So perhaps I’m expecting too much of this feature, but I find the sequential key-press feature of Dorico key commands to be enormously helpful in creating memorable commands and lots of them.
My use case in this scenario is for filtering objects. My ‘meta’ key press is ⌥F and then, for example, my dynamics key press is ⌥D. This works well and I’m not having any issues with it. You can see in this screenshot that it properly shows up in the filter context menu.
However I tried to go a little more in depth today with mixed results. I wanted to add another layer of specificity, and thought I would assign as follows:
Filter all dynamics: ⌥F, ⌥D, ⌥D
Filter gradual dynamics: ⌥F, ⌥D, ⌥G
Filter immediate dynamics: ⌥F, ⌥D, ⌥I
Dorico seems to have trouble with this - I’m not able to successfully select anything other than all dynamics, and the filter menu has rearranged some of the key presses. They do show up correctly in the preferences window however.
Is this something that is possible to be fixed or is there some limitation with implementing this?
I’ve just realised that I can in fact select each dynamic type using these key commands, but I have to follow the “incorrect” order that Dorico shows in the context menu…
Note that you could use alt-f, d, d (without keeping alt pressed) — I write this only for our fellow Doricians who do not use these sequential keyboard shortcuts yet.
Yeah I did try that but somehow it seems faster to just leave my finger held down on the option key throughout the operation rather than have to time it to come up after the first keypress. Might just be me though
The sequential Key Commands are incredible helpful, but they have their limitations, which are understandable. Usually they come from the fact, that part of the sequence is already set to another key command (for example if someone would use cmd-D for group dynamics, but cmd-D, F for filter dynamics).
Can it be that your initial alt-f, alt-d is still defined in some way?
Below is an example of some working keyboard shortcuts in the same format. The problem doesn’t seem to be having multiple of the same keypress, as it is clearly working in my note selection. It’s just that Dorico has changed the keypress order from what I originally input.
I also checked and ⌥F and ⌥D are not currently defined in any way.
That might be the “key” — I don’t have any same key repeated in my key sequences. Software has to know how much time is necessary between two strokes to consider them, and the purpose of a keyboard shortcut is to go fast. I certainly agree with Ben.
I’ll just reiterate that generally I haven’t had an issue with key repeats as per my video example. I’m also using ⌥F, ⌥T, ⌥T to filter all tempo markings; ⌥F, ⌥L, ⌥L for lyrics, ⌥F, ⌥V, ⌥V for all up-stem voices, etc. No problems with any of those. It’s just ⌥F, ⌥D, ⌥D that Dorico has inexplicably changed to ⌥D, ⌥F, ⌥D.
Also, a slightly related issue I just came across is that filtering for time signatures also selects bar numbers and barlines (including repeat barlines and ‘play n times’ text). The scope of selection could be larger but that’s just what I currently have in this score I’m working on.
Okay so I’ve gotten around to playing around with the key commands a bit more, Ben and Marc’s suggestion of removing the ⌥ key after the initial ⌥F fixes a lot of issues. But to the original problem, I think it’s an alphabetical issue? As in any letter I try before F gets rearranged. e.g ⌥F, ⌥B, ⌥B gets switched to ⌥B, ⌥F, ⌥B. ⌥F, B, B is fine though. Not sure why that would be the case. Anyway, I’ll stick with the suggested solution.
