Keyboard Shortcuts

The one and two key shortcuts have been in Revit for some time and are something new users look for having found them useful in other programs.  In class I always get questions about keyboard access as soon as we start covering the interface.

How It works now

Any single or double character can be assigned to a command in the keyboard shortcuts file.

Once established the user can enter an alphanumeric sequence (e.g. “W”) and the associated command will execute unless:

• If a single sequence partially or fully matches other combinations (e.g. “WS”, “WF”) then these will display in the status bar one at a time in ascending order (“WF: Wall by Face”, then “WS: Structural Wall”).
• The user must complete the sequence or use the arrow keys to select the desired command.

Spacebar will execute the command

Shortcuts are only available for top level commands

Potential Enhancements

Increase the scope. - There should be the ability to access contextual commands and other areas of the interface that currently lack access such as the View Cube or Status bar.

Allow Modifiers (Control,Alt, and Shift) - Even with one and two character shortcuts possible the potential combinations run out fast.  Shortcuts are also less useful if the two keys are separated by too great a distance.  "VG" is great for Visibility Graphics not just because of the mnemonic but also because the close proximity of V and G on the keyboard.

Better UI - Some interface enhancements could help make assignment easier.

• A way to Filter commands by a UI area such as Ribbon tab, App menu, Status bar, Contextual commands ect..
• A way to search for a command by partial name
• Ability to Import and Export command assignments
• Ability to identify and resolve duplicates
• De-couple commands from the UI path.  It should not be necessary to define more than the command name and sequence.  This eliminates the need for multiple definitions.

Are there other requirements or comments related to shortcuts?

_erik

UI Sketch

Comments

[Joshua Linger]

What constitutes a "top level command"? For instance, I have a shortcut to Finish or Cancel when in an edit sketch/boundary, but I can't get a shortcut to get into that edit sketch/boundary dialog.

[Joel Osburn]

Eliminate multiple definitions for shortcuts to commands that occur in multiple contexts!!!! There is no one out there who wants one shortcut for Trim in the "normal" Modify ribbon, a different shortcut in the Family Editor, and another in the Mass Editor, etc. Needing to define that shortcut NINE times is the absolute worst part of the 2010 interface changes, and exposes the insanity of completely contextualizing the interface. A command is a command is a command, regardless of where it is invoked from!

Autocad manages this just fine, ribbon, contexts, multiple interfaces, and all.

[Erik Egbertson]

Good question. Top level commands are all commands in static ribbon tabs and commands in modes. There are some exceptions to this but for the most part its true. contextual commands: CT tabs or option bar are not available right now.

RE: Multiple definitions. Agreed. I had an item de-couple the commands from the UI path. it should be possible to assign a key to a command without having to include the context.

[Donnie]

I like the dialog box for editing commands rather than the txt file.

I brought this up in one of the earlier posts, but I would like to be able to specify a command for contextual-specific line geometry. For instance:
DDC = "Detail Line - Draw by Circle"
MMC = "Model Line - Draw by Circle"
WAC = "Wall - Draw by Circle"
DDR = "Detail Line - Draw by Rectangle"
MMR = "Model Line - Draw by Rectangle"
WAR = "Wall - Draw by Rectangle"
While in any sketch mode, the command could just be CI or RC for Rectangle.
This is available for reference lines in a family editor, but should be available for all line-based geometry.

I would think we could de-contextualize the Finish and Cancel commands. One command should suffice for all of the sketch modes. (This sort of works now anyway, mine is XF = Finish and XC = Cancel which works on most sketch modes)

Same goes for edit boundary/edit sketch/edit profile. It would be nice if (once selected) we could type one command to take us to sketch mode. Double-clicks could work, though I wonder if that wouldn't be better suited to take us to the object's properties?

"Type properties" needs an available command.

"Edit Family" would be nice.

Can more be added to the right-click menu, though? It is somewhat contextual under certain circumstances now, right?
I don't know about anyone else, but I don't know why all functions on the context tab couldn't be added to the right-click menu as well (sans button icons).

[Kevin Janik]

A utility like the Revit Shortcut Highway that works for 2010 would be great to work with shortcuts. If is able to migrate versions and check for duplicate command names.

[DoTheBIM]

Looks like a good start. Might want to take a look at some other programs to see if there's anything that can be applied. Like office has this shortcut editor where you press the key combination you want and if fills out the text box and then you click assign to assign it to the selected command. How 'bout Keyboard shortcuts for macros and extensions?

As a bonus I be the ability to like to "record" a macro to create a rough draft of a macro would really speed up the learning curve for making some real time saving shortcuts. I know this feature really helped me in Microstation 95... ;D. I've created some really dynamic tools from the macro recorder. I know that's probably not part of the scope of your question, but thought I'd put a bug in an ear when I can since it is remotely related.

[kevin]

VIEW RANGE!!!

thank you.

[Chad]

I don't care too much for a shortcut definition UI, but there are three things I'd like to see;

1. Lose the multiple definitions. What were you thinking? 8^P

2. Shortcuts to EVERYTHING!

3. The ability to reload changes to the definition file without having to reload the project.

[Erik Egbertson]

The multiple definitions come about due to the system having always encoded the menu path. This is not so much a change as something that has always been so, nonetheless I agree it should be addressed. I'll take this opportunity to point out some good work by blogger David Harrington. He has come up with a handy tool to mitigate some of this for the time being:
http://caddhelp.blogspot.com/2009/05/revit-2010-keyboard-shortcuts.html

[eddy]

Add the ability to make shortcuts to expand or contract the project browser. Big projects, it's a long list. filtering the browser would be good too.

[Erik Egbertson]

Good suggestions.

[Joe C]

"Add the ability to make shortcuts to expand or contract the project browser. Big projects, it's a long list."

There is a Windows standard for dealing with "Explorer" type trees and Keyboard shortcuts. It appears Revit already complies with these:

Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection
Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection
Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.
RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the first child
LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the parent

(from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449 )