Cmd (mac) / Alt (pc) swap preference with Ctrl . . ?

[__archiben]

as time goes on and the thought of getting a job starts creeping into my mind, i've been giving a lot of thought to what it would mean for me, a long-time mac archiCAD user, to come face to face with a windows environment.

besides the panic that would set in, i think perhaps the biggest thing that would upset my rhythmn and efficiency is the keyboard shortcut issue. now - i've been travelling around australasia for over three months and using 100% PC internet cafes along the way. without a shadow of a doubt i can say that the use of the 'Ctrl' modifier key is the most ridiculus thing i've come to terms with on a PC. my hands can do tricks i never previously thought possible just copying and pasting. but a whole range of keyboard commands?

although not an important wish by any means, is it too hard to swap some of the keyboard mapping at a low level within a program, controlled as a part of the WE scheme? is it technically possible? then everything that needs a Ctrl modifier on a PC i could swap with Alt, for example, and save myself the pain of wrist strain and RSI?

i would also love to hear experiences of people who use both on a (almost) daily basis . . . matthew?

cheers
~/archiben

[Anonymous]

imagine the automobile was invented now, by computer ppl.

The steering weel would probably be a mouse, or with any luck a joystick.

All the other functions would be accessible trough a keyboard: Speed, brakes, windshield cleaner, Lights, radio, would all be controled trough a keyboard.
Depending on the OS, you would have ctrl or other more fancy looking keys, and a whole spectrum of alphanumeric keyes, maybe even qwerty...

Point is, keyboard is NOT an adequate interface for us. try this tread:

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=5127

You can allways carry your device around, ben, on the (faint?) eventuallity that someone somewhere sometime will give you a job:)

[Link]

i would also love to hear experiences of people who use both on a (almost) daily basis

I switch between the two platforms all the time depending on what my clients use. I think after nearly seven years, I have spent an equal time on each, although I do own a PC. I'm sure you'll get used to it quickly enough mate - I've seen you drink beer with both hands (sometimes at the same time), so I'm sure you'll be able to handle ArchiCAD on a PC just fine.

Seriously, if I understand you correctly, I agree that it would be nice to switch all ctrl modifiers to alt modifiers in one hit though WE. The more flexibility the better. As for me, I'm usually okay with single modifiers when switchng to a mac, but it's when there's two modifiers that I can get tangled up. And I always forget what those little icons mean in the menu. The ones that represent shift, control, option and command. I wish they would just say it, like they do on a PC.

On a different note, PC has slightly different functionality than on a mac, as you probably know. Docking palettes I think are better, and we have the Classic toolbar (a personal favorite), but we don't have the Search function in the Library Manager. I'm sure you'll find a bunch more and will have time to post them, as you rub your sore and aching wrists.

Sorry to hear you have to get back to work mate.

Cheers,
Link.

[Karl Ottenstein]

And, from the other perspective ... working with a Mac for only a month now from time to time ... I find the Mac opt/cmd combination keystrokes cause my hands to cramp up! On PC, I copy with Ctrl-C using pinky and index fingers of my left hand. Trying to use those same fingers with cmd-c gives me spasms.

Just depends on which platform you've trained your hands to I suppose...

Yes, it might be nice to reassign the modifier keys just so the hands could use the same geographical pattern on each machine. But, since all applications on each platform use relatively consistent keyboard shortcuts, that isn't a real solution.

Karl

[Rakela Raul]

i find easier to assign only 1 keyboard letter per very usable command like: copy, clear, drag, rotate, zoom in, previous wdw, fit in wdw,,etc...and less usable ones i use: ctrl+letter....(a matter of taste)
great new feature of ac9

[__archiben]

Rakela wrote:
i find easier to assign only 1 keyboard letter per very usable command like: copy, clear, drag, rotate, zoom in, previous wdw, fit in wdw,,etc...and less usable ones i use: ctrl+letter....(a matter of taste)
great new feature of ac9

but as karl mentioned, (and demonstrated the fatal flaw in my plan ), the consistency from appplication to application is proabably just as important as the ease of use of an application itself. how do you find copy/pasting in other applications after you've used your own unique shortcuts in archiCAD?

~/archiben

[Rakela Raul]

i meant 'drag a copy' ...i do match a couple from photoshop though....but i dont care much about others applications....cuz if i spent 85% using ac and 5% in artlantis and 5% in photoshop and 5% in others.....i rather the 85% to be as pleasant as possible..the other 15% is manageable

[Anonymous]

~/archiben wrote:
how do you find copy/pasting in other applications after you've used your own unique shortcuts in archiCAD?

~/archiben

Here we go again.
If you use this device http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=5127
you can program it. This way, you can program the same keys to different shortcuts (it has a flip switch to jump trough any 3 programable settings, and you can program a lot more).
It is therefore possible to use the same keys for similar fuctions - move, rotate, copy, delete, layer settings, undo, redo, zoom in, zoom out, to menton but a few - in programs so different as Photoshop, Art.lantis, Archicad, Word. It works with any programs, as long as they have keyboard shortcuts assigned.

[__archiben]

Krippahl wrote:
Here we go again.

the reason i completely ignored you the first time was simply this thread was about the realities (and differences) of drafting offices and the ability to fit into an exisiting climate. as you've already said (probably in that thread) the device in question isn't even made anymore nevermind found in archiCAD offices all over the world?

and why so limited? flip switches? programmable this, that and the other? if the pen is mightier than the mouse, the hands (fingers?) are mightier still . . . so until the sidewinder strategically commands a larger place in the market i'll wait for the VR gloves thanks.

are you on commission?

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

~/archiben wrote:
[quote="Krippahl
are you on commission?

~/archiben

Ah, got me