FEATURE REQUEST: Assign macro to Ctrl or Alt key combination

[zeb]

It would be good if a macro could be assigned to a Ctrl-[key] or Alt-[key] or even Ctrl-Alt-[Key] combination, much like the built-in Ctrl-G for the group window. Even better would be allowing the use of the Alt Gr key as the modifier - I don't think I've ever seen anyone actually use that key!

This would allow the running of macros from a standard keyboard without affecting the normal functions of the keyboard.

At present, when assigning the macro to a key with Ctrl or Alt held down, the macro is assigned to the key regardless of what modifiers have been used. E.g. assigning a macro to Ctrl-F1 - the macro is activated whenever F1, Ctrl-F1, Alt-F1, etc. are entered.

Many thanks in advance.

[machtl]

SHIFT+Key should work...

[zeb]

Nice idea! Just tried it but it fails Both Ctrl-[key] or Shift-[key] on the PC's keyboard result in the macro being assigned to the unmodified key! Rather oddly, if you assign a macro to the F1 key, the message in the macro window reads 'Macro 1 programmed 2 steps, assigned to p+p'! If using F2 it's 'q+q' and so on!

Ctrl or Shift and one of the virtual console buttons (e.g. Spare 1) do have the desired effect, though!

[korky99_04]

I too have noticed this. I'm looking into using an reprogrammable keyboard board to assist in programming, specifically to fire macros, and have found that you can assign special characters, such as:

Alt+0176: °
Alt+0198: Æ
Alt+0159: Ÿ

And so on. I can assign these to a key on the reprogrammable keypad, and then assign then to a macro, and I can thus fire macros without affecting the normal keyboard functions.

I've had mixed results with the shift+'key' solution. It seems to work some of the time.

Anyway, not sure what your trying to accomplish, but depending on the problem the Alt solution might be the answer. It is the solution to my problem, but probably not yours.

[zeb]

I'd like to reproduce some of the programming keys, too! I have achieved similar results by creating a custom keymapping but unfortunately upon bootup it was applied to all keyboards (I'd still like to have one keyboard that acted normally for entering text, etc.)

Out of interest, what programmable keyboard are you using? Is this under Windows, OSX or Linux?

Many thanks for your suggestion.

[dlights]

This is a fantastic idea. Personally, I would like to see the idea expanded even a littel bit. What I would love to have somethig like most video games have and be able to re-map the whole keyboard based on personal preferences. Maybe give a small display of a key board name keyboard or shortcut editor. A check box for CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT, then you click on the key of choice which then gives access to a dropdown or scrolly list of all chamsys functions. Then if you are trying to overwrite something a small warning dialogue telling what you are about to overwrite. Then being able to save keyboard layout to a name and having that name appear in the keyboard function window in setup. Just a thought. While most of the key combos are just fine, I would love to be able to make the keyboard think the same way I do without having to universally remap the keyboard for the OS.

'D'

[korky99_04]

I'm using the X-keys Pro by P. I. Engineering. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance. So far it is working great, but there are a few quirks. I'll expand more later, but it is really turning out to be a very viable and time saving solution. More info to come. But I'm using the USB version in hardware mode. So it works on all operating solutions. I'm using it on Windows for testing and programming, and Linux for running shows.

[zeb]

Oh, I like the look of the X-Keys Pro... will have to see if I can source on in the UK! I can feel another purchase coming on!

@dlights: I guess the only problem with being able to remap the entire keyboard is that I'd still like to be able to use the keyboard to enter textual labels. My ideal is having two keyboards - one mapped as a normal keyboard and the other mapped with the programming keys. I managed to achieve this using two USB keyboards and some MagicQ macros but unfortunately the keyboard map for the 'programming' was always loaded at bootup if that keyboard was connected so it affected both keyboards.

[dlights]

I wonder if a keyboard combination to switch between modes would work???

[korky99_04]

Yea, I have to say that the problem that I'm having is that I use Windows to program the XKeys and therefore testing with MagicQ as well, but when I switch it to my Linux production computer, things are getting messed up in the wash. For example, I things come out great between the two computers, and others don't work at all. I assigned the space bar as go (so no two worded labels), and that works just fine. But other keys that I assigned and worked just fine in windows (such as !) are getting messed up in Linux. And I know it isn't the x-kays, because when I open a different program and punch that key it is still outputting the ! symbol (note that they macro should get assigned to: "Shift+1". Also, when I save my system settings in one os, and load them into another, they macros are no longer assigned to the same keyboard shortcuts. This isn't a big deal, but it is annoying as I now have to have two different system settings files.

[And about those files, why can I not see them in Windows? Even when I'm displaying hidden files? If I could, it would be a lot easier to keep track of that file.]

I've also discovered something that cuts down on the macros needed, the building keyboard shortcuts for jumping to different screens. Those work great on all OSs with the x-keys. I would just request to Chamsys that they integrate more or a better system to control built in keyboard shortcuts. Especially for the things nearly everyone is going to use, such as the master playback go button, or the record and clear buttons. That would make it much easier than the work arounds that I'm building now.