Can I assign Alt-arrow commands to function keys?

Dorico
1

The title says it all. The new jump bar means I need the Stream Deck far less, but there’s still one simple but powerful function I use it for, to make hundreds of tiny modifications to lyrics: right hand on the mouse, and left hand on Stream Deck buttons. Particularly Alt-left/right, and Ctrl-Alt-left/right.

Is there a way to hack my laptop so that I can assign these functions to Function keys? Or could I use AHK?

2

I don’t think there’s any reason why you couldn’t assign these commands to function keys. You can’t do it directly via the Key Commands page of Preferences because these commands take a bunch of parameters, but in theory you should be able to graft this section into the kEngraveMode section of your key commands JSON file with appropriately amended shortcuts:

					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Up&Amount=kATinyAmount": [ "Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Up", "Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Num+Up" ]
					},
					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Down&Amount=kATinyAmount": [ "Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Down", "Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Num+Down" ]
					},
					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Up&Amount=kALittle": [ "Alt+Up", "Alt+Num+Up" ]
					},
					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Down&Amount=kALittle": [ "Alt+Down", "Alt+Num+Down" ]
					},
					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Up&Amount=kModerate": [ "Shift+Alt+Up", "Shift+Alt+Num+Up" ]
					},
					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Down&Amount=kModerate": [ "Shift+Alt+Down", "Shift+Alt+Num+Down" ]
					},
					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Up&Amount=kALot": [ "Ctrl+Alt+Up", "Ctrl+Alt+Num+Up" ]
					},
					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Down&Amount=kALot": [ "Ctrl+Alt+Down", "Ctrl+Alt+Num+Down" ]
					},
1 Like
3

Lovely. I’ll try this, thanks!!

4

I love that the units of measurement are

ALittle
Moderate
ALot

I don’t know why, but the last one tickles me. Telling a program to literally move the thing “a lot” just wasn’t what I expected to see. :upside_down_face:

5

I guess you like that alot.

2 Likes
6

It works. Amazing!!

			{
				"context" : "kEngraveMode",
				"shortcuts" : [
					
					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Left&Amount=kALot": [ "F1"]
					},					

					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Left&Amount=kALittle": [ "F2"]
					},					

					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Right&Amount=kALittle": [ "F3"]
					},					

					{
						"EventEdit.Nudge?Direction=Right&Amount=kALot": [ "F4"]
					}
				]
			},
1 Like
7

Better yet: I’ve assigned these to A, S, D, F. As long as I assign these in Engrave Mode, there’s apparently no conflict. I’m assuming it’s not causing any problems to do this?

This is outstanding. Between the jump bar and this, I literally have no need of the Stream Deck now. Portable work just got easier! :man_dancing: :man_dancing:

Now if only the behavior of arrow navigation between lyrics in Engrave were a bit more predictable…

1 Like
8

Yea… this one has been biting me quite a bit lately.

Also, I noticed in another thread that you used to have SD buttons for left/center/right aligning lyrics. I presume this was a macro of some sort?

9 
{
						"UI.InvokePropertyChangeValue?Type=kLyricTextAlignment&Value=kCentre" : [ "Ctrl+Alt+F2" ]
					},
					
					{
						"UI.InvokePropertyChangeValue?Type=kLyricTextAlignment&Value=kLeft" : [ "Ctrl+Alt+F1" ]
					},
					
					{
						"UI.InvokePropertyChangeValue?Type=kLyricTextAlignment&Value=kRight" : [ "Ctrl+Alt+F3" ]
					},
1 Like
10

Like Percy Grainger insisting on English-language directions, writing “louden lots” where we’re used to seeing crescendo molto.