Small script for move by points tool

[halfcoupler]

hi @ all,

I'm using the "move by points tool" a lot, does anyone know how to make a small script that toggles the tool between it's prefereances "retain object or not", via keybourad shortcut? Or is there an idea how this can be done via the workspace editor? It's always three clicks if doing this via mouse. If you do that the whole day it's a bit annoying... ;-)

[michaelk]

You can do it with keyboard shortcuts

Shift MM Command-I [Return] will toggle "retain" on and off.

Double tapping the keyboard shortcut for any tool will bring up the preferences for that tool. Huge time saver.

There's probably a simple one liner script that could do it, too. Something like SetPref(selector #,boolean);

But I couldn't find the selector #.

hth

mk

[halfcoupler]

thanks much for reply,

double tapping works fine, but I don't understand how to deal with

"Shift MM Command-I [Return]"

How does that work ?

[Tim Harland]

Can you not just use the 'I' key to toggle it - or whatever you have set as the shortcut key for mode group 2 - check tools/workspace/edit current workspace & 'keys' tab to see what you currently have set for mode group 2?

[michaelk]

After you double tap Shift M and the dialog box is displayed, watch the checkbox for retain object while you press the command key.

You will see the text beside the checkboxes change to Command+ a letter. The check box for retain object happens to change to command I. This is a modal shortcut that only works while that dialog box is open.

Many/most/ VW dialog boxes have helpful keyboard shortcuts that only apply to that dialog box.

But Tim's right. You could use the I key to change the mode of the second group. I never noticed that the shortcut in the dialog box uses the same letter as the shortcut for the second mode group! Wonder if that's intentional?

I find that it's faster when using move by points to double tap Shift M because then you can type the number of duplicates you want without mousing over to the field in the menu bar. (Saves 5 whole seconds! :-) ) So if you want 2 duplicates it's ShiftMM 2 [Enter]. You could do Command=I before the enter or just I after the enter or just Shift M I as Tim suggests.

hth

mk

[halfcoupler]

Hi Michael, thanks for the answer,

"You will see the text beside the checkboxes change to Command+ a letter. The check box for retain object happens to change to command I. This is a modal shortcut that only works while that dialog box is open."

Is it possible that this only works with MAC ?

As Windows user I can only open the preferances box by double tapping the shortcut and tap through it. So the windos command is (with CTR-M as shortcut) : CTR-M, CTR-M, TAB, Space, ENTER.

Not quite comfortable, but with some prcaticing this is quicker than mouse-clicking.

I will train this during the next 4 days... Merry Chrismas! :-)

[michaelk]

Very strange.

On my computer it's

Shift M to get the move by points tool in the basic tool palette and

Command M to get Modify>Move>Move…

I'm almost positive that Command M on Mac = Control M on windows.

If you hit Control M then there are no keyboard shortcuts for that dialog box.

If you hit Shift MM then hold down the Control key you should see the keyboard shortcuts.

mk

[halfcoupler]

well, finally I found something else :

when pressing CMD while using selection tool or move by points tool and dragging the mouse, the selected object will duplicate. This is a general feature and is more simple than checking and unchecking the preferences box.

Too bad this does not work with the mirror tool... Can I have that for next christmas ? ;-)