I very often find myself going to draw a dimension after drawing some geometry and I forget to switch to my dimensions layer until I've already started drawing the dimension. It would be useful to have the option of binding a keyboard combination to the activation of a specific layer so I could type that and switch the active layer on the fly. Perhaps in the edit layer dialog box there could be a field to type in a key combination? An extension of this could be to select existing geometry and using that same keyboard combination to switch which layer it is a member of without having to go to the properties editor widget. (So if nothing is selected OR a drawing tool is in use, the key command would switch the active layer, but if one or more existing objects were selected, it would change their layer membership.) I thought I'd throw that out here for feedback before creating a feature request in the bug tracker.
On a side note, is it preferred to make suggestions here before just putting them in the tracker? I didn't want to just put it in there first if it is a dumb or impossible to implement suggestion.
Hotkey option for selecting the active layer
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- ryancousins
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer
Hi,
You are already able to switch on the fly ... but only with a mouse click and not with a shortcut. In my case I have a bunch of standard layer which have always the same attributes in all my drawings. What means - I see immediately when something isn't as expected. Standard could be Object, Hidden, Center, Dim, Text, Auxiliary etc. - you get the idea. When I now launch the dim tool, start the dim with first extension line origin, move the mouse to the second point then I already see the attributes provided by the active layer. Of course ...... most likely that isn't the correct layer! No problem! I just have to click on the correct layer which will then switch "on the fly" in the middle of my dim operation.ryancousins wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:09 amI very often find myself going to draw a dimension after drawing some geometry and I forget to switch to my dimensions layer until I've already started drawing the dimension. It would be useful to have the option of binding a keyboard combination to the activation of a specific layer so I could type that and switch the active layer on the fly.
Hmmm, how will you avoid a shortcut conflict with the already existing tool shortcuts? Example: Your layer dim gets the shortcut LD (Layer Dimension) - that shortcut is also used by the tool "Leader". And ... if the user uses 50+ layer? We are then talking about 50+ additional shortcuts?ryancousins wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:09 amPerhaps in the edit layer dialog box there could be a field to type in a key combination? An extension of this could be to select existing geometry and using that same keyboard combination to switch which layer it is a member of without having to go to the properties editor widget. I thought I'd throw that out here for feedback before creating a feature request in the bug tracker.
Yes, that would be the preferred approach before filing a feature request.ryancousins wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:09 amOn a side note, is it preferred to make suggestions here before just putting them in the tracker? I didn't want to just put it in there first if it is a dumb or impossible to implement suggestion.
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- ryancousins
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer
That's what I do now but I just like the keyboard shortcuts. But I agree the current method certainly isn't a huge pain at all. I just like streamlining things so I can perform a keyboard shortcut with my left hand while not having to move my mouse from my work area in the model space.You are already able to switch on the fly ... but only with a mouse click and not with a shortcut.
I suppose there would have to be a check that is run as soon as the shortcut is entered that would say "already used" or something similar. Or perhaps each layer could have a unique number associated with it so there would be a letter followed by a number? Perhaps it's more trouble than it's worth. I'm a huge fan of the shortcuts in QCAD, I think they're better than any other program of any kind I've ever used so I probably get a little too excited about having them available to do everything in the program!how will you avoid a shortcut conflict with the already existing tool shortcuts?
Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer
Hmmmmmmmmmmm ...
What's about a shortcut to "Focus on Layer list", arrow keys up/down to chose the layer, Enter key to activate the chosen layer ...?
What's about a shortcut to "Focus on Layer list", arrow keys up/down to chose the layer, Enter key to activate the chosen layer ...?
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- ryancousins
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer
On it's own that wouldn't be ideal because it'd be more work and moving hands around than just clicking on the layer list with the mouse, but, I just got this device called a stream deck that I can use to create macros or do shortcuts and I could incorporate those steps into a button on this device and then it would probably be a helpful option. My goal is to eventually have all of my most used QCAD commands programmed into the device.
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer
We used in the "Old days" overlays on digitizer tablets ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthin ... _it_is_it/
https://twitter.com/cadpanacea/status/1 ... 2998628355
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthin ... _it_is_it/
https://twitter.com/cadpanacea/status/1 ... 2998628355
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- petevick
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer
blimey Husky, that brings back memories I had stacks of different overlays that I'd printed for various custom configurations I had in Autocad. It surely wasn't that long ago....was itHusky wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:10 amWe used in the "Old days" overlays on digitizer tablets ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthin ... _it_is_it/
https://twitter.com/cadpanacea/status/1 ... 2998628355
Pete Vickerstaff
Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon, Qcad Pro 3.29.6
Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon, Qcad Pro 3.29.6
- ryancousins
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Re: Hotkey option for selecting the active layer
That's awesome. My first CAD experience was CadKey 7 for DOS, but I never got to use one of those tablets!