Two-Stage Shortcuts

[TheQwerty]

XY has a lot of functions that can be assigned in CKS - by my count 446 before you add in all the UDCs. With a lot of them being variations of a certain task (all the rename, selection, or clipboard options) it can be difficult to find the perfect combination of comfortable and easily remembered shortcuts for a number of functions.

TextPad (and others I'm sure) has a similar problem but offers a convenient solution by allowing the user to use two-stage/character shortcuts.


To understand what I mean let's look at Batch Rename functions:
Currently you'd have to assign each a unique shortcut and chances are they won't be nice or you'll be sacrificing a shortcut that would make more sense elsewhere.

But with two-stage we could assign the following (the comma is not part of the shortcut but shows that it's two-stages):
Ctrl+F2, B Batch Rename
Ctrl+F2, R RegExp Rename
Ctrl+F2, S Search & Replace
Ctrl+F2 C Keep Particular Characters
Ctrl+F2 E Set Extension

Now the user knows that to use any rename mode they have to do the first-stage (Ctrl+F2) and then all shortcuts are available for the second-stage and thus simple shortcuts (B, R, S, C, E) can be used to select the actual mode.


The overall shortcut may not be as short, but there's other advantages:
All the simple shortcuts (Ctrl+Letter) can be reused to different results by combining them in stages.
As a result more of the functions become easily accessible via the keyboard.
The user can group common functions with the same first stage, which in turn makes them easier to remember.


Any chance this would eventually be possible in XY?
It would sure beat writing scripts just to achieve similar shortcuts.

[admin]

Well, it's not impossible but and I generally like the idea, but it's not that easy to incorporate it into the current system. I'll keep it in the back of my mind.

Tip: This one...

Ctrl+F2, B Batch Rename
Ctrl+F2, R RegExp Rename
Ctrl+F2, S Search & Replace
Ctrl+F2 C Keep Particular Characters
Ctrl+F2 E Set Extension

can be achieved by setting Ctrl+F2 to popup the Rename Special submenu, then you press the accelerators B R S K(!) E.

[TheQwerty]

Hopefully, you'll have a strike of brilliance on this someday.

And that is true, it's extremely useful that you've given us the ability to assign shortcuts to some of the major sub-menus, that's something not a lot of programs seem to offer but it can be incredibly useful.

[admin]

Hopefully, you'll have a strike of brilliance on this someday.

And that is true, it's extremely useful that you've given us the ability to assign shortcuts to some of the major sub-menus, that's something not a lot of programs seem to offer but it can be incredibly useful.

Using UDC + Scripting + Accelerators you can build your own popup menus listing command groups, pop them with one KS, and then select (with visual feedback that is not offered by normal Two-Stage Shortcuts) the command you need.

[Pagat]

I built something like that with my QuickGoTo script: By assigning a one-character nickname to a GoTo entry (which of course can be a function ID) i have quick access to some functions via "Ctrl G, F" for example.

It's no "real" two stage shortcut (an additional "Enter" is necessary in my case) but indeed incredibly useful sometimes...

[TheQwerty]

Using UDC + Scripting + Accelerators you can build your own popup menus listing command groups, pop them with one KS, and then select (with visual feedback that is not offered by normal Two-Stage Shortcuts) the command you need.

Indeed, and I started to do just that but thought I'd make the wish first with hope that it could be easily added.


TextPad does offer visual feedback after you've entered the first stage, by changing the cursor to display a key being pushed by a finger. XY could do that and/or change the status bar. So it doesn't have to be without visual feedback.

[PeterH]

For this I'd like an integrated version of Pagat's solution: a display of options after input of the first stage, then a one-key sub-selection (without enter).
If scripting had a kind of "select-box" displaying lines of letter-description, and reacting on that letter, you couldn't distinguish Pagat's solution from Don's programming, I think?

[serendipity]

For this I'd like an integrated version of Pagat's solution: a display of options after input of the first stage, then a one-key sub-selection (without enter).
If scripting had a kind of "select-box" displaying lines of letter-description, and reacting on that letter, you couldn't distinguish Pagat's solution from Don's programming, I think?

I am not sure I understood you. But yeah scripting has a way to that already, thats what Don mentioned earlier when he said

Using UDC + Scripting + Accelerators you can build your own popup menus...

In your script caption, you have to use character "&" before the character you want to underline in the popup menus. Like this:

Code: Select all

//Rename menu
"&Batch rename : batch"
    #121;
"&RegExp rename : regex"
    #122;
"&Search n Replace : search"
    #123;
"Keep Particular &Characters : character"
    #124;
"Set &Extension : extension"
   #125;

[PeterH]

I am not sure I understood you. But yeah scripting has a way to that already, thats what Don mentioned earlier when he said

Using UDC + Scripting + Accelerators you can build your own popup menus...

You understood what I wanted to say - but I didn't understand Don
The accelerators are exact what I asked for! So using this solution the only "disadvantage" is, that you cannot define the 2nd level interactively as keyboard shortcut, but have to program / to script it. On the other side you could define the 2nd level variable, dependent from whatever you want - unbelievable
(ok - if scripting would be a bit more complete and allow "if" and such )

If I were Don I'd say: that's enough for the moment.
(Don't hit me, please... )

[TheQwerty]

Well, it's not impossible but and I generally like the idea, but it's not that easy to incorporate it into the current system. I'll keep it in the back of my mind.

Don, just pinging this to find out if it's gotten any easier or if it's collecting cobwebs in the very far back?

Still dreaming of getting rid of the scripts and the syncing them between multiple locations...

[admin]

Well, it's not impossible but and I generally like the idea, but it's not that easy to incorporate it into the current system. I'll keep it in the back of my mind.

Don, just pinging this to find out if it's gotten any easier or if it's collecting cobwebs in the very far back?

Still dreaming of getting rid of the scripts and the syncing them between multiple locations...

Cobwebs all over.

But I still like my tip:
http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic. ... 813#p28813

[TheQwerty]

But I still like my tip:
http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic. ... 813#p28813

Indeed it's a good tip, and I am incredibly glad you gave us the ability to assign shortcuts to the menus. However, the problem with this is I don't necessarily agree/like all of your choices in accelerator keys, which leads to using scripts, and that means more maintenance and syncing.


Don't worry though, I'll ping you again in the future.