TotalTerminal erroneously reports key combination already in use

TotalTerminal
1

When I attempt to set TotalTerminal to use CMD+SHIFT+/, it reports the error “The key combination ⇧⌘/ cannot be used”. However, this keybinding is disabled in the Keyboard Settings for OSX. What’s extra odd is that my other account has this keybinding set and it works fine.

2

Is there any way to prevent TT from (magically) reverting its preferences on launch? I can copy and paste the commands from my other account, into the com.apple.Terminal.plist, but every time I launch TT, the plist is edited and reverted to its state before I made the change.

3

I’m afraid this is some new feature of plist system under Mavericks. There is some backup system which is able to revert changes to plist values sometimes. This is my theory, similar problems are with TotalFinder.

4

Make sure you have no instance of Terminal.app running when doing changes to plist files.

5

Thanks for the suggestion. Tried closing all accounts but one, killing all Terminal tasks, replacing the .plist with the one that works, then starting. TT somehow still wiped the values of the working plist and replaced them with 0’s.

It apparently can even do this if the .plist is made to be read-only.

6

I finally developed a work-around for this. Using Quicksilver and Applescript:

Set a hotkey to run an Applescript to make TT appear that is disabled when in TT / Terminal.
Set the same hotkey to run a blank Applescript that is enabled when in TT / Terminal.

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as having a single Applescript to toggle TT, because if you trigger the script while TT has focus, it will lose focus to your Applescript, close, and then report that it is hidden, causing the toggle to re-open it. In case it helps anyone, the two scripts are included below. I activate them with Quicksilver’s Trigger functionality.

Toggle TotalTerminal.scpt:

tell application "Terminal"
	try
		set res to («event BATTvih_»)
	on error msg number num
		display dialog "Unable to show visor." & msg & " (" & (num as text) & ")"
	end try
	
	if res then
		try
			«event BATTvish»
		on error msg number num
			display dialog "Unable to show visor." & msg & " (" & (num as text) & ")"
		end try
	end if
end tell

Close TotalTerminal.scpt:

tell application "Terminal"
	
end tell
7

OK, one last point on this. I finally fixed it for real, since the Trigger option kept malfunctioning after a restart.

To enable command + shift + ? for TT, you first have to disable it for Help in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist. In there, one of the entries will use 44 (which is either / or ?’), you can then change which hotkeys trigger the Help command. Even if this entry is set to enabled = false, TT will still read it as a used command. After changing the plist, don’t forget to restart.