topic UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24 in Installation & update

UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 17:04:44 GMT

I wont explain the details but would be happy to share the results.

To implement truly ergonomic UX, keypad game controllers are amazing! This needs extra channels of shortcut access

Please add this simple extension of characters

Allows parallel mapping so that all the normal shortcuts can co exist ie using another machine without keypad

Here is an example from the button shortcuts/gestures in Cubase

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Lingwisyer — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 01:27:36 GMT

Is there a reason your are not mapping the keys in Synapse?

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 01:42:46 GMT

Archicad does not interpret fn13-24

Keypads need to still utilise qualifiers eg ctrl, shift etc.

I have created a standard keymap in Synapse for all controllers so that it works everytime...simply...well simply as poss 🙂 ie using unused keys that would collide with current assignments

I have done UI like this for many years...didnt really occur to me to use for Archicad until I really had to stop coding GDL/Grasshopper and use it to create detailed physical models...so applying the same UI logic needs the fn13-24 to get it to work.

Look at the example logic map I posted and try and do it in Archicad AND maintain parallel mapping. I still need to be in the office and walk over to diff peeps who dont have a keypad eg tartarus...I think once you look at the details...it will make complete sense as to why its needed

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Lingwisyer — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 01:48:34 GMT

Is it that you are wanting the shortcuts to be dynamic based on which tool you are using? Expecting MIDI controller functionality in a program outside of music and audio engineering is a bit much...

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 02:04:38 GMT

Is it that you are wanting the shortcuts to be dynamic based on which tool you are using?

No not at all. UI mapping is most effecient when the underlying path is tree based just like the brain

Button 13 is the most centric in terms of ergonomics

Using production workplace concepts, this is considered a tier 1 access and will be assigned the most highly used functions

In the case of Archicad, that would be navigation

Button 8 is the next of the tier 1 buttons

In this case, I am assigning to layers as they are probably the next most important (as most mods, inputs are by mouse/gesture/qualifier anyway)

This snip shows the layers related commands intended for this button

1 button has 4 states eg no modifier, alt, ctrl, shift (and combinations if you want)

and

each button has 4 gestures eg single short press, single long press, double press and double press hold

In the diagram above G1-G4 are the gestures

So this trains the brain for muscle memory ie layers belong to a single button. The gestures carry tiering/sense as well so G1 will always be the first high use choice, G2 will be a positive or persistent action, double press is always a neg or inverse and double press hold is always a highly negative action

If you apply the logic to the picture above, you learn it very quickly and no longer think about it as it truly become muscle memory.

Anyway I dont want to drag peeps through the drudgrey of detail but trust me, to go the next level with decent ergonomics and not doing hand/finger acrobatics over a keyboard...it really is a decent, cheap and easy solution 🙂 taken years to get here and study ergo along with right/left brain psychology

Expecting MIDI controller functionality in a program outside of music and audio engineering is a bit much...

Of course...Its just an example of being able to dev the UI/UX with a channel based approach 🙂 It is a control language like a keyboard...just an extension of the expression of English ie it becomes an abstract way to manage remote systems without the limitations of hijacking a keyboard.

hth

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Lingwisyer — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:40:21 GMT

Ah. Your original image with it's 12 variations of 3 modifiers for 4 keys had me confuse... I still do not really get what this issue is here though... Is it that you are wanting to be able to set multiple keybinds to various actions? So that you have a standand bind utilising a full keyboard, and a secondary bind that utilises combos on a key pad?

I have created a standard keymap in Synapse for all controllers so that it works everytime...simply...well simply as poss ie using unused keys that would collide with current assignments

If you are wanting AC to recognise each unique key on your key pad, I feel like this is a OS issue. I did not think that Windows or OSX recognised them natively.

Ling.

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Erwin Edel — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:47:58 GMT

Isn't this something you setup on the software / driver side of the hardware?

I have a logitech gaming keyboard at home with a whole bunch of programmable buttons, bank switching and what not and all this is done on the software/driver side where you program each key.

Or is the problem that you are running out of hotkey options in ArchiCAD to call out with the software? Like CLTR+SHIFT T or something becomes draft a wall and you bind that to F14 on the gamepad?

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:56:13 GMT

So that you have a standand bind utilising a full keyboard, and a secondary bind that utilises combos on a key pad?

Yeah and no...pretty much you run out of key combis very quickly without colliding with the def combis, so thats one aspect but it all is able to run from the keypad

The other is logically grouping and executing in a mind friendly way without hand acrobatics...which happens very quickly

If you are wanting AC to recognise each unique key on your key pad, I feel like this is a OS issue. I did not think that Windows or OSX recognised them natively.

No, just simply need extra characters that wont collide with defaults, allow a much wider range of shortcuts, easily executed from left hand but still have ctrl etc available for mouse/key combis etc

Hope that makes sense

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:55:04 GMT

Yep and yep...

Like I said...you really need to drill the details and it will make immediate sense...try it on your keyboard...almost immediately run of unique shortcuts and collide with current shortcuts.

You still need ctrl, shift etc as standalone on keypad else you need to keep stepping back between keypad and keyboard and so many other issues. On eg the example Cubase...I never have to use the keyboard.

Simply engaging the missing 13-24 is a perfect solution and Id be happy to post a video showing what it really does...its lightning...seriously and without thinking or moving hand etc so its very comfortable...it has a learning price but its well worth it. 🙂

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Erwin Edel — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:59:52 GMT

I've never found my keybinds lacking and modelling/drafting is thinking about what you are doing and why for a big part, at least for me. It's not mindless repetition.

To each his own though!

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 08:19:33 GMT

Erwin, that is exactly the case

Maybe when you start getting RSI or carpel tunnel, it might make sense.

If you saw the demo, experienced it, the creative freedom that it unleashes becomes apparent. Creativity is from the right side brain, every time you move your mouse etc to execute an action, you are diverting the creative spark and processing left side. You remove the overhead of thinking about it and instead feel what you are doing...they are 2 completely disparate mind spaces...that is why you butter paper at concept phase...because the pencil unleashes the connection

Read the story on the Hamburg opera 🙂

EDIT: BTW try adding up how many times your mouse is used for an action, time it and and do some maths...but if you are happy with that..all the best 🙂

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Erwin Edel — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:57:01 GMT

Thanks! Quite happy. Zero issues with RSI, micro breaks and making sure the pointer speed is such that you move your arm, not your wrist etc etc

From playing a MMO for ages, I find that with thumb on ALT, pinky on left SHIFT you can easily get a lot of keybinds in though and maybe with macros you can sort out the missing bits.

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:23:40 GMT

Great! Glad you are happy with it 🙂

Zero wrist movement is a given...but so I thought moving your arm was as well...only my fingers move the mouse.

As is full touch typing (no looking at the screen!) and using the mouse only for spatial input; not analytical execution...

Mmo is prob not in the same league, for me anyway (tiny pallet compared to Archicad)...we have physically modelled our BIM stuff well beyond what I have seen in most practices as we have done full BOQ since 97 (in archicad and had the hungary team visit us in Australia in 97).

What Im saying is the level of detail is no doubt different else the automating of model construction, in any way would be welcome, I would imagine but here I am contending for a better UI/UX. Eg even our finishes are all predefined, coloured by a consultant in external package and its output populates Archicad surfaces library for automated colours and finishes

Truth is...Im prob expecting too much when UI improvement hasn't been experienced and thats fair enough...not many offices have the luxury of developing UI (and this is my overflow/contribution from other undertakings).

I dont suffer from any physical detriment but older colleagues have in the past; I have been doing computer graphics since 1988...but def posture has suffered despite aeron B

None the less...enloy it Erwin!

Every time...do it better :-)...which is why I'm here asking for better.

Please GS, its just a library gate in the framework...not extra new code (as far as I understand)...I will demonstrate the improvements and make it publicly available for those wanting next level...which it is!

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Erwin Edel — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:34:19 GMT

If you include CTRL+ALT+SHIFT as modifiers and consider your left hand can probably comfortably reach 12-20 keys (depending on your finger length), doesn't that open up a lot of options though? 8 options for each key, if I'm counting correctly. Sure some are taken, but you still end up with somewhere between 100-150 options?

Again assuming you can use the hardware driver to bind the extra function keys to keystrokes as those.

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:53:30 GMT

No...unfortunately...the assumptions must be exercised to view the details required.

For the system to work, those modifiers must remain hardwired on the keypad else you will need to jump between keyboard and keypad
Adding modifiers to the actual key or macro will disable the ability to use a modifier and make the key only capable of a single action
Using more than 1 modifier becomes very hard to remember
The reach on a keyboard vs keypad is not comparable and the feel of the keypad means you dont have to look or move your hand off the keypad.

I cant use gesturing atm so that leaves 5 comfortable modifier combinations which are mostly taken in some way or another with defaults in AC.

Look at just layer switching alone, when logically grouped in the pic below (this is from the Cubase template which does allow gestures)

Please...try just the above and see how far you get with parallel mapping...I have spent many hours trying to get it to work properly.

Remember the modifiers and system keys must be reserved and be within reach without stretching for this to work optimally...

Fn 13-24 will provide a start

Button gesturing would complete it...

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Erwin Edel — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 13:02:57 GMT

My logitech keyboard has 12 extra keys to the left and 3 banks (accesible through a little button at the top). You can populate these 36 keys (3 banks x 12 keys) with a sort of macro of button presses through software, much like you set up hotkeys in ArchiCAD. Isn't this what you mean by the parallel setup?

So I could keybind, for example CTRL+SHIFT+Q to something in ArchiCAD in the work environment and then I can set up F13 on the side of the keyboard in bank 1 to act like CTRL+SHIFT+Q.

There is no way to use these keys in windows or macOS outside setting something up through the logitech software, I think it's a hardware support issue from OS, rather than software support.

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:10:58 GMT

see above

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:12:25 GMT

I also have eg Logitech G31...quite old now...tried that

But I think you are definitely missing something in the interpretation here

Banks are useless as you have to continually switch through them, try and remember the groupings etc...it is not useable
The macro buttons do not operate like a single handed keypad eg tartarus and you have to dance between the macro keys and keyboard; they are one shot
A keypad, will let you rest your hand comfortably in a single position and without leaving the keypad, execute all that I have outlined, currently quite limited without gesturing but still miles ahead of using the keyboard + extender or keyboard alone
ctrl, shift etc are dedicated keys on the keypad...I think if you understood my previous posts you would have noted that you cannot embed qualifiers in the macro.

Ill leave it at that; I do appreciate your input...its just nowhere near the point of getting it (it would seem) and going round in circles.

If you tried it yourself, you would immediately get it...you will quickly realise the finer details of why Im asking for unused function keys to make this work...just try it first

eg Assign L as the mnemonic key for layers, add the variation of function using qualifiers, then make it all work eg as per the shortcuts below on the keypad whilst keeping parallel function with default shortcuts.

This is a new system and logic...not one shot commands on a game controller 🙂

Its a development from when Archicad rewrote the shortcuts and started using logic eg Shift to invert the original function

eg Instead of ctrl + z = undo and ctrl + y = redo, they used shift as an inversion logic...this system extends that on many different levels..

The issue is, Im just asking for a removal of the shortcut keys dialog filter that is ignoring fn 13-24 for those that want to go a lot further with ergonomics/proficiency. Without foreknowledge is far too difficult to explain it...a finished demo would prove it.

After a lot of time on other packages and doing UI/UX as a job for many years...Archicad is a great package and deserves an upgrade which this simple request will allow

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Lingwisyer — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 01:44:49 GMT

Archicad does not interpret fn13-24

removal of the shortcut keys dialog filter that is ignoring fn 13-24

What do you mean by shortcut key dialog filter? Are Fn 13 to 24 recognised as unique keys in other programs? I would suspect that they are simply not recognised given the vast majority of people, including devs, would not have keyboards with them...

Re: UI Shortcuts: Please add missing function keys F13-24

Aurasphere — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 01:56:20 GMT

What do you mean by shortcut key dialog filter?

Generally the dialogs etc a libraries that have parameters to control the filtering when coding

Are Fn 13 to 24 recognised as unique keys in other programs?

Generally yes

the vast majority of people, including devs, would not have keyboards with them.

Which is why they are a perfect solution ie they are unassigned...ready and waiting as an extension tool

Every time...do it better ...which is why I'm here asking for better 🙂