Add keyboard shortcuts to allign and distribute objects

[SteenSchmidt]

It would be convenient if there was keyboard shortcuts to allign selected objects, instead of having to go into the Allign and Distribute drop-down boxes every time. We should economize mouse movement as much as possible. Maybe CTRL+arrows and CTRL+SHIFT+arrows for the most commonly used ones of each? I suggest (the unmarked ones remain without shortcuts):

   

I also like this idea about implementing the commonly used shortcuts for font attributes (bold, italic, underline):

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Idea-Exchange/Use-standard-Windows-keyboard-shortcuts-to-change-font...

So kudo that one too, if you also like it. Even though CTRL+B, CTRL+I etc. are already used in LabVIEW, Darrens argument of these shortcuts only working as text modyfiers when text is selected saves the day.

Cheers,

Steen

[GregSands]

Not sure I completely agree with your key assignments, but if they're user-settable, that doesn't matter anyway.  Good idea.

[RavensFan]

The idea seems good, but like Greg said, key assignments are questionable.  The main reason for me is that there are already too many things associated with Ctrl click, Shift click and Ctrl-shift click.  Trying to squeeze in some more just confuses things that much more.  It becomes more likely that something else other than I intended happens.  Or I am doing something else that requires an existing ctrl or shift click scheme, and suddenly things start aligning themselves that I never intended.  The other issue is that while a few things are logical, like left for align left side, and up for align top, other things are not logical and wouldn't be memorable like the ctrl-shift-left meaning align centers.

I'd rather just live with the existing means of going to the toolbar rather than adding more keyboard shortcuts that will get confused with already existing shortcuts.

[Darin.K]

I'd like to see these options on the right-click menu with multiple FP objects selected.

[tst]

I agree that it would be useful if this was more easily accessible, although keyboard shortcuts would probably make it too crowded. Maybe the context menu options Darin suggested.

In any case,  there are already shortcuts for these today - Ctrl+D and Ctrl+Shift+A repeat the last one you selected. The problem with this, obviously, is that the shortcut is only for one action and that it might not be the option you want or you might not remember which one was last used.

[SteenSchmidt]

My suggestions for actual shortcuts were merely suggestions, if you can suggest better shortcuts, please do so.

A right-click option wouldn't be better than going into the menu as we do today. Probably even worse. It would be:

1) Move mouse to edge of one of the selected objects.

2) Right-click.

3) Move mouse to activate the proper flyout (there are too many options to have them directly in the context menu).

4) Left-click to allign or distribute.

Currently it is:

1) Move mouse to top of VI onto the Allign or Distribute button (actually easier to hit than the edge of a selected object).

2) Left-click.

3) Move mouse to appropriate action.

4) Left-click to allign or distribute.

No, I still think they need keyboard shortcuts, but which ones can be up for debate.

- CTRL, SHIFT and ALT are the basic keys to activate shortcuts, so we can't argue against using those.

- I don't find it a valid argument that there are so many shortcuts already, the same is true for any other graphical IDE (Powerpoint, Photoshop etc.). There are several more esoteric shortcuts already in LabVIEW, than the ones I suggest.

- I use the allign and distribute functions all the time, you might not. So if a keyboard shortcut did exist, you could just elect not to remeber that one. I elect not to remeber so many others that I don't use on a regular basis. It's the same issue as with text attributes (bold, italic etc.). People somehow don't have a problem suggesting such shortcuts, even though they actually collide with existing LabVIEW shortcuts .

One day we hopefully don't need the allign and distribute functions anymore. That day will be when the cleanup tool works 100% and when LabVIEW will be clever enough to arrange controls and other objects in a proper way - just like the new create subVI function tries to do. And then a speciel unlock mode for when you want to fine tune you own specialized UI. But we're probably a few iterations away from that...

Cheers,

Steen

[jcarmody]

I wrote a Quick-Drop plugin that does (somewhat) what you want - here.  Ignore the upper image; it's no longer used.  Here's the QD UI.

I use this all the time to align left/right and to align & stack objects.  It works on the BD and FP.

[jcarmody]

One important note - clicking on the panel doesn't do anything.  I can't remember if I planned on adding that functionality, but it'd not there.  I'll add it if there's interest.

[elset191]

Keyboard shortcuts or palette for align, distribute and resize objects tools

[SteenSchmidt]

Thanks, the worst thing is that that post is a year old with no response from NI .

/Steen

[jcarmody]

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jcarmody wrote:

One important note - clicking on the panel doesn't do anything.  I can't remember if I planned on adding that functionality, but it'd not there.  I'll add it if there's interest.

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Ignore that last comment - it's incorrect (and it makes me look like I didn't write the plugin).

Invoking QD and then my plugin with ctrl-a will bring up the UI and you can select an alignment.

Invoking QD and then my plugin with ctrl-shift-a will bring up the UI and you can select an alignment and a distribution.

[jcarmody]

One important note - clicking on the panel doesn't do anything.  I can't remember if I planned on adding that functionality, but it'd not there.  I'll add it if there's interest.