NAVSWHEEL misbehaving badly.

[hencoop]

In any (GETKWORD...) call, if the user enters [Shift-W] to access a keyword beginning with "W", the option is NOT selected.  Instead, the NAVSWHEEL is displayed.

I ran into this again today and was looking again for a solution and a refresher on the problem.  I have distilled the circumstance in which this problem consistently bites me to the example code below:  If anyone can confirm that [Shift-W] brings up the NAVSWHEEL in response to the code below I would appreciate it.

(initget 1 "Yes No What")
(setq x (getkword "Are you sure? [Yes/No/What] "))

;also, GETSTRING examples that  behave properly

(setq x (getstring T "Spell \"What\")); and,
(setq x (getstring nil "Spell \"What\"))

; both produce a capital "W" at the command line and DO NOT display the NAVSWHEEL
; This is how (GETKWORD...) should function. 

I know, it is NOT necessary to use the shift key to access the "What" option but my fingers do not know that.  They have 34 years of muscle memory that I find very difficult to overcome in my efforts to stop using the shift key.

When I press Shift-W to choose the "W" option while exercising any lisp commands or functions that employ the GETKWORD function I always get the NAVSWHEEL instead of a capital "W".

This is not acceptable behavior.  If Shift-W is valid input to the active command line prompt then Shift-W should not produce anything other than a capital W on the command line!

Over the past several years it has been explained multiple times, and even from Autodesk itself, that it is NOT possible to disable the [Shift-W] invocation of the NAVSWHEEL.  The only fix for this problem (other than retraining my fingers to never use the shift key with the letter "W") is for Autodesk to correct its programming so that [Shift-W] results in a capital W on the command line during a (GETKWORD...) call just as it does in a (GETSTRING...) call.

(IMHO)

[EricStiles]

Confirmed.  I do get the NAVSWHEEL even while running your lisp program. 

I understand about finger memory.  Boy do I have the same problem.  I still have to hit the ESCape key multiple time even though you supposedly don't have to do that anymore.

It seems to me that there would be away to disable the NAVSWHEEL with some setting just before you run your GETKWORD function, but darn if I can find a setting for that.

[hencoop]

Thank you for confirming that for me.

Autodesk has pointed out in the past that it is an internal function of AutoCAD and there is no way to disable it.

[hencoop · Accepted solution]

(setq x (getstring T "Spell \"What\")); and,
(setq x (getstring nil "Spell \"What\"))

; both of the above DO produce a capital "W" at the command line and DO NOT display the NAVSWHEEL
; That is exactly how (GETKWORD...) should function... but it does not! 

[EricStiles]

How is this a solution?   You said you already knew that the GetString function worked.  It was the GetKWord that didn't work and still doesn't.

[hencoop]

The solution is that it cannot be altered and does not work... wait for Autodesk to fix it.

I my experience, that means it is already fixed and needs no further attention from Autodesk.

... but seriously, Autodesk asked me to identify the solution... as their robot always does.  If Autodesk would read the content and understand it (a VERY tall order for their robot) they would know that they have repeatedly told us there is NO solution for users to affect their internal hot key [Shift+W] as it cannot be changed.  Anyone coming down this lane looking for a solution to this problem SHOULD stop at the solution I have identified as proceeding further is absolutely fruitless.  There is nothing that can be done about it.

[hencoop]

@EricStiles  It has been a while but I just revisited this and found MY real solution.  I never use the NavWheel so this is a good fix for me; however, it does KILL the ability to use dot-command ( .NAVSWHEEL) to invoke the original built-in AutoCAD command.

      (COMMAND "UNDEFINE" "NAVSWHEEL")
      (SETQ NAVSWHEEL NIL)
      (DEFUN C:NAVSWHEEL () (COMMAND nil nil nil))

I put this in my startup customization file and now when I use [Shift-W] it just cancels.  Since AutoCAD forces NAVSWHEEL to be transparent the result is I return to my active command (if any)...  but I still need to use the Caps-Lock key and then only press the w key if I want to key-in a capital W; otherwise, a lower case W works just fine.

I only run into this issue when I intentionally key-in a capital W.  This will at least save me the noticeable delay caused by the NavWheel both displaying and being dismissed.

[daniel.hunter]

Thanks. I kept having this issues arise at random drawings & the issue wouldn't go away. For some of out plans, we use upper case only, so Caps lock would be on. Even when using Pline, then W for wirth the PITA Navswheel would rear its ugly head. Thanks again.