Apple Q on a Mac?

[LisaD]

I have always used the shortcut Apple-Q to quit an application on my Mac.. ActivInspire tries to add a question page. Just thought I'd let you know.

Lisa

[jepatton]

I tried to override this by going into System Preferences and setting up Apple-Q as a custom keyboard shortcut. It appears in the ActivInspire menu as Apple-Q next to the quit command, but when I use that keystroke combination I still get the question page, just as Lisa described. I also noticed that Apple-H (the usual keyboard shortcut to hide an application on the Mac) is also missing. I tried to set up a keyboard shortcut in System Preferences for this one too, but even though it also appeared in the menu, it didn't work either.This is a major annoyance, as both of these are standard keyboard shortcuts for just about any Mac application.

I was a little surprised not to be able to set up any custom keyboard shortcuts at all, as I was able to do so in the beta version.

[stewartw]

Hello there,

We wanted to keep the keyboard shortcuts as consistent as possible across all 3 platforms (Windows, Mac and Linux) To this end, as you have found, Apple+Q is used to insert a question, and Apple-H is used to pick the Highlighter tool. We considered removing these keyboard shortcuts for the Mac (and hence retain their quit/hide function), but in the end we decided to keep them, as they are both useful keyboard shortcuts.

We are keenly aware of the impact this has on the Mac platform, and will be closely monitoring opinion on this matter. It is possible that these shortcuts could be removed in a near-future software update (before people get used to them being there ;)
In the future, the ability to customise keyboard shortcuts will in any case make it's way back into the product.

Please note that Inspire can still be minimised and closed using the title-bar buttons.

[johnhyde]

Let's do an Activote on this one!

Seriously, Apple-Q is not really negotiable in my mind. It must be Quit application. No Mac user is going to use Apple-Q for Questions.

[LisaD]

I would have to concur on this one and Apple H as well. (And Apple P for Print and Apple A for select all... Haven't tested these...)

I'm sure there is a list of "standard" Mac shortcuts like Apple-C (copy), Apple-V (Paste)...

For one who has been using a Mac for over 20 years, I would rather it (shortcuts) work consistently on a Mac than consistently across platforms. I do these shortcuts without thinking and besides I'm already used to different shortcuts between different platforms (when I DO use a PC.)

Lisa

[stewartw]

We have discussed this point again in Innovations and agree that Cmd-Q, Cmd-Shift-Q and Cmd-H will defer to standard Mac keyboard shortcuts.
Thankyou very much for your feedback and for helping us to decide the best way forward here :)

[jepatton]

I agree with LIsa. While I'm really happy that the functionality of Inspire will be the same across all platforms, I think most people will use one or the other. I suspect it will be very frustrating for people to remember to use keyboard shortcuts that are inconsistent with the interface that they are accustomed to. I see that Command-A is still select all, but now Command-P is pen, and Shift-Command-P is print. So, that leaves no shortcut for Print Setup. I see that I can get to Print Setup by going to the Print menu and then clicking on Page Settings. (It is nice to be able to save those page settings!)

Please consider bringing back the standard Apple keyboard shortcuts!!!

On a related note, when I try to do a Print Preview from the print dialog, Inspire crashes. I've attached the crash report.

[atruger]

I agree with everyone here. Command - Q is a keyboard shortcut that even the lowest end MAC user knows and uses. Please bring it back :(

~Anne T

[ictfacilitator]

My support goes with using the standard keys also keeping them "mac". I think the look and functionality of toolbars etc is where the converge between editions on different platforms should happen.

[Mark Herbert]

We have discussed this point again in Innovations and agree that Cmd-Q, Cmd-Shift-Q and Cmd-H will defer to standard Mac keyboard shortcuts.
Thankyou very much for your feedback and for helping us to decide the best way forward here :)

That's good to hear! These ones are also driving me crazy.

Command-P should always be Print
Command-M should always Minimize the window
Command-Shift-S should be Save as
Command-Shift-Z should be Redo

All of these Keyboard shortcuts were correct in Activstudio for Mac, but have been assigned to other things in Inspire.

The items you have assigned to F9-12 get overridden by the OS, as these are reserved for Exposé etc. It's a bit confusing for them to show up as keyboard shortcuts in the menus and then not work.


I would have to concur on this one and Apple H as well. (And Apple P for Print and Apple A for select all... Haven't tested these...)

I'm sure there is a list of "standard" Mac shortcuts like Apple-C (copy), Apple-V (Paste)...

For one who has been using a Mac for over 20 years, I would rather it (shortcuts) work consistently on a Mac than consistently across platforms. I do these shortcuts without thinking and besides I'm already used to different shortcuts between different platforms (when I DO use a PC.)

Lisa

There is a full list in the Apple Human Interface Guidelines - the Keyboard Shortcuts Quick Reference (http://developer.apple.com/documentation/userexperience/Conceptual/AppleHIGuidelines/XHIGKeyboardShortcuts/chapter_950_section_1.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40002725-CHDIGFBH).

Cheers,
Mark

[kbogner]

I'd like to also weigh in on this discussion and thank Lisa for raising the issue. Without thinking about it, I clicked Command-Q and thought I had made a mistake when the question page came up.

Much as I support and applaud the cross-platform structure of Inspire, the keyboard shortcuts that Mac users have become accustomed to need to be retained. This issue extends to the keyboard shortcuts that are familiar to users of any of the platforms for which Inspire is written. We all need to be able to use the shortcuts that are standard to applications written for the platforms we regularly use.

Kathy Bogner
Promethean Professional Development

[bknaus]

I agree with everyone. Apple shortcuts should always be the same across applications. Good call to change this with the Innovation people.