Spacebar fails to initiate playback in MIDI

[srosenberg]

I am (still) finding that tapping the spacebar is not 100% reliable for starting MIDI playback (though it does always cease playback when in progress). I have this problem about 5% of the time on two different MIDI capable instruments, using two different manufacturer's MIDI systems, both with the M-Audio Uno interface. Playback always responds to clicking on the play icon. Problem sometimes occurs when the sections window is the active window and also when the Graphic Editor is foremost.

[Jerm]

I have only seen this when a plug-in steals the keys. To track this down I would need a lot more information.

[srosenberg]

I do have Quickeys installed on both computers I use, if that is any help. I am not aware of any plug-ins that are in operation when I use METRO
Here are the particulars:
two MacBooks (one is version 5.2 @2 GHZ intel duo, the other is a year older)
One runs system 10.5 the other runs 10.6.8
Both are currently running Metro LX 6.4.7.2 (not the most current version, which I mean to get around to installing) and both use the USB Midisport Uno interface by M-Audio which does not require a driver other than provided by the Mac OS.
On occasion I have used the "enter" key (which is on the older laptop, but not the newer one), and it has the same issue as the spacebar.
I think an possible way around this issue might be just to add (within Metro) a playback keyboard shortcut (a Function key perhaps?)which I can invoke with a single key stoke. (It would be even better if the user could set the shortcut in preferences)
Let me know what other info might be helpful.

[Jerm]

Does it happen if Quickeys is disabled?

If I am not mistaken, option-space also works for playback.

[srosenberg]

I am going to experiment with disabling Quickeys, although I do rely on that to set up some function key shortcuts. It may be useful info that the spacebar failure has never occurred on my office desktop computer -a Mac running 10.5, but then I just don't use Metro at my office very much, it's mostly used on the laptops. (My office Mac also uses a different brand MIDI interface, an Edirol, l which requires a driver. Such interfaces won't work reliably on the MIDI systems installed in our pipe organ, due to timing issues involved in non-native drivers, so I always use the M-audio Uno with that system.)