[ipxe-devel] [PATCH 0/2] Support platforms that do not process the CTRL key

[Michael Bazzinotti]

Mon May 25 08:11:39 BST 2015 Michael Brown wrote:
> Robin is correct.  I'm not going to merge a patch which would have to do 
> one of:
> 
> - break existing user behaviour (e.g. by changing the existing key usages),
> 
> - add behaviour inconsistent with the on-screen instructions (e.g. by 
> adding hidden extra key usages besides those mentioned in on-screen 
> prompts), or
> 
> - generate overly verbose on-screen instructions (e.g. by documenting 
> both possible key usages)

Since I have proven my mac's inability to use modifiers in my last email. I'd
like to postulate the idea of a compile-time preprocesser definition
MENU_KEYS_NO_MODIFIER or aptly named definition which would alter the build
process of iPXE for specific users who need this support. Then, everybody
wins, you don't have to generate overly verbose on-screen instructions or have
behaviour inconsistent with on-screen instructions, since the build will be
either built normally or for no modifier keys. The compile-time definition can
be manually specified such that iPXE builds the same binaries as it does now
when the definition is not #defined (or delivered via Make).

I'll be more inclined to add this support myself if I receive "the go-ahead"
from an iPXE developer. Or perhaps they would be interested in doing it
themselves.

Additionally, I also recommend adding support for detecting a mac during the
build process (I'm not sure how), and automatically activating this
preprocessor definition.

I do not know if new macs support modifier keys in their EFI.