Changing the "Full Screen" keyboard shortcut to something easier.

I'm slowly getting to like the full-screen mode for apps in Lion… something I didn't expect to happen. One thing I don't like though is using the default key combo CTRL-CMD-F to toggle it on/off. In general, I just dislike using 3-key combos, but almost always prefer a keyboard combo over clicking a button on-screen. I'd rather use CMD-F, but that's bound to "Find". So what to do… what to do…

Well depending on the app, "Search" is used interchangeably with "Find", and both are generally bound to CMD-F. What doesn't appear to be frequently used is CMD-S. So in thinking of "Find" as "Search", and logically associating "S" with that function, and "F" for "Full-screen", I have my solution!

(EDIT: Like the complete knucklehead that I can be, I forgot that CMD-S is frequently used in many apps to "Save" a file. So keep that in mind, and adapt the ensuing instructions as you see fit).

1. Open System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts
2. Go down to Application Shortcuts on the left, click the + sign.
3. In the drop-down box, make sure "All Applications" is selected, then add Enter Full Screen and assign CMD-F to that.
4. Repeat the above and add Exit Full Screen and again assign CMD-F to that.
5. Repeat once again and add Find… (include the periods!) and assign CMD-S. Do the same again without the periods.
6. Repeat again and add Search... and assign to CMD-S. And again, repeat without the periods.

Once done, you are set! You now have a more intuitive and easier to use 2-key combo for entering full-screen while still retaining a 2-key combo for finding/searching, and still using a letter that is easily associated with those features.

Please note that if you have an app that was using CMD-S for any reason, this will override that. You should be able to change it back though using the same steps above, but specify that app rather than "all" apps. (EDIT: as before, I forgot CMD-S is used a lot in apps to "Save" files. Consider using another letter to re-bind the Search/Find commands, or use something else for full-screen. You could even simply flip-flop and make CTRL-CMD-F the command for Search/Find if desired).

As alternatives, you could always assign the Full Screen commands to an unused Function key for simple one-key presses also. You can even use FunctionFlip, a free preference pane, to take any of the existing media/system keys on an Apple keyboard and change their default function back to an F-key… just for that key. For example, let's say you want to keep your media keys working as-is, but don't use the Dashboard key (F4). Use FunctionFlip to make just the Dashboard key work as a normal F4 key, then assign F4 to the full-screen commands as detailed above. If you don't like LaunchPad and are getting a new MacBook Air, you will find this especially handy. From what I've read, Apple has changed the Dashboard key to run LaunchPad instead on the new MacBook Airs, and I would expect them to roll that out with all future Mac models and keyboards.

Great job! Not something I'm personally going to use, but 100 virtual rep points for the well-composed instructions.