Jump to content

Assign tool selection key commands to "ESC" tool menu


prestomusic

Recommended Posts

I recently updated from Logic 9 to 10.6 and am in the process of setting up key commands.

 

In Logic 9 "esc" opened the tool menu and then pressing numbers 1 through 0 selected the various tools. Example, "Esc" then "1" would select the pointer tool.

 

I've updated the key command so that "esc" opens the tool selection menu in 10.6, but once the tool menu is opened, there are now letters assigned for tool selection. I want to reassign the numbers 1 through 0 to the tools rather than the existing letters. Note that this is for when the esc has already opened the tool menu. I've tried to work this out with no luck.

 

Any help appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much for the response David.

 

Nothing shows up when searching "tools menu" in the Key Commands window. Only one item shows up when searching "tool menu" and that is "show tool menu" which I have already assigned as required. I can't see how to get that menu to show up like your screenshot with all of the tools displaying. I can find individual tools, but not that menu.

 

(I do have screenshots but can't see how to easily attach those. Do screenshots have to be hosted elsewhere and liked to? I can only see adding images using the image url tags option)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nothing shows up when searching "tools menu" in the Key Commands window. Only one item shows up when searching "tool menu" and that is "show tool menu" which I have already assigned as required. I can't see how to get that menu to show up like your screenshot with all of the tools displaying. I can find individual tools, but not that menu.

Yes, the search field in the Key Command window searches for key command names, but not categories. Option-click the little ">" symbol in front of any of the categories to close all those folders and you'll find the Tools menu category at the bottom:

 

732673613_Toolsmenu.png.0f555b8802035b7f49113c79bc706b5a.png

 

(I do have screenshots but can't see how to easily attach those. Do screenshots have to be hosted elsewhere and liked to? I can only see adding images using the image url tags option)

How to attach files to your post

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One other thing please... The pointer tool is in the actual Tools Menu, but it does not show up as configurable in the Key Commands window under Tools Menu, see attached. This seems odd. Basically I wan to get Pointer assigned to 1, rather than ESC, in the Tools Menu, but can't work it out.

 

Pointer is in the actual tools menu

757786580_ScreenShot2021-04-27at2_03_44pm.thumb.png.004fd07a678bf006f12b373ebb6a7045.png

 

But, no "Pointer Tool" in the Tools Menu Key Commands window...

1351862345_ScreenShot2021-04-27at2_06_30pm.thumb.png.21de040c1624b3c995944a839b835854.png

 

When I search for "pointer" I only get an option for Various Windows, not Tools Menu.

253777622_ScreenShot2021-04-27at2_10_20pm.thumb.png.bcaadd6dd42bb2487f82a7ec506d54f2.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One other thing please... The pointer tool is in the actual Tools Menu, but it does not show up as configurable in the Key Commands window under Tools Menu, see attached. This seems odd.

 

While I understand that there might be certain use cases for this (eye tracker?) I don't think this is really much of an an issue.

The Tools Menu always opens so that the pointer is directly over the Pointer tool. Which means the Pointer tool is reached by the key command for the Tools menu itself + click; and that's why it shows up as "Escape" in your screenshot. So for pretty much all normal cases there simply is no need for an additional key command here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, Gacki.

 

Consider that the Show Tool Menu key command is, actually, "Show Tool Menu (or select Pointer Tool when Tool Menu is open)". The point of this behavior (which mimics the earlier Logic versions behaviors) is that no matter what tool is currently selected, you can always quickly go back to a Pointer tool by pressing the same key (T by default, esc in your case) twice in rapid succession.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
One other thing please... The pointer tool is in the actual Tools Menu, but it does not show up as configurable in the Key Commands window under Tools Menu, see attached. This seems odd.

 

While I understand that there might be certain use cases for this (eye tracker?) I don't think this is really much of an an issue.

The Tools Menu always opens so that the pointer is directly over the Pointer tool. Which means the Pointer tool is reached by the key command for the Tools menu itself + click; and that's why it shows up as "Escape" in your screenshot. So for pretty much all normal cases there simply is no need for an additional key command here.

 

Thanks so much mate for sharing with us that you don't see this to be much of an issue! :lol:

 

I'm aware of how to select the tool. This discussion is about assigning key commands. Thanks, but I'm not here to argue my use case with you.

Edited by prestomusic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, Gacki.

 

Consider that the Show Tool Menu key command is, actually, "Show Tool Menu (or select Pointer Tool when Tool Menu is open)". The point of this behavior (which mimics the earlier Logic versions behaviors) is that no matter what tool is currently selected, you can always quickly go back to a Pointer tool by pressing the same key (T by default, esc in your case) twice in rapid succession.

 

Hey David, yep I understand the other options, thanks.

 

But that doesn't explain by this is not configurable, all of the others are. I'm not sure what you mean by "previous version", but as I said I'm coming form Logic 9 and dealing with 10(?) years or so of habit and muscle memory. I don't want to learn another way to do it, though it looks like I will. 8-) The way the tools were organised in Logic 9 tools menu worked just fine for me, regardless of the other shortcut options available in 10.6.

 

It if can't be done, that's fine, but I stand by my comment that it's a bit odd, as the whole point of configurable key commands is that they are user assignable. Why would there be an "anti-use" case for not allowing "select pointer from tools menu" to be configurable? I can only assume that it's an oversight in the programming, as there are literally hundreds and hundreds of obscure and likely rarely user Logic functions that can be freely assigned as key commands.

 

Cheers,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But that doesn't explain by this is not configurable, all of the others are.

Indeed you cannot configure it separately from Show Tool Menu as all of the others. So if you want 1 to select the Pointer tool inside the tool menu then you have to set Show Tool Menu to 1.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "previous version", but as I said I'm coming form Logic 9

I started with Logic 4, then 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, so I was thinking about all Logic versions leading up to now (except for a few early Logic 10 versions where they tried to change the behavior and it wasn't configurable in the same way).

 

In Logic 9 and prior versions, I pressed esc to open the tool menu, then I press esc choose the pointer tool. So just "esc - esc" would reset the pointer tool for me. In Logic X that became "T - T", but I can still assign it to "esc - esc" as seems to be the case for you (on your screenshot). I didn't remember you could also use the "1" key to select the Pointer in the tool menu.

 

But why open the tool menu at all? What if you assign the key command Set Pointer Tool to 1, then you access your Pointer tool directly by pressing 1 (without opening the Tool Menu)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But why open the tool menu at all? What if you assign the key command Set Pointer Tool to 1, then you access your Pointer tool directly by pressing 1 (without opening the Tool Menu)?

 

Like I already said it's 10 years or so of habit, why change what works?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like I already said it's 10 years or so of habit, why change what works?

I understand. And I suppose this may have been a rhetorical question, but if you or someone else is interested in why they did this, here it goes.

 

It used to work like that:

 

1. Show Tool Menu = Escape.

2. Inside Tool Menu = 1, 2, 3 etc... to open each tool (not customizable).

 

Because the most often used tool is the Pointer tool and most people constantly have to switch back to the Pointer tool, they made it easy by allowing you to use the Escape key to select the Pointer tool. When you wanted to switch back to the Pointer tool, you could press Escape twice rapidly, done.

 

Many users complained that using numbers wasn't easy to memorize (which number is Eraser tool?). Many users also pointed out they wish they could customize the same key commands as they use in other apps. So they created new customizable key commands to select the tools inside the tool menu. And they chose more memorable defaults - while keeping the idea of pressing the Show Tool Menu key command twice:

 

1. Show Tool Menu = T.

2. Inside Tool Menu = T (Pointer), P (Pencil), E (Eraser), etc.

 

They made the key commands customizable except for the Pointer Tool since that one is already accessed as Show Menu Tool (P). In the process the "1" functionality to select the Pointer Tool was lost without the ability to customize it back in.

 

Now I understand that doesn't suit your workflow, and maybe you're not alone, so if enough users request an independent customizable "Pointer Tool" key command, maybe they'll do it? https://www.apple.com/feedback/logic-pro.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...