Multi step shortcuts

[factor_jota]

With so many commands, makes it hard to remember everything we need.

In other applications (namely software development IDE's) one thing that is counter-intuitive but makes life MUCH better is multi-step shortcuts.

This is: Press one shortcut, then you have, say, 1 second to press a second key to finalize the shortcut.
It's useful because the first step places you in the mode you want, the second key is the option for that mode.

Ex. View: Ctrl+Alt+V places you in the "View" mode, then as second keys:
B - Toggle branch view
T - Touchscreen mode
1 - Thumbnails 1
2 - Thumbnails 2
etc.

This is a simple example, there are many more that can come up with.

While this sounds like more things to remember, it makes shortcuts more intuitive and easier to remember.

Thank you!

[eil]

Welcome to XY's scripting that already can do such stuff.

[factor_jota]

@eil Tx for the suggestion! Haven't created a script in XY yet... if you're familiar w/ it, could you post a sample on how to do an action based on multiple steps of key strokes?

[highend]

There is a "way" to do this in XY but not exactly as you would like it to see...

You'd save it as a script and add it to Menu - User - Manage Commands...
Category: Load Script File
In the same window you can bind a keyboard shortcut to invoke it...

Code: Select all

    $actions = <<<>>>
D - Details|#302;|
B - Toggle branch view|#311;|
T - Touchscreen mode|#315;|
1 - Thumbnails 1|#306;|
2 - Thumbnails 2|#307;|
    >>>;
    $action = popupmenu($actions, 6:=<crlf>, 7:="|");
    if ($action) {
        // Make sure that we don't execute XY ids twice
        if (!regexmatches($action, "^#\d+")) { load $action, , "s"; }
    }

You can get all those ids via Menu - Help - List All Commands...

Cons:
- You need to know what you're doing here
- A visible menu (instead of blindly typing a letter)
- No automatic timeout of the menu

I don't think that multistep keybindings will be implemented so either the scripting or the AHK (AutoHotKey scripting language) way is what you should be looking for...

[klownboy]

Hey highend. This is actually a good idea for those that want to accomplish multiple actions from one lead key and several secondary keys for the second stroke. It works best though if you can spare a single key to invoke the menu and use immediately adjacent keys. I used the " ` " Grave Accent key and secondary keys adjacent to it, like "1", "2", "3", "Q", "W" (on a US keyboard). I've done similar with AHK, hitting a second key immediately after the first or while holding down the first. It's obviously much more fluid and easier to accomplish if the first key is a single key with an adjacent follow-up key. You barely see the menu; it's that fast. Happy New Year!

[alexm391]

Entering a mode with the first keystroke, then having sensible second key options speeds up workflows tremendously once the patterns become muscle memory. And it scales well into the future by avoiding overload of single shortcut combinations.View mode is a perfect example for enhanced navigation and view toggles. I could also see potential modes for Selection, Sorting, Layouts, Custom Commands etc. So many possibilities to optimize for power users!The small ramp up in initial memorization pays off exponentially in the long run efficiency wise. My experience with multi-key shortcuts in IDEs is extremely positive. And XYplorer's user base would certainly benefit from adopting a similar approach.Kudos on a fantastic recommendation! I hope the developers strongly consider its implementation. Please share any other modal ideas you have - this could be a game-changer for the tool's usability. Cheers! Download free contract, agreements, letter templates and high-quality and stunning graphics instantly.A painting contract is a legally binding agreement between a homeowner or business owner and a painting contractor that outlines the terms and conditions of a painting project. A well-written painting contract helps to ensure that both parties understand their responsibilities, sets expectations for the project outcome, and minimizes the risk of disputes or misunderstandings.

[highend]

Hey Ken,

I never change view modes (ok, 99,9% of the time), so that's one reason I've never needed multi-step shortcuts in XY

Happy new year as well!

[factor_jota]

Awesome, thank you highend! I'll give this a try.