Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

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ryancousins
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Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

Post by ryancousins » Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:09 am

I very often find myself going to draw a dimension after drawing some geometry and I forget to switch to my dimensions layer until I've already started drawing the dimension. It would be useful to have the option of binding a keyboard combination to the activation of a specific layer so I could type that and switch the active layer on the fly. Perhaps in the edit layer dialog box there could be a field to type in a key combination? An extension of this could be to select existing geometry and using that same keyboard combination to switch which layer it is a member of without having to go to the properties editor widget. (So if nothing is selected OR a drawing tool is in use, the key command would switch the active layer, but if one or more existing objects were selected, it would change their layer membership.) I thought I'd throw that out here for feedback before creating a feature request in the bug tracker.

On a side note, is it preferred to make suggestions here before just putting them in the tracker? I didn't want to just put it in there first if it is a dumb or impossible to implement suggestion.

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Husky
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

Post by Husky » Sat Feb 13, 2021 2:42 am

Hi,
ryancousins wrote:
Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:09 am
I very often find myself going to draw a dimension after drawing some geometry and I forget to switch to my dimensions layer until I've already started drawing the dimension. It would be useful to have the option of binding a keyboard combination to the activation of a specific layer so I could type that and switch the active layer on the fly.
You are already able to switch on the fly ... but only with a mouse click and not with a shortcut. In my case I have a bunch of standard layer which have always the same attributes in all my drawings. What means - I see immediately when something isn't as expected. Standard could be Object, Hidden, Center, Dim, Text, Auxiliary etc. - you get the idea. When I now launch the dim tool, start the dim with first extension line origin, move the mouse to the second point then I already see the attributes provided by the active layer. Of course ...... most likely that isn't the correct layer! No problem! I just have to click on the correct layer which will then switch "on the fly" in the middle of my dim operation.

QCAD switch active layer.gif
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ryancousins wrote:
Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:09 am
Perhaps in the edit layer dialog box there could be a field to type in a key combination? An extension of this could be to select existing geometry and using that same keyboard combination to switch which layer it is a member of without having to go to the properties editor widget. I thought I'd throw that out here for feedback before creating a feature request in the bug tracker.
Hmmm, how will you avoid a shortcut conflict with the already existing tool shortcuts? Example: Your layer dim gets the shortcut LD (Layer Dimension) - that shortcut is also used by the tool "Leader". And ... if the user uses 50+ layer? We are then talking about 50+ additional shortcuts?
ryancousins wrote:
Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:09 am
On a side note, is it preferred to make suggestions here before just putting them in the tracker? I didn't want to just put it in there first if it is a dumb or impossible to implement suggestion.
Yes, that would be the preferred approach before filing a feature request.
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ryancousins
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

Post by ryancousins » Sat Feb 13, 2021 3:45 am

You are already able to switch on the fly ... but only with a mouse click and not with a shortcut.
That's what I do now but I just like the keyboard shortcuts. But I agree the current method certainly isn't a huge pain at all. I just like streamlining things so I can perform a keyboard shortcut with my left hand while not having to move my mouse from my work area in the model space.
how will you avoid a shortcut conflict with the already existing tool shortcuts?
I suppose there would have to be a check that is run as soon as the shortcut is entered that would say "already used" or something similar. Or perhaps each layer could have a unique number associated with it so there would be a letter followed by a number? Perhaps it's more trouble than it's worth. I'm a huge fan of the shortcuts in QCAD, I think they're better than any other program of any kind I've ever used so I probably get a little too excited about having them available to do everything in the program!

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Husky
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

Post by Husky » Sat Feb 13, 2021 10:18 am

Hmmmmmmmmmmm ...

What's about a shortcut to "Focus on Layer list", arrow keys up/down to chose the layer, Enter key to activate the chosen layer ...?
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

Post by ryancousins » Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:07 am

On it's own that wouldn't be ideal because it'd be more work and moving hands around than just clicking on the layer list with the mouse, but, I just got this device called a stream deck that I can use to create macros or do shortcuts and I could incorporate those steps into a button on this device and then it would probably be a helpful option. My goal is to eventually have all of my most used QCAD commands programmed into the device.
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Husky
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

Post by Husky » Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:10 am

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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

Post by petevick » Mon Feb 15, 2021 9:35 am

Husky wrote:
Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:10 am
We used in the "Old days" overlays on digitizer tablets ...

https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthin ... _it_is_it/

https://twitter.com/cadpanacea/status/1 ... 2998628355
blimey Husky, that brings back memories e_geek I had stacks of different overlays that I'd printed for various custom configurations I had in Autocad. It surely wasn't that long ago....was it :? :shock:
Pete Vickerstaff
Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon, Qcad Pro 3.29.6

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ryancousins
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer

Post by ryancousins » Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:33 pm

That's awesome. My first CAD experience was CadKey 7 for DOS, but I never got to use one of those tablets!

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