Command key as Meta key in OS X Terminal.app

Question

When i unckeck the 'Use option as meta key' box in Settings, and then do Cmd+F (which i want to mean Meta+F for forward-word in bash) Terminal gives me a 'find word' popup, which isn't what i want. What i really want is for my Terminals to behave just like an xterm w.r.t. the key bindings. Is there any way to disable this popup and its binding?

I know i could just use actual xterms, but for a variety of reasons i want to use Terminal.

thanks in advance, Eric

Answer 1

The option as meta key selection has no effect on the Command (Apple) key. If option as meta key is selected, then the Option key acts as a Meta key in bash and elsewhere; just press Option+F. If you de-select it, there is no Meta key. (In either case, some command line programs may recognize the traditional ESC+char sequence as Meta char.)

If you are running OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard), Apple supplies a built-in way to change the meaning of the keyboard modifier keys, including Command and Option. Go to System Preferences -> Keyboard and click on the Modifier Key... button. A panel will appear that allows you to, for instance, swap the meaning of the Option and Command keys. But, be warned that this is a global option and will apply everywhere on OS X and could lead to some major confusion. If you do that, you will be swimming upstream as noted here. You will likely be best served long-term by getting used to the OS X default of using the Option key as Meta and, if necessary, restoring application defaults (for Emacs, say) to follow that convention.

FURTHER EDIT: This blog post and program (untested) might be helpful.