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| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 14/04/2015 at 16:06 #71067 | |
Muzer
718 posts |
I was playing today and noticed as I often do that the constant scrolling really isn't the most efficient use of my mouse (one reason I sometimes prefer paged layouts). I then realised that I could use the cursor keys (previously these didn't work for vertical scrolling but now, magically, they do), but they're on the wrong side of my laptop's mouse to be comfortable (and even if I had a real mouse, having my left hand all the way to the right of my keyboard still wouldn't be that comfortable). So what about taking a leaf out of the books of first person shooters and mapping some of the alphabetical keys on the left side of the keyboard to the same as the cursor keys? I would suggest WASD but A is already in use for something else (answer phone) — and besides, it should be user-customisable so as to cope with custom keyboard layouts (I use Dvorak, so WASD wouldn't be much use to me...) Thoughts? Log in to reply |
| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 14/04/2015 at 17:20 #71074 | |
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peterb
451 posts 
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On some sims individual letters already act as hotkeys to specific areas.
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| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 14/04/2015 at 17:38 #71076 | |
GeoffM
6287 posts
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" said:I then realised that I could use the cursor keys (previously these didn't work for vertical scrolling but now, magically, they do)Up/down scrolling was magically implemented at the same time as left/right... SimSig Boss Log in to reply |
| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 14/04/2015 at 17:40 #71077 | |
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Lardybiker
771 posts |
This is already possible.....sort of.... Key mapping is already available to developers as part of the sim data and has been for quite some time. When used, pressing a pre-defined key will re-center the current selected view to a specific particular location. Obviously it's down to the developer to set these up and if they are set up, they are typically listed in the manual. You could try using the key mappings a sim already provides and if a particular sim doesn't have any, raise it as an issue in the forum. Log in to reply |
| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 14/04/2015 at 17:54 #71081 | |
Steamer
3923 posts
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Another option is to hold the Shift key down to temporarily invert the mouse wheel setting (F3> Control), i.e. with the box ticked the wheel scrolls left/right, holding the shift key down makes it scroll up/down.
"Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Last edited: 14/04/2015 at 17:54 by Steamer Log in to reply |
| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 14/04/2015 at 18:41 #71084 | |
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Muzer
718 posts |
" said:This is already possible.....sort of....The problem with the hotkeys is that they usually assume a certain screen size to actually be useful, presumably the screen resolution the developer uses. Otherwise you either get massive gaps in coverage, or overlapping coverage that makes it quite inefficient. Rarely have I found a sim where it works as I'd like. I'm not blaming anyone, of course, this just seems like an inherent flaw with scrolly, unless hotkeys are made to be based on resolution (eg 0 resolutions across, 1 resolution across, etc.) which would lead to some painful cross-screen boundaries since with this method there's no way to design it "nicely". Steamer: Can't believe I never noticed that! I'll give this a go, cheers. Not sure if I'll find it too intuitive, but I'll try to get used to it at least. GeoffM: Maybe I'm going crazy, then. I could have sworn that up/down at one stage did the same as left/right, but maybe I'm confusing this with something else, perhaps the mouse wheel. Log in to reply |
| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 14/04/2015 at 21:43 #71094 | |
BarryM
2158 posts |
Pity you cannot use the Overview on your laptop. It is extremely helpful for navigating around a sim. No keys needed. Barry Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Log in to reply |
| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 14/04/2015 at 22:31 #71097 | |
ozrail
197 posts |
I use two screens. One to display the signalling area and the other as a control panel including the overview.
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| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 15/04/2015 at 05:34 #71103 | |
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maxand
1637 posts |
Since most people are right-handed, thus hold the mouse in their right hand, I agree it is inefficient to dedicate cursor (arrow) keys to up-down scrolling. Solutions include: 1) Allocate Shift (or Ctrl) + W/S keys for up/down scrolling (this is a job for the developer - even to provide an option would be welcome); 2) Buy a cheap USB number pad and position it to the left of the main keyboard so that its cursor keys can be used (sometimes this is not as instantaneous) 3) Reroute commands via a keyboard macro language such as AutoHotkey to customize keyboard; 4) Play SimSig on a desktop PC using a 3rd party keyboard which has programmable number pad, or an extra one mounted on LH side). Luckily my HP Pavilion dv7 laptop has a big enough screen (1920 x 1080) to permit Overview panel to be squeezed into the top RH corner, but unfortunately there is no hotkey to call it up, only a mouse click. This should be easy to remedy. Last edited: 15/04/2015 at 05:36 by maxand Log in to reply |
| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 15/04/2015 at 09:50 #71106 | |
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ozrail
197 posts |
I'm left-handed, but have always used the right hand mouse. Mainly because that's always the way it was set-up at work. So I can write and use the mouse at the same time. The best of both worlds.
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| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 15/04/2015 at 21:57 #71140 | |
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Airvan00
129 posts |
Many years ago, when first introduced at work to a computer with a mouse, the tech asked me if I was right handed, yes, so use the mouse in your left hand. I have done so ever since. Makes it a lot easier using both hands at the same time.
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| (Option to) map letter keys to scroll. 18/04/2015 at 09:18 #71198 | |
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maxand
1637 posts |
This has been a problem from the time keyboards were invented (before mice), so it made sense to have cursor keys on the right. Another reason is that a right handed cursor pad can be operated using the right (dominant) hand to enter numbers as in an adding machine keyboard. Since the mouse is capable of finer movements than the keyboard, it makes sense for the dominant hand to operate the mouse. Left-handed mice are a little more difficult to obtain but more comfortable for the left hand to operate than mice designed for the right hand. A right-handed person has the choice of learning to operate a mouse with the left hand or obtaining a keyboard with a number pad on its left side. Of course there have been many other solutions such as foot-operated mice, split keyboards, etc. Companies such as Versakey used to supply keyboards with multiple programmable keys but due to low demand, this particular one is no longer available. PI Engineering supply a range of programmable keypads. Companies who make POS (Point Of Sale) keyboards and gamer keyboards (e.g., Razer, Logitech) are worth looking into. Two important factors: 1) Tactile feedback is welcomed by touch typists who don't need to see where their fingers are, so the older clacky keyboards are often better than the newer membrane types for this reason. 2) Every time you change from one keyboard to another it takes time to relearn where the main function keys are so your fingers can immediately jump to the desired key without needing to look at your hands. Perhaps this is why the keyboard supplied to signallers is so basic and standard. Maybe there's a niche market in developing lookalikes for SimSig simmers. Log in to reply |