Common windows shortcut keys with Explorer

[nrshapiro]

My biggest issue with XYPlorer, which I otherwise love is that I can not become a power user because it chooses its own shortcut keys, even for standard functions like Reload. This causes me to stumble as my fingers naturally use the standard shortcuts and I have to try to remember the XY specific ones.

It would be very nice if at least the basic keyboard shortcuts that we use in other applications and most notably explorer would work.

F5 - Refresh/Reload (context sensitive, works on the active pane, as XYPlorer should

Ctrl-F4 - Close child window (or Tab)

Plus you should follow Firefox and IE7 where that provides a standard, e.g., for "Tabs" (see http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000513.html):

Ctrl + W, or Middle Click tab, or Ctrl + F4
Close current tab

Whether Microsoft made the best choice of key isn't relevant--it's the standard that power users get used to using throughout windows. But if every application redefined those standards, then there would not be anyone who could remember which keys are which for what applications. The more common the shortcuts are, the easier it is to learn and use an app like XYPlorer.

I realize that you have other functions, and I appreciate the shortcuts. But start with the standard set, matched, and then expand from there.

If you are concerned that some people have learned the unique XYPlorer way, then perhaps you can have alternate keyboard shortcut sets, like editors (such as CodeWright) do. Or make them fully customizable, so we can change them.

By the way, you may be interested in this chapter,

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/ch ... 00061.html

or for that matter, Joel's entire writings, which are great for any designer.

Keep up the good work--you have a great application overall.

[surrender]

It is really strange that the following shortcuts dont work for you in XYplorer:

F5- Refreshes the active file list or tab.
Ctrl+W- closes the active tab
Middle click - Closes any tab you click on.

You should double-check these and report again.

That leaves only Ctrl+F4, which is set for rebuilding the tree.

Maybe you should post all the shortcuts which are so called standard but not followed by XYplorer.

But hold on to your guns, soon there will be shortcuts which can be fully customised by users.

[nrshapiro]

Surrender, thanks for your response. In Windows, F5 refreshes WHATEVER is the current focus, e.g., the folder tree, the file pane, the browser window, etc. The nice thing about such a context sensitive solution, in addition to it being standard, is that it's easy to remember that key works "universally".

In XYPlorer, it only refreshes the file list. It's not context specific. So now I have to remember a different refresh for the tree. Or for rebuilding the tree (I'm not sure why these need to be separate anyway).

Ctrl-F4 should close the tab, like it closes child windows in most apps, and tabs in Firefox and IE7 (I see actually at least they do have Ctrl-W and Ctrl-T in common. That's great.)

I haven't looked through the others, my personal pet peeve is the refresh. That's something you need all the time, in many apps, and it shouldn't be different. But thought I'd make the general statement while on the subject. (Of course, the other big shortcut missing is for undo, but the feature is missing currently from XYPlorer).

[j_c_hallgren]

In XYPlorer, it only refreshes the file list. It's not context specific. So now I have to remember a different refresh for the tree. Or for rebuilding the tree (I'm not sure why these need to be separate anyway)

As I understand it, it's for performance.. so one can select which parts to redo without affecting the other...maybe I'm off on this...

[surrender]

Well, as I told you that admin is planning to bring-in customizable shortcuts. This will be something for you to take advantage of.

Personally, refreshing with F5 for list and F4 for tree is Ok for me because i dont use F4 very often.

Rebuild tree is an important feature because it collapses all folders in the tree except the tab you are on. In win explorer you have do it manually to every expanded folder. And I would not like F5 to keep rebuilding my tree while i am working on it. Hence a different shortcut.

Well, the undo button issue has already been raised couple of time and its on admins list i guess.

Overall I would say your problems regarding standard keys will be solved when the user-defined shortcut feature will arrive. So keep a check.

[admin]

My biggest issue with XYPlorer, which I otherwise love is that I can not become a power user because it chooses its own shortcut keys, even for standard functions like Reload.

If you read this forum you see that I try to follow the standards as much as possible. Of course, F5 does Reload in XY. It does it since day 1.

Ctrl-F4 - Close child window (or Tab)

Yes, good point, I'll change that. I think "rebuild tree" does not need one at all anyway.

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/ch ... 00061.html

100% d'accord! Of course.

[j_c_hallgren]

Ctrl-F4 - Close child window (or Tab)

Yes, good point, I'll change that. I think "rebuild tree" does not need one at all anyway.

Ok...so which is going to what?
I think we maybe can mostly agree that Rebuild Tree is a core XY function that needs to stay as is...
However, I almost always rely on Cntl+W to close tab/sub-window so that should suffice for that function...

[admin]

Ctrl-F4 - Close child window (or Tab)

Yes, good point, I'll change that. I think "rebuild tree" does not need one at all anyway.

Ok...so which is going to what?
I think we maybe can mostly agree that Rebuild Tree is a core XY function that needs to stay as is...
However, I almost always rely on Cntl+W to close tab/sub-window so that should suffice for that function...

Ctrl-F4 - Close child window (or Tab) is in fact a Windows standard (I use it a lot myself in other apps), so Rebuild Tree loses its shortcut, and "close tab" will have both. Not that I like it that much...but see http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000513.html

[surrender]

...so Rebuild Tree loses its shortcut...

I assume there will be a replacement for 'Rebuild tree' shortcut. If not, its a pity .

[admin]

...so Rebuild Tree loses its shortcut...

I assume there will be a replacement for 'Rebuild tree' shortcut. If not, its a pity .

Shift+F4 would work. Leaving Refresh Folder without any, but who cares?

[surrender]

Shift+F4 would work. Leaving Refresh Folder without any, but who cares?

Good!! .

[j_c_hallgren]

Sounds like a reasonable plan..switching from Cntl to Shift should be a relatively easy manual learning curve for those who use it...and given that Rebuild tree is a unique function but Refresh Folder can be effectively done via Refresh tree (correct?), so losing that is definitely less important.

This does bring up the issue of having some way to best inform/remind current users of changes to shortcuts when they install new vers...I've seen a "tip of the day" style approach done by other apps for the first run after upgrade...

[jacky]

If you read this forum you see that I try to follow the standards as much as possible. Of course, F5 does Reload in XY. It does it since day 1.

I think what he meant was that F5 usually refresh/reload whatever had the focus. So, in XY, he would expect F5 to refresh the listview IF that list had the focus, but if the focus is on the treeview then F5 would refresh the tree !
Not sure if this is really howit works in Explorer though....

Speaking of refresh/reload. Right now the "Refresh" in the toolbar actually does a reload tree right? Could we have a "Reload" and a "Refresh" ?