Jump to content

Keystroke to get out of a text box?


KenD

Recommended Posts

I'm training myself to use more keystrokes to activate tools rather than cursor over to the the tool palettes. Something I've noticed for some time is when in a text box, the "X" is obviously just an x while in text box and doesn't not serve the purpose of selecting the selection tool.

 

Is there a key stroke that can exit a text box?

 

Thanks

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment

The Escape key will exit the text block while leaving the Text tool selected. So Escape, X should exit a text block you are editing and select the Selection tool.

 

But I often click out of the text block I am editing which then creates a new text block that I then end up typing the X into.  😞. I need to train my brain to always use Escape also.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Thanks Pat,

 

I also just discovered the enter key on the numlock keyboard does the same thing, but the escape is probably better, dont have to take my hand off the mouse or reach over with my left hand.

 

I dont find a way to deselect without clicking the mouse though. That's as fast as a keystroke...maybe faster. I'm trying to see if key-stroking is actually faster than reaching for everything with the mouse. The smart options display isn't for me yet. Too easy to graze it and takes too long to appear at cursor idle, even at 1 second I feel like I have to stop and wait.

Edited by KenD
  • Like 1
Link to comment

Keyboard for the things you use all the time are definitely faster.

 

Start with the 5 tools you use most and the 5 commands you use most. And every time you forget to use the shortcut, make yourself slow down and look at the tool tip. Then once those 5 are muscle memory, start adding more.

 

And use geography to help also. Learn the tools (basic 2D) that are mapped on the number keys across the top. If you do much using 2D. If you are only modeling, they might not help that much.

 

When Minicad originally came out, everything was mapped geographically. The tools were one row across the top and were mapped to 1..9. The Snaps were 2 rows of 4 icons and were mapped qwer, asdf.    The shortcuts never changed, but the locations in the default palette have.

 

Good luck.

Link to comment

vwx Concentration!

A somewhat silly game from v2018, slightly updated.

 

In the vwx file, each square is a group stacked on top of another group.

 

Click to select a square. Send to Back to reveal group below which displays the answer.

If desired, reset via Send to Front.

 

Do you know them all?  Can you do it the other way?

 

-B

 

image.png.6be5ab78bfd4a995de45fafe544e2c94.png

 

 

 

ShortcutGame v2022.vwx

Edited by Benson Shaw
hmmmm?
Link to comment
14 hours ago, KenD said:

I'm training myself to use more keystrokes to activate tools rather than cursor over to the the tool palettes. Something I've noticed for some time is when in a text box, the "X" is obviously just an x while in text box and doesn't not serve the purpose of selecting the selection tool.

 

Is there a key stroke that can exit a text box?

 

Thanks

 

 

I've always done Command-S to exit a text box + activate the selection tool. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
40 minutes ago, Pat Stanford said:

Interesting about CMD-S.  But that is also going to save the file. I think it is just luck that it also exits the text block. I can't imagine that being a designed workflow, but maybe it is.  

No I think I just discovered by chance long ago that it did this - just because I've always manually saved my files on a regular basis - and it quickly became automatic behaviour. In fact I have the opposite problem to you in that I'm forever CMD-S-ing + deactivating the Text tool when I really wanted to carry on with the tool in a new text box! And if it's a big file it might take a while to save which isn't ideal. But this was from when I just did 2D so wasn't an issue until recently + too late to retrain my left hand...

  • Like 4
Link to comment
17 hours ago, KenD said:

The smart options display isn't for me yet. Too easy to graze it and takes too long to appear at cursor idle, even at 1 second I feel like I have to stop and wait.

 

I have it set up to appear at a certain keystroke (I am using ".").

Then I have assigned that keystroke to one of the side buttons on my mouse. So I click the side button to bring it up, meaning it only comes up when I want it, and I don't have to wait for it.

I'm still in the process of training myself to use it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Thanks for the input, All.

 

I'll play around with the command+s. That's the windows key according to the web? I thought "save" was control+S.

 

Speaking of Saving. I have been aggravated in the past that I dont have re-do's in the same qty as un-dos. Called Tech support about it and the person suggested the best they could figure was a recent save. I dont have gobs of re-do's usually but it looks like that may be the problem. Saving seems to affect the re-do's but maybe not the un-dos? I set autosave for a longer duration, but in the unfortunate event I need re-dos right after a save, I'm likely not getting them. I haven't taken the time to force this behavior to prove it exactly.

 

I used to have autosave at very frequent intervals because years ago on an older version the program would lock up on me and I would lose work. I have manually saved more frequently recently when working with CAD file imports because at least 2020 locks up, thats why I was forced to move to 2021 which seems to handle imports better. For some reason, Autocad files from architects give VW fits and makes it sluggish and "not responding". Anyway thats another subject, maybe I'll start a question to see if the community has any suggestions.

 

I HAVE gone the post-it note route and forcing myself to go to the keyboard stroke when I reach for a tool with the mouse. That's a little defeating on the time purpose but will pay off in the end. I have also re-assigned a few tools to different keys closer to the left side of the keyboard so I can hit the combos with one hand. I wish VW was more adaptable that way, and let me decide which keys require an alt, control, etc.. You can assign keys but its not wide open to whatever you want to do.

 

When is the mind reader headset coming out so it can anticipate and select the next tool for me?😉

Edited by KenD
added words
Link to comment

On Windows, there doesn't seem to be an equivalent to command+S. I've tried control, Alt and the Windows key.

 

It would be great to be able to configure multiple functions to key strokes. Even using a key to both exit a text box and activate the selection tool.

 

BUT, I did discover something that makes reaching for the escape key not any faster. I discovered a quick double left click in an a clear area just outside of the text box does exactly what I said above. It exits the text box and activates the selection tool quickly. So I'm removing the escape or enter on the number pad from my keystroke at-a-glance notes. That's the solution for me if I can remember. It's funny because years ago I developed a habit of double clicking anytime I wanted fresh out of anything to be certain I was. Turns out its not a bad habit!

Link to comment
5 minutes ago, KenD said:

On Windows, there doesn't seem to be an equivalent to command+S. I've tried control, Alt and the Windows key.

So on a Windows machine Control-S is Save but this doesn't exit the text box + activate the selection tool like it does on Mac? Ok in that case it's an even less official short cut sorry!

But yes double-click left button in empty space to activate Selection Tool is good in most circumstances, as long as you have clear space to click on. Or I have mapped wheel button on my Cadmouse to Selection tool so I can activate with one click that way. I have CadMouse in right hand + SpaceMouse in left hand + activate many of my tools from their buttons/menus which I now find indispensable. I tried Smart Options Display but didn't really get on with it maybe ought to give another go

  • Like 1
Link to comment
On 10/12/2021 at 2:30 PM, KenD said:

Speaking of Saving. I have been aggravated in the past that I dont have re-do's in the same qty as un-dos.

 

 

As VW does also include View changes in Undo,

I often accidentally zoom into the drawing to check if I reached the correct Undo,

this way you will lose ALL Redos from this point ....

 

So most times I have no Redo option at all ....

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Well, that's strange - I just checked my settings and it's set to "never" undo view changes.

 

And then I tested it, and zooming and panning don't seem to be included as "undos". And yet I could swear that it's the behaviour I see sometimes, so I am now going to watch out for it and see if it only happens under particular conditions.

Link to comment
27 minutes ago, line-weight said:

Well, that's strange - I just checked my settings and it's set to "never" undo view changes.

 

And then I tested it, and zooming and panning don't seem to be included as "undos".

 

Pre VW 2022 I also always used "never"

The View changes are not really included in Undo as a separate step,

but for each object's undo state you go back, the View will just also

change back to the way it was at that geometry state.

(Which I find irritating, as I might already have zoomed to an interesting

object - which made me want to start Undoing, because of that special

object that I want to keep in sight while Undoing)

Link to comment

There is some good info coming from the back and forth. I wish I had joined and looked around here a long time ago!

 

I do appreciate the undos...a lot, because once in a while I will alter a drawing...say, a cabinet section I've drawn, and use that to make another view of another cabinet section, sort of picking its bones and adding in other stuff. If I'm on the ball, I made a copy of that view to alter; but sometimes I'm so focused on speed I forget and start changing the original. I'll realize it at some point, and now I'm aware enough to make a copy of the changes I made, then undo until the original is restored or as far back as I can, then paste the copy of the progress I had made altering it so I haven't lost that work.

Link to comment
6 minutes ago, KenD said:

or as far back as I can

You can increase the maximum number of undos in the Session tab above to something more than the default 20. I only recently thought to increase mine to 30 as never took time to look at what it was set to but often getting to the end of the undo line wishing I could carry on a couple more stops... In recent thread others had their max set much higher but trade-off is slowing down VW...

Link to comment
3 hours ago, line-weight said:

I'm sure I sometimes find myself stepping back through multiple view states, even when there are no changes to objects involved.

I've realised that I've confused myself here, I think.

 

Because there are "undos" and then there are the "previous / next view" arrows at the top left of the screen. They take you back between views, without making any changes to objects.

 

What happens is that I want to get back to a view I was looking at just recently - and it feels like it was just a couple of moves back, but actually I have changed view using multiple zooms/pans, perhaps simultaneously, because I'm using the mouse scroll wheel and so on. And to me these were just a couple actions but to VW they were a long string of small actions, and it's these that I then have to painstakingly step back through. And sometimes there are enough that I run out of "previous views" before I get to where I want to be.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...