Hotkey Strategy

[Joe_Carrick]

I have a difficult time remembering the Hotkeys - other than the standards (Ctrl_C, Ctrl_X, Ctrl_V, Ctrl_P, Esc, Del, Space) and a few more.

I never use the Camera Hotkeys and most of the OOB Hotkeys don't seem to make any sense to me.

So I am considering eliminating the Camera Hotkeys and adding:

• "R, O" for "Reflect About Object"
• "C,B" for "Base Cabinet"
• "C,W" for "Wall Cabinet"
• "C,S" for "Soffit"
• "C,T" for "Tall Cabinet"
• etc.

 

Does anyone else use this sort of remapping of the Hotkeys?

 

I'm thinking it will help me use them more and provide more functionality - particularly for those things that don't have a Toolbar Button.  It seems that Chief has assigned Hotkeys to a lot of things that are used only rarely and consequently probably don't need to be taking up keys that could more easily be remembered for the functionality they would provide.

[MarkMc]

Yeah I remapped a bunch and cabinet keyboards are exactly what you are looking at.

I exported the original list- moved it to a spreadsheet. Looked at what I want to change. Then put into word processor, color coded them and saved as RTF. Changed the RTF to wri and associate that with WordPad (which opens like lightning) set a windows hot key to open the wordpad document. Attached is what I have in a zip file. Think I've added a few since then so need to update the list.

 

[Joe_Carrick]

Hi Mark,

 

I have a Logitech G13 Keypad with 20 keys that I can program with Chief's Hotkeys.  I can have multiple Profiles so if I'm working on cabinets, I can use the "Cabinet Profile" and if I'm working on framing I can use the "Framing Profile", etc. 

 

By using drawings of the G13 with commands in text I should have no trouble using the correct keys.

[glennw]

Joe,

One of my favorite topics!

The OOB Chief hotkeys are absolutely useless as they use the simultaneous hotkeys and not the sequential ones.

Several big problems with these - they are simultaneous (I only have 2 hands, 8 fingers and 2 thumbs - lets leave the feet and toes out of this) which makes them extremely hard to use and they are almost impossible to remember.

The sequential ones (particularly the 2 letter ones) are easy to remember, can be very logical and easy to physically use.

I have many 2 letter hot keys like:

ZI zoom in

PA pan window

ZA zoom all (fill window)

ZW zoom window

ZO zoom out

RS render standard

RV render vector

RW render watercolor

BR build roof 

BT build terrain

TS terrain specification 

CF full height cabinet

I already use

CB for base cabinet

 

So...I think you are exactly on the right track.

 

I would love to see Chief ditch the OOB simultaneous hotkeys and replace them all with sequential hotkeys.

 

By the way, just to complicate things, you can have a combination of simultaneous and sequential hot keys (for the one tool).

[Steve-C]

I've done this as well, huge time saver. Since I fully committed to this a few years back it has cut my design time by at least 25%.

[Richard_Morrison]

6 hours ago, glennw said:

Joe,

One of my favorite topics!

The OOB Chief hotkeys are absolutely useless as they use the simultaneous hotkeys and not the sequential ones.

Several big problems with these - they are simultaneous (I only have 2 hands, 8 fingers and 2 thumbs - lets leave the feet and toes out of this) which makes them extremely hard to use and they are almost impossible to remember.

The sequential ones (particularly the 2 letter ones) are easy to remember, can be very logical and easy to physically use.

 

Clearly someone who used to use Generic CADD. (Probably one of the best CAD programs of all time.)

[jorgearaya]

We should come up with a system, since many users like the HK's, someone should set up a Google Docs or Office Live doc, share it with all of us and we can pitch it on how to make one set of HK's for all.

 

If anyone here is familiar with Xactimate, they also have the same principle for categories and items, since there are a zillion of them, nonetheless the way it's set up, it's easy to remember the codes, many estimators I know can fly through an estimate using mostly "remembered" codes.

[glennw]

9 hours ago, Richard_Morrison said:

Clearly someone who used to use Generic CADD. (Probably one of the best CAD programs of all time.)

Richard,

Yes, I grew up with Generic CADD  - an absolutely fantastic program until Autodesk purchased it and killed it off.

I have tried to base my hotkeys on the 2 letter CG shortcuts and it seems to work pretty well.

8 hours ago, jorgearaya said:

We should come up with a system, since many users like the HK's, someone should set up a Google Docs or Office Live doc, share it with all of us and we can pitch it on how to make one set of HK's for all.

 The easiest way to share the hotkeys is share either Create Hotkey List (.html file) or Export Hotkeys (.xml file).

I am happy to share mine.

 

Glenns hotkeys.html

 

[HumbleChief]

I use very few hot keys (Q, A, W, Z ) that I can simply reach with my left hand, without even looking, and will never set up a combination like ZO or PA that requires a reach across the keyboard. Happy for others who find this useful but not for me but even 2 key hot keys I find quite useless as they are too hard to remember and take to less effort than a simple mouse gesture like rolling the mouse wheel for most all  zooming. But wait we can set up 3 key hot keys - oh the horror. 

[kMoquin]

I aim for a setup where most of the hot keys I use are accessible with my left hand. that way my right always stays on the mouse. Currently that setup is devised with a few programmed hot keys and a few out of-the-box hot keys that fit the left hand reach constraint. Otherwise I pick from the toolbars. The "hand on the mouse" approach is a pretty good time saver as well.

 

(I did print out Glenn's list to see if there are any I can incorporate.)

[HumbleChief]

24 minutes ago, kMoquin said:

I aim for a setup where most of the hot keys I use are accessible with my left hand. that way my right always stays on the mouse. Currently that setup is devised with a few programmed hot keys and a few out of-the-box hot keys that fit the left hand reach constraint. Otherwise I pick from the toolbars. The "hand on the mouse" approach is a pretty good time saver as well.

+1

 

Also just realized cntrl-P for print is a long, mostly 2 hand stretch - assigned it to 'Z'.

 

In case anyone cares "A'" Opens dialog box; "Q" copies and pastes in place; "W" rotates 3D views: "S" saves (whoda' think that one up?) "Z" Prints. Will think something up for "X" but haven't really needed any more.

[joey_martin]

One of biggest time savers has been....

S = switch

O = Outlet

C = Connect

Can whip around an electrical plan in no time. 

 

I also use the cabinet hotkey you have described.

[Richard_Morrison]

1 hour ago, HumbleChief said:

Also just realized cntrl-P for print is a long, mostly 2 hand stretch - assigned it to 'Z'.

 

You can also assign CTRL to one of the thumb buttons on your mouse, instantly doubling the available amount of one-handed commands.

[HumbleChief]

32 minutes ago, joey_martin said:

One of biggest time savers has been....

S = switch

O = Outlet

C = Connect

Can whip around an electrical plan in no time. 

 

I also use the cabinet hotkey you have described.

Love that Joey - will use other keys as S is used and O is too far to reach but love the idea.

[Joe_Carrick]

Use of a "Gaming" Keyboard (Logitech G510s) or Keypad (Logitech G13) provides extra keys (G1-G18/G22) which can be assigned multiple keystrokes.  This allows Chief Hotkeys to be 2,3 or 4 keystrokes to be executed by just hitting a single G_key.  I have one Gaming Profile set to be used for Chief Architect that assigns:

• G1  C,B = Base Cabinet
• G2  C,W = Wall Cabinet
• G3  C,F = Full Cabinet
• G4  C,P = Partition
• G5  C,T = Custom Counter Top
• G6  S,H = Shelf

etc.

 

Note that the G13 Keypad has 22 G_keys + a joystick so there's a lot more that can be done.  Both devices have 3 "M" button which triples the available commands.  That way you can switch from Cabinets -> Framing -> Electrical while remaining in a single profile.  Or, you can just have multiple profiles the you can switch between.  Naturally, it can get a little complicated if you have too many options - but a printout of the buttons with named function (a PDF works well) can solve that problem.

[Ridge_Runner]

I have changed a few of the OOB hotkeys to my liking. But my best investment was in a programmable keypad (Genovation ControlPad CP24). With 24-programmable keys I can easily program about any multiple key command and save it. I use it with my left had which keeps my right hand on the mouse and is a great time-saver for me. I sometimes wish I had ordered the 48-key version; maybe someday. Having read this post, the units with a "M" button or buttons might be a better way to go so you can double or maybe triple the key combinations on the same pad.

[dshall]

7 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

...... This allows Chief Hotkeys to be 2,3 or 4 keystrokes to be executed by just hitting a single G_key.  I have one Gaming Profile set to be used for Chief Architect that assigns:

• ..........

 

Hitting the G13 key seems to be more work than necessary.....  BTW,    I was voted HOT KEY KING by our favorite Sorority Coeds.

 

 I have found that 2 keys are enough.  If I want to use 3 keystones,  I have it set up so that if the 2nd keystroke is a "D",  CA knows it will be three keystrokes including the "D".  I think with this set up there is the  possibility of 13.3 million hot key combinations,  which is enough for me,  I have a hard time keeping track of 1.38 million hot key combos.....  just saying......  

 

I am leaving for Mammoth in 3 hours to do some spring skiing for a couple of days,,,,,  if anybody wants to join me,  I will be on the GREEN SLOPES.......  snowboarding baby!!!!!!!  Going with my son,  a client and his son........  ain't  life grand?

 

 

[Joe_Carrick]

29 minutes ago, Ridge_Runner said:

Having read this post, the units with a "M" button or buttons might be a better way to go so you can double or maybe triple the key combinations on the same pad.

I have M1 set to match the F1-F12 keys, then M2 for Cabinets, Doors and Windows, and M3 for Electrical.

Some of the F keys (F5, F6, F7 & F9) are also on the M2 & M3 configurations because I use those frequently and don't want to have to reach for them.

[HumbleChief]

Still no short cut key for the 'delete' key? Would love to assign my 'X' key to delete.

[Joe_Carrick]

Larry,

 

Assign "X" to the "Cut Tool" in Hotkeys.

[HumbleChief]

3 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

Larry,

 

Assign "X" to the "Cut Tool" in Hotkeys.

Nice - gonna be hard to let go of cntrl 'X' though. Assigned paste to 'V' as well.

[Joe_Carrick]

10 minutes ago, HumbleChief said:

Nice - gonna be hard to let go of cntrl 'X' though. Assigned paste to 'V' as well.

Yep, I personally decided to just keep those Ctrl_ keys.  It's just too hard to give up the defaults for all the standards.  We've been using Ctrl_C, Ctrl_X, Ctrl_V, Ctrl_S, Ctrl_O, Ctrl_P & Ctrl_Z for as long as I can remember in almost every App.  That's just one of the nice things about Gaming Keyboards - you can assign any regular key (including Del, Home, End, etc) to any of the Gaming Keys.  Even the Alt_ keystrokes (such as <Alt_248> °) can be assigned to a Gaming Key. 

[MarkMc]

I started with a bunch of single letter keys but when I began to add more I ran into trouble. So made all of those doubles-text="t, t", point to point "p,p' ...like that.

 

3 hours ago, Richard_Morrison said:

You can also assign CTRL to one of the thumb buttons on your mouse

I like that since it takes up no extra room. I've got a loose keyboard and a number pad (not a gaming one) used them a lot at first but that has tailed off. I prefer having the real estate for papers. Just set one button for ctrl in Chief only- will see if I adapt, then will look at the other button-maybe ctrl +alt. That could become universal for all programs for my needs.

[HumbleChief]

1 hour ago, Joe_Carrick said:

Yep, I personally decided to just keep those Ctrl_ keys.  It's just too hard to give up the defaults for all the standards.  We've been using Ctrl_C, Ctrl_X, Ctrl_V, Ctrl_S, Ctrl_O, Ctrl_P & Ctrl_Z for as long as I can remember in almost every App.  That's just one of the nice things about Gaming Keyboards - you can assign any regular key (including Del, Home, End, etc) to any of the Gaming Keys.  Even the Alt_ keystrokes (such as <Alt_248> °) can be assigned to a Gaming Key. 

Tried 'C' and 'V' and 'X'  and went right back Joe because of what you said. I'll cntrl C for the rest of my days.

[DRAWZILLA]

Now that the king of hot keys(Scott) is gone, hot keys just blow.