topic Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes in Modeling

iMac ALT/Option key woes

Bruce — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 01:23:30 GMT

I've just switched from 15 years of using Archicad on PC, to now using it on Mac. It is an interesting learning curve.

One thing I've noticed is the double-up with the ALT (or Option) key.

The Option key is used for creating a copy when dragging. However, it is also used for zooming with a Magic Mouse, creating a temp origin mid-command (Option+Shift), and also locking to an axis (Option+X or Option+Y). This means I am often creating unwanted copies because I forget to un-copy after one of these commands.

Is there a way around this?

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Barry Kelly — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 01:42:13 GMT

Bruce wrote:
Is there a way around this?

Go back to PC.

Sorry I couldn't resist that.
Hopefully a MAC user can help you out.

Barry.

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Erwin Edel — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 06:56:07 GMT

Plug in any generic (comfy) USB mouse with a proper scroll wheel, unless you absolutely love the Apple mouse. I find them too small (and I have small hands) to hold comfortably for prolonged use and prefer a mouse with a few more buttons.

I can recommend Logitech mice for compatibalilty, comfort of use and durability (I've never had one break within 10 years of use).

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

DGSketcher — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 09:38:52 GMT

The mouse isn't the problem, it's the key allocation! I moved to a Mac a few years ago, no regrets on that aspect, but that Alt/Option key assignment is crazy and I can't find a fix. It means you have to think a bit more carefully about what you are doing, especially when Dragging something that requires a screen zoom to complete the action. Come on GS, you know this is wrong...

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Erwin Edel — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 10:14:44 GMT

Perhaps I misunderstood, I thought the problem occured when needing to press ALT to zoom, which is not necessary with a scroll wheel mouse.

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

DGSketcher — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 11:20:06 GMT

On the Mac the Alt key toggles between zoom & pan BUT it also triggers copy mode when moving something. The result is you select something to drag (not copy), then press the Alt key to Zoom (or pan) which simultaneously changes the "drag" into "drag a copy" unless you cancel copy mode by pressing the Alt key again before completing the drag. Not the best interface programming I have seen from GS.

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Stress Co_ — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 13:38:17 GMT

I use a Magic Mouse with "MagicPrefs" installed.
With it, you don't need to press any keys to Pan/Zoom.

Zoom by "scrolling" the center of the mouse and pan by
"click-dragging" the mouse.

It's no longer a supported plug-in, but
is working for me on Mojave.
http://magicprefs.com

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Christophe Fortineau — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 15:43:27 GMT

Hello Bruce,

I use PC Windows and PC macOS (all are PC )
I can't use something else that this kind of mouse : this
Magic mouse is a great tool for FinalCutPro or Adobe suite etc. ....
But I don't think it's a 3D appropriate tool for Archicad or C4D
No C4D user that I know uses this beautiful object that still stands prominently on the desktop

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Eduardo Rolon — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 21:11:16 GMT

Just to add another vote for Magic Mouse but with BetterTouchTool and I use it for C4D too so now you know 1.

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Bruce — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 22:27:33 GMT

Thanks for the replies - they are all responding to the problems of zooming with the mouse. There seem to be workarounds for this, which is good.

However, there are also the issues around using ALT+SHIFT to assign a temporary user origin (or 'zero' the cursor), and also to lock to an axis or radius with ALT+X, ALT+Y or ALT+R. I use these commands frequently in my workflow.

It seems that this is hard coded into ARCHICAD, and I cannot reassign these keys.

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Eduardo Rolon — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 22:31:33 GMT

Option + Shift is the one that I hate the most. The others I use or ignore.

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Erwin Edel — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 08:30:21 GMT

Maybe make a wish for a 'windows hotkeys' work environment option for MAC.

Switching everything over to CTRL without leaving ALT for those who do like that or are used to it would probably be too jarring.

Having worked so long on a windows workstation, I'm not nearly as fast when sometimes working on our macbooks either and seem to find the '+' behaviour of ALT not as consistent as CTRL on windows.

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Tincan561 — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 17:29:13 GMT

Has anyone found a satisfactory solution to the Magic Mouse and AC23?
OS X Catalina does not support MagicPrefs, which I previously used for Shift+drag = Pan and had no issues.
I now now face the same problem you reference.
In non-3D views, I find that pressing both Shift+Option bypasses the eyedropper, which is so annoying to you, but is little consolation for Shift+drag that made the Magic Mouse an equivalent to a three button mouse.
Any other ideas with Magic Mouse

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Eduardo Rolon — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 17:31:21 GMT

BetterTouchTool works with Catalina without issues.

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Tincan561 — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 20:05:06 GMT

I've downloaded the trial version and watched the instructional videos and am unable to find the correct gestures to replicate a three button mouse with the magic mouse and BTT. Would you be kind enough to post a screen shot of the BTT gestures to input. Thank you!

Re: iMac ALT/Option key woes

Eduardo Rolon — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 20:11:38 GMT

Here you go.