MacBook Pro M1 Big Sur: No way to select files/folders in panels

[ail-man]

No physical Insert button on Apple MacBook Pro M1.
Keyboard Layout: US English
Trying to select file/folder in the panel in order to do something with them (copy/move/etc).
Pressing Fn + Return on folder causes entering the folder. Pressing the same shortcut on file causes nothing.
How to select files/folders?

FAR2L, version 2.3.0 (build 21/04/15-a28b547-alpha) Darwin arm64
Copyright (C) 1996-2000 Eugene Roshal, Copyright (C) 2000-2016 Far Group, Copyright (C) 2016-2021 Far People

macOS version:

Darwin ... 20.3.0 Darwin Kernel Version 20.3.0: Thu Jan 21 00:06:51 PST 2021; root:xnu-7195.81.3~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T8101 arm64

[elfmz]

Is it GUI far2l, right? If so, please do following. Open terminal, type

export FAR2L_STD=-
far2l

and when far2l's window will open - press release Fn button 3 times, then Cmd button and Option button. Then just close far2l _by mouse and share log from terminal window.

[ail-man]

@elfmz, each button is pressed and released exactly 3 times in the order that you asked (Fn, Cmd, Option):

DeduceCodepages: unknown locale 'UTF-8'
argv[0]='far2l' g_strFarModuleName='/opt/homebrew/bin/far2l' translation_prefix='/opt/homebrew/'

WinPortInitRegistry: OK 
                        FixedFontLookup: _any='Apple Color Emoji' _known_good='PT Mono'
Font 12 x 22 . 1: 'PT Mono' - monospaced stable (integer)
OnInitialized: client size = 400 x 222
OnConsoleResized client size: 960 550
ExclusiveHotkeys::SetTriggerKeys: ctrl_left=0 ctrl_right=0 alt_left=0 alt_right=0 win_left=0 win_right=0
WinPortFSNotify('/Users/ail') - watching
WinPortFSNotify('/Users/ail') - watching
CommandLine::ShowBackground: done
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/incsrch/plug/incsrch.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/editcase/plug/editcase.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/tmppanel/plug/tmppanel.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/editorcomp/plug/editorcomp.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/inside/plug/inside.far-plug-mb'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/colorer/plug/colorer.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/calc/plug/calc.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/align/plug/align.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/drawline/plug/drawline.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/compare/plug/compare.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/autowrap/plug/autowrap.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/filecase/plug/filecase.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/SimpleIndent/plug/SimpleIndent.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/NetRocks/plug/NetRocks.far-plug-wide'
LoadPlugin: cache hit for '/opt/homebrew/lib/far2l/Plugins/multiarc/plug/multiarc.far-plug-mb'
STARTUP: 24676
OnKeyDown: raw=3f code=0 uni=0 ( ) ts=19922151 [now=19922155]
19:39:39: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:39: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 0 0 DOWN
OnKeyDown: raw=3f code=0 uni=0 ( ) ts=19922363 [now=19922368]
19:39:39: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:39: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 0 0 DOWN
OnKeyDown: raw=37 code=134 uni=0 ( ) ts=19924791 [now=19924796]
19:39:41: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:41: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 11 8 DOWN
OnKeyUp: raw=37 code=134 uni=0 ( ) ts=19924996
19:39:42: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:42: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 11 0 UP
OnKeyDown: raw=37 code=134 uni=0 ( ) ts=19925340 [now=19925353]
19:39:42: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:42: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 11 8 DOWN
OnKeyUp: raw=37 code=134 uni=0 ( ) ts=19925564
19:39:42: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:42: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 11 0 UP
OnKeyDown: raw=37 code=134 uni=0 ( ) ts=19925899 [now=19925902]
19:39:43: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:43: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 11 8 DOWN
OnKeyUp: raw=37 code=134 uni=0 ( ) ts=19926171
19:39:43: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:43: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 11 0 UP
OnKeyDown: raw=3a code=133 uni=0 ( ) ts=19927416 [now=19927420]
19:39:44: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:44: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 12 2 DOWN
OnKeyUp: raw=3a code=133 uni=0 ( ) ts=19927620
19:39:44: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:44: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 12 0 UP
OnKeyDown: raw=3a code=133 uni=0 ( ) ts=19927970 [now=19927972]
19:39:45: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:45: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 12 2 DOWN
OnKeyUp: raw=3a code=133 uni=0 ( ) ts=19928189
19:39:45: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:45: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 12 0 UP
OnKeyDown: raw=3a code=133 uni=0 ( ) ts=19928517 [now=19928520]
19:39:45: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:45: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 12 2 DOWN
OnKeyUp: raw=3a code=133 uni=0 ( ) ts=19928769
19:39:45: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 364
19:39:45: Debug: Unrecognised keycode 365
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 12 0 UP
GenerateConsoleCtrlEvent(2)
OnConsoleResized client size: 960 550
OnConsoleResized client size: 960 550
OnConsoleResized client size: 960 550
OnConsoleExitSync
OnKillFocus
ConsoleInput::Enqueue: # 0 0 0 UP
SudoAskpassServer::Thread finished

[elfmz]

Good, so suggested solution, can be altering Touchbar buttons set by pressing Fn - so it will include Ins and other missing keys. And if it looks ok to you, then, as i dont have hardware Mac, then i will need list of keys that needs such behaviour, beside Ins. And a little bit patience to test things i cant test myself)

[ail-man]

Sure. At the moment I need only Ins key, don't know so far about others. Do you need me to test some other particular keystrokes?

[singalen]

A workaround: use Shift-cursor keys.

[ail-man]

That works, thanks @singalen 👍

[elfmz]

Hmmm i just started to write code and bug appeared closed..
Anyway, Fn+ still looks right solution, and i'm looking now intently at photo of that keyboard: https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-d51e12e8f5f912632b8782d9dd0833fa
And i see there abscence of Home/End/PgUp/PgDown/Ins and.. strange Delete key. That appears at place of Backspace and called as delete. So what that key is actually doing, when it pressed?

[singalen]

The author closed it because he got a workaround, Shift-Down. It's not a 100% equivalent, but it's close enough.
The Delete key on Mac acts as Backspace, and Fn-Delete acts as a PC Del.

[elfmz]

Understand, i just thinking which keys must be shown on touchbar instead of F* in 'Fn-alternate' mode. Current suggestion is
static const char s_titles_alternate[CONSOLE_FKEYS_COUNT] {
"Ins", "Del", "Home", "End", "PageUp", "PageDown", "", "", "=", "-", "", "/"
};
And even if you say Delete serves both Backspace/Del, it looks correct to duplicate it in this set just for symmetry. May be something missing? I still have two blank places..

[singalen]

Honestly, everything except for Ins is perfectly available through standard keybindings: https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/26930/how-can-i-achieve-page-up-and-page-down-in-os-x
Not everyone is aware of those, though, as the popularity of the question shows us.

Still,= - / are perfectly available on a normal MacBook keyboard with a Shift, at least, in English layout, and the keys have the respective labels. I would question their necessity on the touchbar.

[elfmz]

In FAR NumLock's +/- has special meaning - pressing + opens selection filter dialog allowing to select files, pressing - - same to deselect. 'Usual' minus key doesnt do that magic. Is it available on Mac somehow?

[singalen]

Nope, they are not. That would be great, thank you.

[ail-man]

Sorry, @elfmz, that I closed the issue. The workaround, suggested by @singalen basically solved my problem, and I didn't think, that it would grow into the code change. So I reopened it now. Please do, what you wanted to do. 👍

[elfmz]

Check now please

[ail-man]

@elfmz, just reinstalled far2l from 5e397da
Now I can see the Ins, Del, +, -, *, /, Home, End, PageUp and PageDown buttons on the TouchBar, when I press and release immediately Fn. But there are problems:

• Fn is used by default to switch keyboard layout. So when I press Fn it also changes the layout.
• After pressing-releasing Fn I can see the buttons, but once I press any other key (Control, Option, Arrows, letters, etc) the bar reverts to the original state with Edit / Copy /etc action items
• Long press (holding) Fn key is used in Macs with TouchBar by default for showing functional keys (F1, F2, etc). So when long-press Fn - first the bar with new buttons appears, then immediately disappears and FN-bar shows up instead.

In general, for me it is almost impossible to use those new buttons :(

[elfmz]

Googling shows that Control + Space is default language switch but not FN.
Also regarding other keys, its strange, cuz pressing Alt or Shift together with FN should not discard alternate icons. With control there is bug, however..

[ail-man]

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchlp1406/mac

Use the Fn key or the Globe key: If you set an option in Keyboard preferences to change input sources by using the Fn key or the Globe key (if available on the keyboard), press the key to display a list of your input sources, then continue pressing the key until the input source you want to switch to is selected. The list disappears automatically.

On my macOS Big Sur after reinstalling from scratch this option was enabled by default. Also keep in mind, that on new MacBooks the Fn key is also labeled as language switch. Just compare MacBook 16" Pro Fn key with the newest MacBook Pro M1 Fn Key - pay attention on the Globe label on the M1.

[amurchick]

I'm sorry, but I didn't see the reason in opening a new issue.

How to simulate insert key on mac (where no physical insert key) in this window for example?

May be reserve some key combination as alias for insert?

[elfmz]

Well, new mac event doesn't have touchbar. So what about adding following 'synonyms' in this and similar menus: Ins == F7 , Del = F8? Will it be ok? Any possible conflicts?

[amurchick]

Well, new mac event doesn't have touchbar. So what about adding following 'synonyms' in this and similar menus: Ins == F7 , Del = F8? Will it be ok? Any possible conflicts?

1. F7 confilicts with Make folder :)
2. What about Del key - this exists on Mac (fn+delete on mac-book) - no reason do alias for it, imho.

As suggestion for insert aliasing:

• use key combinationoption+t (select analog ctrl+t from Midnight Commander);
• use enter key (key code 76) on numeric keyboard (not return key (key code 36) - see attached image); on mac-book enter key aliased by key combination is fn+return.

[lucianf]

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but was there a global alias created for Ins in the end?

I'm not able to use fn+return (it just does a regular return for me), and I've not been able to map Ins to a different shortcut - I'm looking specifically at the Location menu but the below didn't work. Am I missing something obvious?

[KeyMacros/Shell/CtrlI]
DisableOutput=0x1
FilePanels=0x1
PluginPanels=0x1
Sequence=Ins

[OleksandrKucherenko]

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but was there a global alias created for Ins in the end?

[KeyMacros/Menu/CtrlI]
DisableOutput=0x1
FilePanels=0x1
PluginPanels=0x1
Sequence=Ins

to make it work with the latest far2l you should enable macros for MENU