Keyboard Shortcuts!

[LouB]

I was reading a post about AP3 earlier and someone had discovered the F4 hotkey

Inquisitive as I am I thought I would see what else could be done.

This is what I found (sorry if this has already been covered!)

F1 - launches help
F2 - this is my favourite switches between design mode and presentation mode
F4 - only works while in design mode and will bring up the object/page properties box


Lou+wave+

[davidlloyd]

You're a gem Lou. Thanks for those. [clap] [clap] [clap]

[Alison]

Oooohh, so useful! Ta muchly! [clap]

[Dave Harrington]

For those of us still on 2.5, the F4 shortcut works here too.

[Stewart]

Using Activstudio you don't even need to be in Design mode to use F4.

[gec]

These are great, but an absolute minimum of what we need when in design mode. A shortcut to send objects to back/front, another to lock on background (how many layers of context menus are we asked to go through to do these common tasks???), another to paste - yes paste! you can cut but not paste! Whilst on the subject, I don't understand why there are so many paste options (and yes, I know this is the reason why there is no paste keyboard shortcut). I only want to paste the object that I have just cut, surely! If others are needed, can't they be wrapped up in a 'Paste Special' option, like in Word, PowerPoint etc.
Anyway, surely keyboard shortcuts are very easy to implement, and can be put in the next service pack??? (he says optimistically!)
Whinge over - v3 is certainly an improvement over v2 thanks.

[simongreen]

Hi Gec,

I may have missed something but many of the Microsoft shortcuts can be done in Activstudio/Primary. (including paste (Ctrl +V))

Here's the full list:
F1 - Shows help.
F2 - Switches between Design Mode and Presentation Mode.
F4- Shows the Properties and Actions box.
Ctrl+A - If editing text, selects all text in the current text box.
Otherwise, selects all objects on the Flipchart.
Note: locked objects will not be included in the selection.
Ctrl+B - Makes selected text bold.
Ctrl+C - Copies selected objects to the Clipboard.
Ctrl+G - Groups selected objects together.
Ctrl+I - Makes selected text italic.
Ctrl+N - Starts a new Flipchart.
Ctrl+O - Opens My Flipcharts.
Ctrl+P- Opens the Flipchart Printing box.
Ctrl+U - Underlines selected text.
Ungroups a selected group.
Ctrl+V - Pastes selected objects.
Ctrl+X - Cuts selected objects.
Ctrl+Z - Cancels previous action.

Hope that makes sense...

[gec]

Can you get CTRL+V to work Simon? I can't.
Yes it's true that they work, but with respect, few of those are for object manipulation. Most are for text editing - which is useful, but I don't know about you, but when I'm stting down in the evening writing my flipcharts, I find it very frustrating to have to go through all those sub-menus to move objects around layers. I'd love to see CTRL+1, CTRL+2 and CTRL+3 to move objects to the top midde and bottom layers, as well as CTRL+[ and CTRL+] (or whatever) to move objects to front and back.
By the way, I think that the new little group/ungroup icon when 2 objects are selected is fantastic.

[simongreen]

Hi Gec,
Ctrl+V works fine on my computer... :confused:
And yep, I like your ideas about shortcuts ...

Don't know if you've found them yet but in version 3 there is now a To Front and To Back icon in the Object Edit toolbox. If you've got the Object Edit toolbox open, these options are just a click away... potentially even easier than a shortcut,

although you still have to right-click to change layers...

:)
Simon

[ccoda]

You can also use the arrow keys to move objects around the page.

If you use only the arrow key it will move the object 1 pixel.
If you use shift + the arrow key it will move the object 5 pixels.
If you use ctrl + the arrow key it will move the object 10 pixels.

[gec]

Hmmm. Actually - I can get CTRL+Paste to work sometimes.

[Nigel Pearce]

I'd love to see CTRL+1, CTRL+2 and CTRL+3 to move objects to the top midde and bottom layers, as well as CTRL+[ and CTRL+] (or whatever) to move objects to front and back.

I like these suggestions. Duly noted. Anyone else with ideas for the shortcut wish list?

[gec]

If you use only the arrow key it will move the object 1 pixel.
If you use shift + the arrow key it will move the object 5 pixels.
If you use ctrl + the arrow key it will move the object 10 pixels.

I didn't know that. Thanks. Very useful.

[LouB]

Bringing this one back to the top - so many shortcuts (not enough memory space in my brain!)

Also while we are here - in AP V3 the F2 shortcut is a bit dodgy. It only works if you press F2 several times for a long time! Any ideas?

Lou +wave+

[Peter Lambert]

You are right Lou, it is dodgy :rolleyes:

[ledermanl]

Quote: "another to lock on background (how many layers of context menus are we asked to go through to do these common tasks???), "
[clap]
I agree with this user. I would LOVE a shortcut for Lock on Background. I use this all the time and it becomes annoying having to go through so many layers.

[umkenny]

You've got spellchecker on F7, if anyone is interested.:)

[davidlloyd]

You've got spellchecker on F7, if anyone is interested.:)

I'm sure everyone will be delighted. Thanks for that.

[Charlotte]

Hi Gec,
Ctrl+V works fine on my computer... :confused:

Simon

It sort of works for me but not as cleanly as I'd like. If I Ctrl+V then all it does it briing up the paste options and ask me what I'd like to paste. I'm in v3 andwas hoping it would just paste whatever was on the clipboard. I assumed that is just the way it is.... but Simon if yours works fine - - - I am now confused... :confused:

[Alison]

Charlotte, mine works fine too! Also using V3. Does it happen when you have several things on the clipboard?

[Charlotte]

Just tried a few different ways and can't get Ctrl V to work at all now!!
Am running the latest version of V3. Doesn't even work when I only have 1 item on the clipboard..... Any ideas anyone??? :(

[Peter Lambert]

I'm on 3.6 using Vista and everything works fine for me within the flipchart. However, if I copy from an external application and try CTRL-V it pastes the content from the Internal Clipboard rather than from the Windows Clipboard. To get the contents of the windows clipboard I have to to right click, choose paste and choose image or text from there. Thus, it appears if you are pasting into a flipchart CTRL-V is looking for contents in the internal clipboard and ignores the Windows clipboard.

[Charlotte]

Thanks Pete - same is true for me. Glad to know its not something that I have done....

[Alison]

Ah, mystery is solved. Just had a play and realised that Pete's absolutely right. (Not that I doubted he would be!) Useful tip to tell teachers though. Thanks Pete! +wave+

[Nigel Pearce]

A couple of keyboard shortcuts that have either not been mentioned or not accurately described are:

Ctrl-Z
Performs an Undo step in the currently active flipchart.
Effectively the same as clicking on the Undo Tool.

Ctrl-Y
Performs a Redo step in the currently active flipchart.
Effectively the same as clicking on the Redo Tool.

[BenPosner]

About the Undo function: The teacher feature on this month's US site has a GREAT action item called "oops" button. It basically does Undo to everything... I imported it to my resource library, and put it in my flipchart, and my kids REALLY LOVE IT!

Don't know if this is an appropriate follow-up or not, but since we are not always near our keyboard while teaching, it really helps...

~Ben

[Peter Lambert]

Hi Ben,
This is actually the page reset action. You should find this on your flipchart toolstrip just above the resource library icon. It restores the page to the last saved state.

[BenPosner]

Peter,

This is the button she created... Jsut a simple text box with an Action to "Undo."

My kids love it!

~Ben

[ictfacilitator]

Keyboard Shortcuts
Don't forget you can add your own shortcuts via the System Preferences..keyboard and mouse...keyboard shortcuts...click on + sign to add ActivStudio and then follow the attached pic.

[tomerf]

I'm enjoying your posts, Wazza. I am trying to add "Save As..." to Word - very annoying that this is not already included in the menu. Not having any luck. What are the limitations for adding short cuts? Do they have to already exist somehow and the short cut just acts as a "pointer" or can I author new actions this way? TIA for your help.

Tom

[ictfacilitator]

I am pretty sure they must exist in the Menu already and you must put capitals and fullstops in the name if it is already in it i.e. to put in a short cut for the Word as you desire you must type exactly Save As... You know you have it right when the shortcut actually appears in the menu of the program you have setup.

[tomerf]

After reading your post I went back into Word to have a look and the shortcut was listed there. Apparently the missing step was posting to the forum. :)