Replace ESC key with double left click

[Anonymous]

Hi,

It would be awesome to have an alternative use of ESC key which will require two hands to work on AutoCAD. Left hand touches on the keyboard, right hand holds the mouse. My solution is if the user does double left click on the drawing area, AutoCAD will raise "Cancel" command which is similar to ESC key, all selected entities will be unselected.

There will be also a variable to use this ESC alternative, which is 1 by default, to use either ESC or double left click. Users can change to 0 to use only ESC key normally.

Another suggestion is if the user clicks on the Command text on AutoCAD Text Window, it will show up Recent Commands popup, which is similar to right click on the Text Window and choose Recent Commands. Users will just simply click on the Command text and move the mouse up to click on selected command. This is a straight up mouse move which is better than right click then move mouse up to select Recent Commands, then move mouse down to click.

Those are my ideas to help to use AutoCAD easier with only one hand and less mouse move.

Thanks,

Khoa

[dan908 · Accepted solution]

3dconnextion makes programmable mice designed specifically for AutoCAD/ Design software users. They may have something that matches what you are describing. They tend to write their drivers on top of our code base so that the mice work well with our products. I am not sure if they have a standard mouse, but if you ask them they could tell you (even if there is nothing on their site).

[Anonymous]

We can write a small code to implement that ESC feature on AutoCAD. I am not sure if 3Dconnexion owned this idea and prevented Autodesk to use it or not.

Thanks.

[dan908]

Not really that they own the idea. They specialize in customized mouse actions like that. We don't have that many customized mouse actions in AutoCAD.

[ParishSouthBdx]

I would be satisfied just to see the return of the esc/cancel button.  Im ALMOST positive back in 1988 or was that 1994......anyway.....i remember being able to cancel out of a command by picking something on the screen.  wasnt it the vertical old menu on the right?

anyway....takes one hand ......so I can manage to keep biting my nails as I work.   

 hah ah ah

[Anonymous]

Today we use left hand to check Facebook and surf news on the smart phone, while right hand clicks on mouse to work on AutoCAD. It's such a multitasking in 2015... haha

Anyway, keep pressing ESC key is bad habit for AutoCAD users. We should think of a new way to make thing simpler.

The next evolution is to use webcam to track user head and face to simulate mouse movement on AutoCAD. To make the mouse move, just shake the head left/right/up/down. To perform the drawing, just say commands, for example, say "LINE" or "L" to draw a line.  Lips moves once to perform a mouse click, lips moves twice to perform a mouse double click… See how crazy a drafter looks when working with AutoCAD! Just kidding for fun 🙂

[Anonymous]

The Recent Commands button was introduced since AutoCAD 2013, next to "Type a command" textbox. My previous idea was tested on AutoCAD 2012 at work which does not have this button, users have to right click on the Text Window to see Recent Commands list. I am sorry about that.