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Ben's List of Useful Mac OS 9 Keyboard Tricks

Here are some keyboard commands that are widely useful. If you have any suggestions please e-mail me at ben@nobleswan.com and I'll consider adding them (I want to restrict this to just "the most useful" commands).

Notes
The Command key, listed here as "Cmd", is located on both sides of the space bar. The other "modifier" keys: Option, Control, and Shift, are located beside the Command key.

The Power key is in the upper right corner of the keyboard and has a left-pointing triangle on it. On older keyboards it may be in the top centre of the keyboard.

During Startup

• Bypass internal hard disk at startup: Cmd-Opt-Shift-Delete
• Force startup from a specific SCSI ID: Cmd-Opt-Shift-Delete-<Desired SCSI number>
• Boot from CD (most recent Macs): C
• Zap Parameter RAM (hold until you hear the startup chime several times): Cmd-Opt-P-R
• Force Quadra AV to use TV as monitor: Cmd-Opt-T-V
• Boot from ROM (Mac Classic Only): Cmd-Opt-X-O
• Force PowerBooks to reset the screen: R
• Disable all extensions: Shift before "Happy Mac" appears
• Launch Extension Manager or Conflict Catcher: Space Bar before "Happy Mac" appears
• Disable Virtual Memory: Cmd before "Happy Mac" appears
• Disable RAM Doubler at startup: Tilde or Esc before "Happy Mac" appears
• Eject Floppy: Hold Mouse Down before "Happy Mac" appears
• Disable startup items: Shift before menubar appears
• Rebuild Desktop: Cmd-Opt before menubar appears
• Start Finder with all windows closed: Opt before menubar appears

After Startup

• Bring up dialog for shutdown/sleep/restart: Power Key
• Eject a Floppy Disk: Cmd-Shift-0 or Cmd-Shift-1 or Cmd-Shift-2.
• Eject any selected removable disk: Cmd-Y
• Force current application to quit: Cmd-Opt-Esc (restart as soon as possible after this)
• Force System Restart: Ctrl-Cmd-Power Key
• Fast Shutdown: Ctrl-Cmd-Opt-Power Key
• Put recent Macs and PowerBooks to sleep: Cmd-Opt-Power Key

Finder Windows

• Move window without bringing it to the front: Cmd key while dragging window title bar (works in many applications too)
• Close window while opening enclosed folder: Option key while double clicking folder icon
• Open selected file or folder: Cmd-Down
• Open enclosing folder: Cmd-Up
• Open selected file or folder & close current folder: Command-Option-Down
• Open enclosing folder and close current folder: Command-Option-Up
• Use the arrow keys to change the selection in Finder Windows
• In a Finder window or Open/Save dialog, type the first few characters of a file name to select it (or get pretty close).

(These shortcuts also work in other applications such as the Anarchie ftp client.)

Miscellaneous

• While switching between applications, either by clicking on another application's window or using the Application menu, hold the Option key down to hide the application you are leaving.
• When using the system Find command or Sherlock, Cmd-1, Cmd-2, and Cmd-3 will pre-select the first, second or third volume as the search target.
• To mount the ISO-9660 partition of a hybrid CD-ROM, Type Cmd-Opt-"i" as the CD spins up.
• Clean System Install (Changes Custom Install to Clean Install): Cmd-Shift-K
• Claris Emailer to bypass specified startup connections: Hold Cmd at launch
• Claris Emailer to bring up rebuild options: Hold Opt at launch
• Go to chosen home page: Cmd-Home

Screen Captures

• Capture screen as PICT file: Cmd-Shift-3
• Capture screen to clipboard: Cmd-Shift-Ctrl-3
• Capture selected area of screen as PICT file: Cmd-Shift-4
• Capture selected area of screen to clipboard: Cmd-Shift-Ctrl-4
• Capture selected window as PICT file: Cmd-Shift-4 with Caps Loc on
• Capture selected window to clipboard: Cmd-Shift-Ctrl-4 with Caps Loc on