F11 and F12 do not work properly in brand new Mac mini

[Anonymous]

Hi, I have recently installed Maya in a new Mac mini with the latest version of Mojave OS and Bluetooth Apple keyboard. Everything seems OK except F11 & F12. They refuse to do their Maya duties (e.g. Faces & UV modes) but perform their Exposé tasks wiping out all Windows or opening other desktop. I have tried each and every option in keyboard preferences without success. I have chatted twice with Apple support and they say they cannot bring any solution from their side. However, it seems that this problem is not new and could be solved from either side (see below Maya Help). I would like to use F11 and F12 in Maya way. Anybody knows how can it be done? Thank you

Hotkeys and Exposé

Exposé hotkeys (F9, F10, F11, F12) may conflict with preset Maya hotkeys. If you experience this problem, you can change the Maya hotkeys, or change the Exposé hotkeys in the System Preferences panel of the computer running Mac OS X.

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous 

The easiest solution would be to change the hotkeys to a different key or combination of keys like shift+F11 for example.

That said, if you open the system preferences for your Mac and try to change the keys like the suggestion says does that not do anything?

[Anonymous]

Thank you, Sean. I have contacted twice with Apple people. Both told me that the association of keys F9 to F12 to Exposé is kinda hardwired in the deepest configuration nook of the system. The only possibility is to interchange these function by the other possible function of the heys, i.e., Volume control. You can activate the volume keys either holding the fn key while pressing F10-F12, and having the Exposé without holding fn, or the opposite, holding for Exposé and releasing for Volume. This is done in the Keyboard Prefs, and IT IS THE ONLY CHANCE you have. Well, I have tried both configurations, no one works. Interestingly, Exposé affects F9-F12, but the problem is only in F11 and F12.

Assigning to Shift F11 and F12 is not as simple, because Exposé is still there. For example, Shift F12 and F12 do the same thing. Ctrl F12 does a strange selection… It seems I would not be able to have a decent set of heys to switch between selection objects.

Thank you anyway for your contribution.

Gi.gfa

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous 

Hmm ok.

Do you have another keyboard you could test with to see if the same thing happens? It sounds like this may be something on Apples end and there isn't really anything we can do in Maya to override this aside from change the key to something completely different like ctl+f for face mode etc.

[Anonymous]

Good idea, I will try. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Hi Sean:

I have just tested an old fashioned keyboard with USB cable. It does exactly the same, failing in F11 and F12. I am afraid my only chance is to change the assignment of F keys. Incidentally, I have tested a Windows Bluetooth keyboard on a Windows computer. It works correctly.

Thaml you for your interest.

José gi.gfa@upm.es

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous 

Thanks for the update!

Yeah unfortunately this seems to be on Apples end and changing the hotkeys seems to be the only solid solution.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Sean, you would not believe it:

The solution is as simple as killing F11 and F12 in the Apple’s keyboard shortcuts: System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Mission Control —> deselect F11 and F12.

What I wonder now is why Apple technical staff, who I contacted twice, was unable to give me such a simple solution.

Anyhow, I am just sending this in case anybody else runs into the same issue.

Thank you for your interest and best regards.

José Manuel gi.gfa

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous 

Oh that's awesome! Thanks for explaining what you did and marking it as the solution and yes hopefully this will help anyone else that may stumble upon this in the future!