Karabiner-elements: How to set Capslock to function key??

[manojfedx]

How to set Capslock to function key?? I really need this as i am using external keyboard without fn key!

[talha131]

Please try

{
    "profiles": [
        {
            "name": "Default profile",
            "selected": true,
            "simple_modifications": {
                "caps_lock": "vk_fn_modifier"
            }
        }
    ]
}

[manojfedx]

Ok I just installed Karabiner elements and tried this command in terminal ! But terminal is showing Command not found and a dozen errors! Do I need to change anything??

[manojfedx]

[talha131]

@manojfedx Please try these steps

1. Open terminal. Issue following commands,
2. mkdir -p ~/.karabiner.d/configuration/
3. cd ~/.karabiner.d/configuration/
4. touch karabiner.json
5. open karabiner.json

karabiner.json will open up in your default editor. There copy paste following blob.

{
    "profiles": [
        {
            "name": "Default profile",
            "selected": true,
            "simple_modifications": {
                "caps_lock": "vk_fn_modifier"
            }
        }
    ]
}

Now open Karabiner-Elements. capslock should behave as Fn key.

Let me know how it goes.

[manojfedx]

I did all the steps but of no use! Its still working as caps lock!

[talha131]

Please paste the output of

cat ~/.karabiner.d/configuration/karabiner.json

Also which version of Karabiner-Elements are you running?

[manojfedx]

OK! Before going to the issue! Ill tell what else got fucked up after running karabiner elements! Earlier I used Keyboard Maestro to assign Function keys(From F1 to F13) on my external Keyboard ! Now after running karabiner elements I lost my sticker keys feature and F13 and some other keys which I assigned on KM Eg: Printscreen:Hideall applications , Insert: Unhide all applications, Scroll lock:Increase brightness, pause break:decres Brightness and few other like this to name! And coming to running the command in karabiner.json I did as you told me ins tips and at the end saved the text editor karabiner.json!!! And I am using latest one(0.90.38)

[manojfedx]

I really appreciate your help and effort your re putting in this!

[talha131]

I did as you told me ins tips and at the end saved the text editor karabiner.json!!! And I am using latest one(0.90.38)

Sorry. I am stumped. This user has similar #116 issue. Lets see.

Before going to the issue! Ill tell what else got fucked up after running karabiner elements!

Currently Karabiner-Elements is pre-alpha or at most alpha state. It's bound to have issues. Judging by the amount of changes @tekezo has to make to get basic functionality back, we are in for a long wait to get old Karabiner for OS X 10.12

[manojfedx]

Ok so Now I have to sit back and wait?? Momentarily Im gonna uninstall Karabiner as I need sticky keys and keyboard maestro assigned keys! But I hope someone will solve this sooner!

[talha131]

Just one last thing, can you please share output of cat ~/.karabiner.d/log/console_user_server_log.txt?

[manojfedx]

Is this what you are asking ? I pasted your last comment in terminal , this came up!

[talha131]

Nope. I am talking about logs that are in ~/.karabiner.d/log/console_user_server_log.txt.

[manojfedx]

My bad :P Here it is !
[2016-09-18 20:18:27.946] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.17
[2016-09-18 20:18:27.963] [console_user_server] [info] IOServiceOpen is succeeded @ void hid_system_client::matched_callback(io_iterator_t)
[2016-09-18 20:18:28.043] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-18 20:18:28.055] [console_user_server] [info] receiver is started
[2016-09-18 20:18:28.055] [console_user_server] [info] connect_ack karabiner_grabber pid:70
[2016-09-18 21:29:41.020] [console_user_server] [info] pid:70 is exited
[2016-09-18 21:29:42.185] [console_user_server] [info] connection_manager::console_user_socket_directory_is_ready_callback
[2016-09-18 21:29:42.826] [console_user_server] [info] receiver is stopped
[2016-09-18 21:29:42.826] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-18 21:29:42.826] [console_user_server] [info] receiver is started
[2016-09-18 21:29:42.837] [console_user_server] [info] connect_ack karabiner_grabber pid:1390
[2016-09-18 21:38:25.645] [console_user_server] [info] pid:1390 is exited
[2016-09-18 21:39:31.144] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.17
[2016-09-18 21:39:31.152] [console_user_server] [info] IOServiceOpen is succeeded @ void hid_system_client::matched_callback(io_iterator_t)
[2016-09-18 21:39:31.157] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-18 21:39:31.158] [console_user_server] [info] receiver is started
[2016-09-18 21:39:31.308] [console_user_server] [info] connect_ack karabiner_grabber pid:70
[2016-09-18 21:51:41.980] [console_user_server] [info] pid:70 is exited
[2016-09-22 08:29:27.809] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.36
[2016-09-22 08:29:28.981] [console_user_server] [info] grabber_client_ is connected
[2016-09-22 08:29:28.982] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-22 08:29:30.046] [console_user_server] [info] system_preferences::values is updated.
[2016-09-23 10:00:23.417] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.37
[2016-09-23 10:00:33.561] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.37
[2016-09-23 10:00:34.648] [console_user_server] [info] grabber_client_ is connected
[2016-09-23 10:00:34.649] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-23 10:00:35.723] [console_user_server] [info] system_preferences::values is updated.
[2016-09-23 10:01:36.015] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.37
[2016-09-23 10:01:37.243] [console_user_server] [info] grabber_client_ is connected
[2016-09-23 10:01:37.244] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-23 10:01:38.321] [console_user_server] [info] system_preferences::values is updated.
[2016-09-23 10:10:53.241] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.37
[2016-09-23 10:11:03.356] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.37
[2016-09-23 10:11:04.410] [console_user_server] [info] grabber_client_ is connected
[2016-09-23 10:11:04.412] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-23 10:11:05.449] [console_user_server] [info] system_preferences::values is updated.
[2016-09-23 10:11:36.053] [console_user_server] [info] version 0.90.38
[2016-09-23 10:11:37.280] [console_user_server] [info] grabber_client_ is connected
[2016-09-23 10:11:37.312] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-23 10:11:38.370] [console_user_server] [info] system_preferences::values is updated.
[2016-09-23 10:12:09.431] [console_user_server] [warning] parse error in /Users/manojfedx/.karabiner.d/configuration/karabiner.json: parse error - unexpected end of input
[2016-09-23 10:12:44.875] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-23 10:12:44.875] [console_user_server] [warning] unknown key_code:vk_fn_modifier in /Users/manojfedx/.karabiner.d/configuration/karabiner.json
[2016-09-23 10:38:45.399] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-23 10:38:45.399] [console_user_server] [warning] unknown key_code:vk_fn_modifier in /Users/manojfedx/.karabiner.d/configuration/karabiner.json
[2016-09-23 10:39:36.853] [console_user_server] [warning] parse error in /Users/manojfedx/.karabiner.d/configuration/karabiner.json: parse error - unexpected end of input
[2016-09-23 13:10:25.777] [console_user_server] [warning] parse error in /Users/manojfedx/.karabiner.d/configuration/karabiner.json: parse error - unexpected end of input
[2016-09-23 13:11:41.088] [console_user_server] [info] configuration_core_ was loaded.
[2016-09-23 13:11:41.088] [console_user_server] [warning] unknown key_code:vk_fn_modifier in /Users/manojfedx/.karabiner.d/configuration/karabiner.json
[2016-09-23 13:12:32.419] [console_user_server] [info] system_preferences::values is updated.

[talha131]

My bad. The correct syntax is as follows

{
    "profiles": [
        {
            "name": "Default profile",
            "selected": true,
            "simple_modifications": {
                "caps_lock": "fn"
            }
        }
    ]
}

This would work.

[talha131]

Let me know how it goes.

[avalla]

how to start to log?
I created the log file and restarted karabiner, but log file is empty

[talha131]

@avalla You don't have to create a log file. Karabiner-Element creates it itself.

What is your output of ls -R ~/.karabiner.d/?

[avalla]

$ ls -Rl ~/.karabiner.d
total 0
drwxr-xr-x  3 andrea  staff  102 23 Set 11:53 configuration
drwxr-xr-x  3 andrea  staff  102 23 Set 11:55 log

/Users/andrea/.karabiner.d/configuration:
total 8
-rw-r--r--  1 andrea  staff  203 23 Set 11:53 karabiner.json

/Users/andrea/.karabiner.d/log:
total 0
-rw-r--r--  1 andrea  staff  0 23 Set 11:55 console_user_server_log.txt

[manojfedx]

Oh thank you so much!!!! Now its assigned!! But it also disabled all my function macros from keyboard maestro and made by external keyboard (F1toF12) just same as that of Mac keyboard ! And disabled by Printscreen:Hideall applications , Insert: Unhide all applications, Scroll lock:Increase brightness, pause break:decres Brightness etc.,!!
When I went to system pref > keyboard > Tick use Function keys it enabled my keyboard maestro macros and disabled my inbuilt function keys!!
This is a really complicated thing !!

[manojfedx]

After switching on Function feature from system pref I am able to assign all (F1 to F12) to what ever I want to in KM and Printscreen:Hideall applications , Insert: Unhide all applications, Scroll lock:Increase brightness, pause break:decres Brightness. After this I don't need function key to be pressed to activate (F1toF12) but I have to use caps lock to activate Printscreen:Hideall applications , Insert: Unhide all applications, Scroll lock:Increase brightness, pause break:decres Brightness.
Ok is there a way to not use caps lock for Printscreen, Scrolllock, Insert, Pause break etc??

[talha131]

@avalla You already have a log file. See

/Users/andrea/.karabiner.d/log:
total 0
-rw-r--r--  1 andrea  staff  0 23 Set 11:55 console_user_server_log.txt

What's the issue? Please elaborate.

[manojfedx]

Why are my sticky keys not working with karabiner?

[talha131]

See #49 😄

[avalla]

@talha131 the file is 0 byte long, I created it using touch, it was just a test.
btw nothing written on it :(

[talha131]

@avalla I would uninstall Karabiner-Elements. Remove ~/.karabiner.d folder. Restart system. Install Karabiner-Elements again.

The logs are auto generated. You should not have to do anything.

[avalla]

@talha131 I will try on monday, now I'm on a different computer, not updated to sierra :)
Thanks for support, I will tell you what happens after reinstall!

[avalla]

@talha131 now, after cleaning, karabiner logs and remapping works, thanks!

[hachi8833]

Hi the following config surely works for my env (with Sierra, US keyboard on MacBook late 2013, karabiner-elements): the core is "caps_lock": "left_control".

{
    "profiles": [
        {
            "name": "Default profile",
            "selected": true,
            "simple_modifications": {
                "caps_lock": "left_control"
             }
        }
    ]
}

What I wait for is just #16.

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