[x3d-public] Mac-unaware PageUp/PageDown, Viewpoint list, navigation keys?

[Michalis Kamburelis]

 Brutzman, Donald (Don) (CIV) <brutzman at nps.edu> wrote:
>
> First a personal confession: Mac enlightenment has never quite befallen upon me... please be forgiving!  8)
>
> Second: twice this week, when doing a demo and naively saying "oh just select PageDown or PageUp to navigate through the viewpoints," Mac users responded "oh now we don't have those keys on a Mac" and also "No I'd have to go find a mouse before being able to right-click for a viewpoint list."
>

As far as I can tell, it means that you met Mac users who were not
familiar with their own computers.

1. Of course you can press PageUp or PageDown on a Mac. Many
applications rely on these keys, not only X3D browsers. You just
typically need to press "Function key + Down arrow" (to get "Page
Down") or "Function key + Up arrow" (to get "Page Up"). It's not
super-comfortable, but it's similar to the situation on many other
laptops (even not from Apple). From the point of view of the
application, this is reported as regular "Page Down (or Page Up)
press".

    See https://www.theinternetpatrol.com/how-to-page-down-on-a-mac/ .

    You can also buy a "normal" keyboard with regular "Page Up" /
"Page Down" keys, and plug it into your Mac computer (laptop or not)
through USB.

2. Touchpad on a Mac doesn't have an explicit key to make "right
click", but of course users have a way to make right click. See
https://www.cnet.com/news/qualcomm-kicks-off-defense-in-ftc-trial-by-showing-its-mobile-chip-prowess/
.  You typically tap with two fingers. This is reported to the
application as simple "right click".

    Many applications (not just X3D browsers) rely on right mouse
button clicks, even Apple applications.

Summary: It's a pity that Apple decided the make these things less
comfortable to press. But they *are* possible to press, even with
default Apple keyboard and touchpad. And X3D is here in the same
sutuation as many other applications (even Apple ones).

Regards,
Michalis