a Swedish keyboard layout, you might have noticed that some of the special characters are not in the same place as on the MacBook Pro's built-in keyboard. This can be especially confusing when it comes to the currency keys, which are used frequently in many applications. In this article, we will show you how to remap the currency keys on your Apple keyboard to match the layout of the MacBook Pro's built-in keyboard.
Why Remap the Currency Keys?
The reason for remapping the currency keys is simple: consistency. When you use a wireless keyboard with your MacBook Pro, you want the keyboard layout to be as similar as possible to the built-in keyboard. This makes it easier to switch between the two without having to think about where the keys are located. By remapping the currency keys, you can ensure that the layout of your wireless keyboard matches the layout of the built-in keyboard, making the transition between the two smoother and more intuitive.
How to Remap the Currency Keys
Remapping the currency keys on your Apple keyboard is a straightforward process that can be done using the built-in Keyboard preferences pane in macOS. Here's how:
- Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
- Click Keyboard.
- Click the Input Sources tab.
- Make sure that Swedish is selected as the keyboard layout.
- Click the Modifier Keys button.
- In the Keyboard window that appears, click the Option key pop-up menu and select € (Euro Sign).
- Click the Dollar sign pop-up menu and select $ (Dollar Sign).
- Click OK to save the changes.
Testing the New Key Mappings
To test the new key mappings, simply open an application that uses currency symbols, such as a text editor or a spreadsheet program. Type the Option key and the E key to insert the Euro sign, and type the Shift key and the 4 key to insert the Dollar sign. If the key mappings have been remapped correctly, the correct currency symbols should appear in your document.
Code Block: Remapping the Currency Keys in Keyboard Preferences
```bash
# Open System Preferences
open /System/Library/PreferencePanes/Keyboard.prefPane
# Click the Input Sources tab
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to click menu item "Input Sources" of menu "View" of menu bar 1 of application process "System Preferences"'
# Make sure that Swedish is selected as the keyboard layout
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to set value of checkbox 1 of group 1 of window "Keyboard" of application process "System Preferences" to true'
# Click the Modifier Keys button
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to click button "Modifier Keys" of window "Keyboard" of application process "System Preferences"'
# Set the Option key to insert the Euro sign
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to set value of pop up button 1 of group 1 of sheet 1 of window "Keyboard" of application process "System Preferences" to "€ (Euro Sign)"'
# Set the Dollar sign to insert the Shift + 4 key combination
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to set value of pop up button 2 of group 1 of sheet 1 of window "Keyboard" of application process "System Preferences" to "$ (Dollar Sign)"'
# Click OK to save the changes
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to click button "OK" of sheet 1 of window "Keyboard" of application process "System Preferences"'
```
- Remapping the currency keys on an Apple keyboard for a MacBook Pro with a Swedish keyboard layout can improve consistency and make it easier to switch between the two keyboards.
- The process of remapping the currency keys can be done using the built-in Keyboard preferences pane in macOS.
- The Option key can be remapped to insert the Euro sign, and the Shift + 4 key combination can be remapped to insert the Dollar sign.
- The new key mappings can be tested by opening an application that uses currency symbols and typing the Option key and the E key to insert the Euro sign, and the Shift key and the 4 key to insert the Dollar sign.
References
- Apple Support: How to change the keyboard layout on your Mac
- Apple Developer: NSKeyboardLayout
- Stack Overflow: How to change the keyboard layout programmatically in OS X