Commander is a utility which allows you to assign or change the command key settings of almost any menu on your Macintosh. The settings are saved to disk so they don't need to be re-programmed each time the application is used.
Installation:
Commander is an INIT file and to install it you copy the file to your System Folder and re-boot your Macintosh.
Using Commander:
Commander sits quietly in the background until you invoke it. To invoke Commander, hold down the Command key (propeller/cloverleaf/whatever) and pull down a menu. The cursor will change to the Command key symbol. Now choose any menu item and release the mouse button. Commander will present you with a dialog containing an image of the menu from which you selected the item. The item you selected will be hilited.
To change the command key setting for the hilited item you must hold down the command key and type the new setting. The new setting will appear in the menu's image in the dialog box. To remove a command key from the hilited item, press the delete key or click the “Remove <Command>” button.
If for any reason Commander is unable to change the command key setting for the hilited item you will hear a beep and the item will be unchanged. This is usually caused by trying to change the command key for a dynamic menu item (ie - a desk accessory item or a window item in a window list menu).
You may also change other items in the same menu without starting over - simply use the mouse or the up and down arrow keys to select another item.
Once you are satisfied with your changes, click the OK button or press return. You may also click Cancel or type command-period if you decide that you don't want the changes made to the menu.
Caveats
Commander will not work with all menus in all applications. Specifically, Microsoft Word menus can not be changed at all. The Apple (desk accessory) menu will not work either although the "About..." item in the Apple menu can usually be changed. Most "Window" menus (menus which display a dynamic list of the currently open windows) can not be changed as well.
Aside from those cases almost any menu can be easily reprogrammed using Commander. Happy editing!
John Stephen
Dallas, TX
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New features/fixes in version 1.3:
- Command keys can now be deleted either by pressing the Delete key or by clicking the “Delete <command>” button.
- Finder v7.0 would execute commands that were edited immediately after editing them. This has been fixed.
- Files other than the current application’s were searched for menu resources. This has been fixed.
- Menus in memory are now compared to the original menu resource. If an item does not exist in both it cannot be edited.
- The About dialog now includes my AOL address and phone # for any persons interested in commercial distribution or sending me money :-)