Assign quick keys to tool modes

[salukitd]

Is it possible to assign quick keys to modes of a tool. For example Arc has 6 or 7 modes that I use pretty regularly. I am creating a *killer* stream deck profile and would like to add mode buttons. The challenge is that there needs to be a "quick key" to use it in the stream deck.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[Paolo Bruno]

You can toggle the Tool Modes in the Arc Tool with the shortcut "U".

Depending on how many mode groups a tool has, the shortcuts will extend from "U" to "I", "O", "P", "[", "]", each one of them being the shortcut to toggle between the modes of a specific mode group.

[Pat Stanford]

Not quite was being asked for Paolo.  Patrick is looking for the ability to set a single keyboard shortcut to select the tool and choose the mode so he can use an external keypad to trigger the function.

 

For at least some items the answer is yes. There is a Vectorscript function called SetToolWithMode that will do this.  The Tool ID for the Arc tool is -202. So to pick the Arc tool with Tangent to Line mode (3rd mode), the VS is a single line. The middle term is the Mode Group, the last term is the mode you want.

 

SetToolWithMode(-202, 1, 3);

 

This thread has instructions on how to make a script into a menu command that can then have a shortcut assigned in the Workspace Editor.

 

 For the Tool Index of other tools check out the Vectorscript Appendix D.

 

https://developer.vectorworks.net/index.php?title=VS:Function_Reference_Appendix_E#SetTool_-_CallTool_Selectors

 

Not certain you will be able to make this work with tools that you need to set multiple Mode Groups for, but you might be able to just run SetToolWithMode command multiple times, once for each mode group.

 

HTH

[salukitd]

Thanks for the kind help Pat!!  So, I create the plugin, as seen in the REALLY BIG image!  When I go to edit the workspace menus, Miscellaneous is not there and if I select ALL MENUS, "Arc mode to radius" isn't there.  I'm sure I'm missing something!

 

Thanks again!

 

Pat

 

 

[Pat Stanford]

Were you in the Tool mode of the Workspace Editor or Command mode?  The script should have been created as a Command, not a tool and it should create the Misc category in the workspace editor.

 

Or restart VW.

[salukitd]

Here are a couple of screen grabs from my workspace editor....  I am assuming commands is the same as menu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[salukitd]

ahhhhhh...didn't see "restart Vectorworks".

 

It's there now!

[salukitd]

Hey Pat...I have a follow up question that I'm betting you can answer.  So If I click on the circle tool, there are then 5 or 6 different modes associated with it.  Would it be possible to create a right click menu that when the Circle tool is activated, the associated modes are automatically place at the top of the right click menu.

 

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

Pat...Immel

[Pat Stanford]

The right click menus are not scriptable as far as I know. 

 

Sorry.

[E|FA]

Doesn’t Streamdeck let you assign multiple keystrokes to a single button?  I’ve looked at it but never purchased, so I’m not sure.  If it does, you could assign a button to perform two keystrokes -> select the tool, then select the mode.  If Streamdeck can’t do this, you could use other keystroke utility such as Keyboard Maestro or Better Touch Tools (or Apple Automator which is preinstalled on the Mac but has always confused me) to build the command and then set it as your Streamdeck button.