Keyboard override in CUI

[Karol-Or]

I want to make the F12 key toggle ortho, like F8.

You see the line in the CUI but it's inactive. maybe because there's the Suppress Dynamic Input Acad's original shortcut.

I don't want yet to disable or delete the original key since i might need it. and i don't know if it will help.

[dmfrazier]

It's not clear what you are actually asking here, but...

"You see the line in the CUI but it's inactive."

I think it's inactive because there's no keys defined for it. (?)

"...maybe because there's the Suppress Dynamic Input Acad's original shortcut."

I think if you have a "competing" shortcut key definition in a custom CUI that is loaded after (or under, as a partial to) the main CUI, the command defined in the main CUI takes precedence.

[scot-65]

You may need to manually type "F12" (without the quotes)
in the "Access" section, line "Key(s)" in the "Properties" pane
of the CUI. The dialog flyout may not recognize the pressed key.

To access the original assignment, press and hold the [Ctrl] key.

???

[ambrosl]

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@Karol-Or wrote:

I want to make the F12 key toggle ortho, like F8.

You see the line in the CUI but it's inactive. maybe because there's the Suppress Dynamic Input Acad's original shortcut.

I don't want yet to disable or delete the original key since i might need it. and i don't know if it will help.

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The line appears to be inactive as a result of no Key combination being assigned to it.

Here is how you can assign the F12 Key combination:

1. Select the item you want to assigned the F12 key to, and click in the Key(s) field under Properties.
2. Click the [...] button to display the Shortcut Keys dialog box.
3. In the Shortcut Keys dialog box, click in the text box and press the F12 key.
   Below the text box, a message will appear if F12 is already assigned which you will need to later remove.  Take note of the name of the item listed as that is the one you will need to remove the Key combination from
4. Click OK.
5. If an error message appears about the F12 key already being assigned, click OK.  Locate the item that shares the same Key combination and clear the value from the Key(s) field.  You will need to open the Shortcut Keys dialog box to do so.

[Karol-Or]

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To access the original assignment, press and hold the [Ctrl] key.
This is a quote, i don't know how to make it look like a quote.

What do you mean by that? when to press Ctrl? while i am in the CUI?

I managed to write F12, it recognized the key, but still it doesn't work.

And i tried Shift+\ for Ortho toggle but when i press Shift+any key it doesn't type the lower character but the upper one, so in the case of Shift+\ it types "|" and it doesn't work.

Also in the case of Shift+] it writes "}", so even the original Shift+/ Toggle Dynamic UCS Mode doesn't work since it types "?"

[ambrosl]

There seems to be some confusion as to how some of these key combinations might work, not directly at any one posting but just as a clarification in functionality.

Most Temporary Override Keys only work when acquiring a point.  For example, while being prompted to "Specify a point" during the LINE command, you can press and hold SHIFT and ; together to temporarily disable object snaps.  This same key combination will not work when a command is not active or while not being prompted for a point..

Some key combinations like F8 are defined as both Shortcut Keys and Temporary Override Keys which allows the same Key Combination to be used when a command is active or not.

[Karol-Or]

I interchanged between the Toggle Ortho F8 and Dynamic input F12 in the CUI but still F8 toggles Ortho and F12 toggles Dynamic input

[ambrosl]

Can you post the CUIx file?

[ArchD]

I use AutoHotKey to do something similar. I have it set to make F1 mimic the ESC key so that I don't accidentally bring up help. The great thing is that I can suspend the script at anytime so if I do need the help documentation, I can still get it when I need it.

Basically you just need to put the script into your startup so that it runs when Windows starts. It'll give you a tray icon where you can suspend it.

If you'd rather not install AutoHotKey, I have included an exe if you are comfortable with downloading one from me. Just extract it and put it in your Windows startup folder, double click it to start it until you restart your computer. It does not actually install anything onto your PC or make any registery edits.

This method keeps your default settings intact in your AutoCAD CUI.

[Karol-Or]

I can't upload the file, the extension is not supported, so i changed it to jpeg

[dmfrazier]

It's often a good idea in these cases to ZIP the file and attach the ZIP.

[ambrosl]

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@Karol-Or wrote:

I can't upload the file, the extension is not supported, so i changed it to jpeg

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Got it.  Is this CUIx file being loaded as the main customization file or as a partial customization file to ACAD.CUIx, for example?

[Karol-Or]

You are right, this is a partial CUI i made, now i attach the main CUI

[ambrosl]

The order in which the CUIx files are loaded is important.  The last CUIx file loaded overrides all previous shortcut/temporary override keys if the definitions exist.  So if you load ACAD.CUIx as main, then you need to make sure the shortcut keys you want to use are defined in your partial CUIx file.  If you are loading your CUIx file as main and define your shortcut\temporary override keys in that file, and then load ACAD.CUIx as a partial file those defined in your CUIx file could be overridden if they have the same definitions in the ACAD.CUIx.

Main customization = ACAD.CUIx file - Contains F8
Partial loaded customization = Your CUIx file - Contains F8
Your definition of F8

Main customization = Your CUIx file - Contains F8

Partial loaded customization = ACAD.CUIx file - Contains F8

Standard AutoCAD definition of F8