Q: Editor shortcut keys question

[phossler]

In the S&R dialog there appears to be a duplication of the Alt- shortcuts, and some don't appear to work

F is used to the [Find:] ___________ and the [Find] action
R is used to the [Replace:] ___________ and the [Replace] action

The alt-a for [Replace all] doen't seem to work

I checked Preferences to see if there was a KB mapping that I needed to set but didn't see any

I'm used to using a KB for a lot of text-oriented actions as well as the Windows alt+somekey so I wonder if I'm missing something

[theducks]

Originally Posted by phossler

In the S&R dialog there appears to be a duplication of the Alt- shortcuts, and some don't appear to work

F is used to the [Find:] ___________ and the [Find] action
R is used to the [Replace:] ___________ and the [Replace] action

The alt-a for [Replace all] doen't seem to work

I checked Preferences to see if there was a KB mapping that I needed to set but didn't see any

I'm used to using a KB for a lot of text-oriented actions as well as the Windows alt+somekey so I wonder if I'm missing something

Alt-A works here. This may be a focus issue

Remember the editor has its own preferences
What is weird (to me) is the Edit: Preferences: Keyboard shortcut lists Ctrl-A which is Select All (a standard) if in the main Edit area

[phossler]

Hmmm - Maybe I'm too Windoze oriented, but the standard convention I'm used to is alt+key 'presses a button' or selects a menu

1. Having the same hot key for different controls is a little (or a lot) confusing

There are 3 alt-f short cutted fields visible in that editor window for example: [File] in the main toolbar, [Find] to highlight the string, and [Find] to actually execute the find

2. Not sure what you mean about 'focus issue'.

With no S&R open, the first alt-f doesn't seem to do anything, another opens the file menu

With a S&R open via Control-f, the first alt-f highlights the search string, the next 2 don't seem to do anything, and a fourth opens the file menu

In the screen shot you can't see the cursor, but it's position over [Replace All] and I could see a slight button color shift. I would think that meant that window had the focus. Alt-a still doesn't seem to do anything (for me at least)

[kovidgoyal]

When there are multiple controls with the same Alt shortcut, pressing it toggle between them. So for instance the first Alt+F will focus the find field, another will focus the Find button (you then press the spacebar to actually click the button, and so on).

[BetterRed]

@Kovid - FYI: a 3rd Alt+F refocuses the kb to the the File drop down menu. On a large high res monitor this is easily missed; one is left wondering wtf did kb focus go

First time this happened to me, after tapping Alt+F a few times, I tapped Alt+R and the Recently used list popped - I noticed that

Just saying, off hand I can't think of an easy resolution

BR

[kovidgoyal]

The search functionality has dedicated shortcuts, so there is no need to use the Alt based shortcuts for them

[BetterRed]

Some of us have been using Alt+<the underlined character> for something like a quarter of a century as the standard way to navigate around GUI apps - including many parts of calibre.

In version 2.41, one too many Alt+F's and one is invited to select a folder for the new Editing an unzipped EPUB feature - which is a bit disconcerting.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

Others of us long ago realized that using Alt based shortcuts for any non-trivial UI is simply not scaleable, so we switched to applications that provide dedicated, customizable keyboard shortcuts.

[phossler]

Well, I had seen and checked the [Preferences] [Keyboard Shortcuts], but I can't figure out for example why the 'n' in [Replace and Find] is underlined in the GUI

That normally (for Windows anyway) indicates an alt+key to select or press a button (Control+n generates a count)

In general (and it's only what I'm used to) a Control+key is scoped to the session (?) like Calibre's Control-f for a 'Find', and an Alt+key selects or operates a control

[kovidgoyal]

All the search related shortcuts are under Preferences->Keyboard shortcuts->Search in the editor. You can find, replace, replace all, go to next/previous match, etc. They have nothing to do with Alt based shortcuts. Alt based shortcuts are orthogonal, and intended as simple mnemonic based alternatives for people that have trouble remembering shortcuts. Serious keyboard based usage should never rely on Alt based shortcuts.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by phossler

Well, I had seen and checked the [Preferences] [Keyboard Shortcuts], but I can't figure out for example why the 'n' in [Replace and Find] is underlined in the GUI

That normally (for Windows anyway) indicates an alt+key to select or press a button (Control+n generates a count)

In general (and it's only what I'm used to) a Control+key is scoped to the session (?) like Calibre's Control-f for a 'Find', and an Alt+key selects or operates a control

The two ashortcuts re disconnected.

The button underlines are from the 'standard' (assumed by the ) UI toolkit(s) used

[phossler]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Alt based shortcuts are orthogonal, and intended as simple mnemonic based alternatives for people that have trouble remembering shortcuts. Serious keyboard based usage should never rely on Alt based shortcuts.

1. I don't understand what 'Orthogonal' means

2. "for people that have trouble remembering shortcuts" would be me, but how does [Replace and Find] help a user to remember Ctrl+], especially when alt-n appears to not do anything?

[phossler]

Originally Posted by theducks

The button underlines are from the 'standard' (assumed by the ) UI toolkit(s) used

I think that control captions are defined by the program, so the caption for [Find] would be .Caption = "&Find"

Possibly not underlining would be less confusing since there would not be any implications????

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by phossler

1. I don't understand what 'Orthogonal' means

Unrelated, independent of

2. "for people that have trouble remembering shortcuts" would be me, but how does [Replace and Find] help a user to remember Ctrl+], especially when alt-n appears to not do anything?

Because, the mnemonic (the underlined letter) is for the alt shortcut, not Ctrl+], and alt+n most definitely does something, it focuses that button, after which you have to press the spacebar, to actually press the button, which I explained in my first post in this thread.

[phossler]

OK -- got it now (finally)