Backspace key??

J

Jaypen_g

Guest
If anyone can help. I don't know if changes were made to my mac, but in order for me to use the backspace key, Having the cursor move backwards, I have to hold the shift key + backspace. Its starting to get annoying. Is this a change in the configuration? Has anyone experienced this?

Please help!
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2005
Messages
6,188
Reaction score
254
Points
83
Location
New Jersey
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Pro 8x3.0ghz 12gb ram 8800GT , MBP 2.16 2GB Ram 17 inch.
So if you hit the backspace key the cursor deletes whats infront of it?
 
OP
J

Jaypen_g

Guest
Yes that is correct. If I strike the backspace key it deletes what is in front of the cursor. But if a hold the shift key and strike the backspace it deletes backwards.

I would like to mention that I think this all started out when we attached the mac to a kvm switch using the mac usb mouse and keyboard. But after realizing maybe thats what is causing the problem, we removed the kvm switch and the problem still persisted being solo.

Thanks!!
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2005
Messages
6,188
Reaction score
254
Points
83
Location
New Jersey
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Pro 8x3.0ghz 12gb ram 8800GT , MBP 2.16 2GB Ram 17 inch.
Did the KVM swith add software to your system. From what your are describing your backspace key thinks its the delete key.
 
OP
J

Jaypen_g

Guest
No it didnt come with any software.

At first a thought about that, but if i remove the kvm swith and plug everything as it were it still does the same problem. so i am assuming that it has something to do with configurations? But where to start i have no clue.
 
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
4,576
Reaction score
378
Points
83
Location
St. Somewhere
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Studio, M1 Max, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
This is only related, but it may help point you in the right direction. I had troubles getting my backspace key to work properly. Ultimately, the answer lay in creating a file called .inputrc in my home directory and putting the following magic in it:

"\e[3~: delete-char

This corrected my delete key, so that it worked as a delete vs. a backspace.

I found this out by googling "bash delete key" (bash is the shell that Terminal uses).

So, for you, two suggestions:
1/ Do you have a .inputrc file that may be the cause of the strange behavior?
2/ Perhaps a google of "bash backspace key" might turn up some clues for you

Good luck!
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2005
Messages
6,188
Reaction score
254
Points
83
Location
New Jersey
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Pro 8x3.0ghz 12gb ram 8800GT , MBP 2.16 2GB Ram 17 inch.
mac57 said:
This is only related, but it may help point you in the right direction. I had troubles getting my backspace key to work properly. Ultimately, the answer lay in creating a file called .inputrc in my home directory and putting the following magic in it:

"\e[3~: delete-char

This corrected my delete key, so that it worked as a delete vs. a backspace.

I found this out by googling "bash delete key" (bash is the shell that Terminal uses).

So, for you, two suggestions:
1/ Do you have a .inputrc file that may be the cause of the strange behavior?
2/ Perhaps a google of "bash backspace key" might turn up some clues for you

Good luck!


That looks like a reasonable suggestion. I would try as mac57 suggested and google bash backspace key and fine out if you can create a file to change this back to its normal behavior. If it does not work report back and we will have to take a look at this from a different angle.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top