Option key

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The Option key, known to PC users as Alt key, is a modifier key present on Apple keyboards. It is located between the Control key and Command key on a standard Macintosh keyboard. For desktop keyboards, there are usually two, while a laptop may have only one to make room for the arrow keys. The key usually has the word "alt" written above "option" as well, for compatibility with Windows programs running under emulators, as well as Unix programs. In Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 however, it functions differently from the Alt key under Microsoft Windows and Unix-like systems. Most notably, it is not used to access menus or hotkeys, but is instead used as a modifier for other command codes, and also to provide easier access to various accents and symbols.

Apple commonly uses the symbol ⌥ (U+2325, 8997 in decimal) to represent the option key. This symbol represents a microswitch, allowing the current to go one of two directions.

Contents 1 Use of the Option key 1.1 Alternative keyboard input 1.2 Alternative buttons and menu items 1.3 Common Keyboard navigations 1.4 Alternative Mouse actions 1.5 File downloads 1.6 Miscellaneous 2 See also 3 External links

[edit] Use of the Option key

[edit] Alternative keyboard input

The use of the Option key is similar to that of the AltGr key on European keyboards of IBM compatible PCs, in the sense that it can be used to type additional characters , symbols and diacritical marks. The options available differ depending on the keyboard input locale that the user has selected.

Also, the type of alt+enter switches the behaviour of the enter key: if the hit of the return key is supposed to validate a form, then the hit of the option+return keys will simply add a carriage return.

[edit] Alternative buttons and menu items

The key is also used to provide for alternative menu items and buttons when pressed down. Examples:

• Safari, Finder - the Option key causes the "Close Window" menu item to switch to "Close All Windows" when pressed down. Consequently, clicking a window's close box with the option key depressed invokes "close all" as well. This functionality is a de facto Macintosh standard and available in numerous other programs.
• Dock - the Option key causes the "Hide" and "Quit" menu items in the context menu of a Dock icon to switch to "Hide Others" and "Force Quit."
• iTunes - the Create Playlist and visualizer buttons switch to Create Smart Playlist and fullscreen visualizer buttons.
• iPhoto - the rotate image button toggles between a "rotate right" and a "rotate left."

The iPhoto example is an example of a control whose behavior is governed by a preference which is temporarily inverted by holding down the Option key. The preference in this case is which way to rotate the image: If the user changes the default rotation direction in the Preferences to clockwise, holding down Option will make the button rotate counterclockwise instead, and vice versa. It is common for such controls — that is, those whose behavior is governed by a preference — to be invertible in this way.

[edit] Common Keyboard navigations

In text areas, the Option key can be used for quick keyboard navigation.

• Option-Left/Right - navigate to the previous/next word.
  • Windows equivalent: Ctrl-Left/Right
• Option-Up/Down - navigate to the head/end of current line. Equivalent with Cmd-Left/Right.
  • Terminal equivalent: Shift-Home/End
  • Windows equivalent: Home/End
• Option-Page up/Page down - navigate caret up/down a page. Without the Option key, the Page up/Page down keys let the page view scroll up/down a page without moving the caret.
  • Windows equivalent: Page up/Page down

[edit] Alternative Mouse actions

When keeping the Option key pressed when using the mouse, the mouse action can change behaviour

• option-mouse clicking an application other then the current one, automatically hides the current application and switches to the clicked application.
• When dragging an item (file in the Finder, or layer in Adobe Photoshop, for instance), keeping Option pressed will make sure you Duplicate something instead of moving it.

[edit] File downloads

In browsers such as Safari and SeaMonkey, the option key can be used to download a file. Pressing down the option key when hitting enter in the address bar causes the URL-specified file to be downloaded. Also, pressing the option key when clicking a hyperlink causes the link target to be downloaded. This is a simpler way of downloading than the oft-recommended way of right-clicking to bring up a context menu, then selecting the appropriate download command.

[edit] Miscellaneous

Some applications make unique uses out of the alt key:

• Terminal (including at least version 1.4.6) - Option-L/R arrows navigates between open Terminal windows in a loop. Usually, programs use Cmd-` and Cmd-Shift-`, which are also supported for Terminal.

• Scroll bars (including at least OS X 10.3.x) - Option-clicking a scroll bar arrow can cause the view to jump to the next page instead of moving by a few lines. Option-clicking in the scroll bar can cause the view to jump to that position instead of jumping to the next page. This behaviour can be reversed in System Preferences: Appearance.

[edit] See also

Other modifier keys:

• AltGr key
• Alt key
• Command key
• Control key
• Shift key

[edit] External links

• Unicode Character 'OPTION KEY' at Fileformat.info

Mac OS

Applications
Apple File Security · Calculator · Chooser · Drive Setup · DVD Player · Finder · Graphing Calculator · Keychain Access · PictureViewer · PowerTalk - QuickTime Player · Network Browser · Scrapbook · Sherlock · Software Update · Stickies · Apple System Profiler · SimpleText
Developer
MacsBug · Macintosh Programmer's Workshop · ResEdit
Technology
Command (⌘) · Option (⌥) · JavaScript · Code Fragment Manager · WorldScript Control Strip · Creator code · Hierarchical File System · HFS Plus · Keychain · Apple Data Detectors - V-Twin / Apple Information Access Technology - Macintosh File System · PICT · QuickDraw · QuickTime · Resource fork · Type code · WorldScript
Related articles
Manager · Toolbox · Memory Management · Old World ROM · New World ROM
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v • d • e Computer Keyboard Keys
Dead keys	Compose
Modifier keys	Control · Shift · Alt/Option (Apple) · AltGr · Command/Meta (MIT keyboards) · Windows · Fn (compact keyboards)
Lock keys	Scroll lock · Num lock · Caps lock · Shift key
Navigation	Arrow · Page scrolling (Page up/Page down) · Home/End
Editing	Return/Enter · Backspace · Insert · Delete · Tab · Space bar
Misc.	SysRq/Print screen · Break/Pause · Escape · Menu · Numeric keypad · Function · Power management (Power, Sleep, Wake) · Language input