[Bf-taskforce25] Keyboard Shortcuts Proposal

Dalai Felinto dfelinto at gmail.com
Tue Jun 23 22:01:10 CEST 2009


So if we assume we will let user to configure the layout to match other
softwares how flexible are we going to be? I didn't see any mention of
allowing double-click as input, although it's a very common "shortcut" in
other softwares.

Example:

- SketchUp, Corel Draw, (and AutoCAD) uses double-click to let you edit a
component/block/element. To close it ESC, another key, or double-clicking
outside the component, is usually set.

- Blender uses tab to enter/exit edit mode (the most similar equivalent to
the forementioned modes I can think of).

Would be possible to set a different key to enter edit mode and other to
exit it?

Of course they are other structural changes that would be needed to really
match those (like the ability of editing a library item straight from the
imported object, or a duplicated group straight from the duplicated object).
(I think they are worthy to be implemented somehow btw, but this is a
different topic).

my 2 cents,

Dalai
http://blendereica.orgfree.com
2009/6/23 Ton Roosendaal <ton at blender.org>

> Hi,
>
> > Regarding optimal use of keys: I touched on it briefly, and I'm sure
> > there is more theory to explore, but this is what I'm thinking:
> > -should be as consistent as possible. (Consistency within the app is
> > well established as being positive, but don't forget consistency
> > across other apps too)
> > -should be as direct as possible (whole point of shortcuts are that
> > they are fast)
> > -to make them easy to remember, use some logic, like starting letter
> > of action, or even the letter symbol itself (as Y for split). This is
> > not always possible though.
> > -take into account the position on the keyboard. Right handed people
> > find it easiest to use the left part of the keyboard.
>
> The last requirement is hard to make a design spec; not only lefthanded
> people have issues, also people using other keyboard layouts...
>
> > I'm not sure everyone has a scroll wheel? We can use it, of course,
> > but perhaps not as only way to get at certain functionality.
> > Function keys likewise.
>
> I am not talking about single defaults, I am talking about an optimal
> setup as another choice. The setup you use for a serious 3D job, with a
> full keyboard (incl numpad), with one or two screens, fast graphics,
> with a good mouse etc.
>
> A design for this just will differ from a laptop keymap, which should
> support a good alternative for MMB (like Tony mentions), and solve the
> lack of numpad.
>
> Another design is possible for tablet users, you can really make an
> optimal map for this.
>
> And of course the more "new-user-friendly" approach, skipping Fkeys,
> using mainly 1 mouse button, etc.
>
> We have flexible keymaps for a reason you know; not to mimic Maya or
> 3DS, but to optimize workflow based on personal preferences and input
> device configurations.
>
> Instead of putting all energy in agreeing on a single way to use
> Blender, we can better classify a couple of default configs that will
> cover what we know *current* artists will need. (Making keymaps for
> Maya users is something they can do themselves... ;)
>
>
> >> For consistancy, mouse usage rationales van be split in three (yes
> >> from
> >> Raskin!):
> >> - actions (buttons, handlers, manipulators, pickers, menus etc)
> >> - view manipulations
> >> - selections
> >
> > You could also split it like this:
> >
> > -selections (objects, vertices, buttons, handlers, pickers, menus etc)
> > -view manipulations
> > -other stuff (could be context menu)
> >
> > Selecting items in a menu, or selecting text is not that different
> > conceptually from selecting objects or vertices.
>
> You could, but we follow a UI concept that tries to strictly follow the
> "Select -> Operate" paradigm. It's really two different things, which
> you can expose in mouse usability as well.
>
> Anyhoo, apparently you prefer to only use 1 mouse button for actions &
> selections. Just try to make a good consistant method for that? I'm
> sure a lot of people will like it. :)
>
> Alternatively, I'm totally confident there's a wonderfully designed
> other approach too, which probably will be not standard,
> noob-unfriendly, hard to learn, but extremely fast and pleasant to use.
> That's a feature we shouldn't forget to keep in Blender!
>
> -Ton-
>
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