Shortcuts

mrockatansky

I have been using BricsCAD for about 5 years now. When I started, I used to click on icons to activate commands, but as the amount of work increased, I started to use keyboard shortcuts. I realize there are separate keyboards that can be programmed as macro keys to activate commands, but they are too expensive. I got an idea to make my own using Auto Hot Key, but it would take too much time to learn how to code (I am not a programmer myself). Next idea was to use aText for the same job. I mapped some keys on the keyboard to write the shortcut automatically, and the next step is to make stickers for my keyboard so I don't have to remember which is which. I ran into a problem - I can't find command thumbnails anywhere. Can you help me with that? Or does any of you guys here have a better idea?

Anthony Apostolaros

I have a few very commonly-used commands assigned to function keys (Save, CopyClip, Paste, Rotate90, Make Selected Object's Layer Active, Turn Off All Layers Except Active, etc). I do that with Macro Express (which I've been using for 20 years or more, but I think the Keyboard tab of Bricscad's Customize panel can do all that now).

But mostly I use short Aliases for commands (assigned by the Command Aliases tab of the Customize panel):
LL = Line, PP = Pline, RR = Rectangle, RD = Rectangle by Dimensions, CC = Circle, DD = Dimension, EE = Ellipse, TT = Text,
L = Layer, P = Pan, R = Rotate Relative, C = Copy, D = Divide, E = Extend, T = Trim, etc.

I just checked and found I have 125 aliases assigned. I can't remember them all, but I added a pull-down menu for commands that I normally don't use much but from time to time use enough to make an alias worthwhile.

I use alt-key combinations only for things that I rarely use, like Osnap settings/overrides. The most commonly-used one is alt-X for PER.

ALANH

Your not limited to alpha if using lisp defuns as shortcuts can be just 47 which for me is osmode 47, all on 99 etc. zzz is a easy one.

If had say a few text defuns maybe t1 t2.

Make your own pop up menus with the commands you want grouped in one menu. I have CIV3D also and have a menu that when I am using the drafting workspace still allows access to CIV3d commands I want without changing workspace.

Anthony Apostolaros

I agree about using numbers in aliases. I use 1 through 7 as aliases for custom commands that assign colors 1 through 7 and their associated lineweights to the selection set, and Q1 through Q7 as aliases for custom commands that filter the selection set for objects with those colors.