Ideas about following Control Keys for Cad style programs

[jamie]

I have been talking my friends and associates about how to run my cad application via a keyboard. They seem to think  AutoDesk/AutoCad keyboard operating should be adopted.

 I've look at cheat sheets, and I've used those apps a little myself, but I am always on the mouse.

for example, the letter "T" to bring in another set of key stroke options, so it isn't like a bunch of Hot and control keys, which I've adapted already.

I think it really has a lot to do with style of UI and I believe AutoDesk/Autocad started with old methods and kind of stuck with them.

I am not looking to replace those apps for a long shot, I just don't like the way the UI operate for my needs, takes too long to do something simple.

 Attached is a screen shot with a sample schematic from a program I model this from, some of you may know it, "TinyCad".

 I started with that because it already has lots of Libs with foot prints etc, so I can read, edit those along with IGS type files and so on.

 I just think the old way of Auto cad just does not fit my style of UI.

[Thaddy]

Most CAD programs indeed mimic the grandfather of them all: AutoCAD:
https://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/autodesk/www/shortcuts/autocad/autocad-shortcut-guide-en.pdf

The guide consists of a handy overview of all shortcuts and even printable keyboard stickers.
As I wrote: CAD users are familiar with those, because all serious other CAD programs use those too.
Look no further.

I would at least use the same short-cuts for what you actually implement. Makes it easy to use.

[jamie]

I will need to do something with the status bar or have a floating hot key bar then and a srupid alert because  the app allows direct typing into note boxes on the sheets which i  fine simplistic

 Trying to keep the UI simple looking and logical.

 The other problem seems that its hard switch hot keys over to normal keys when a full key set is needed and back without the use of popup notices.

[creaothceann]

I am always on the mouse [...] I think it really has a lot to do with style of UI and I believe AutoDesk/Autocad started with old methods and kind of stuck with them [...] I just don't like the way the UI operate for my needs, takes too long to do something simple

I work with AutoCAD literally every day. I'm using mouse & keyboard, my coworker is mostly working with the mouse. I'd say I'm 2-3 times faster than her, depending on the task. (TBH she's also a bit older.)

In AutoCAD, every function is a text command, it's like calling a function in a programming language because the program literally includes a programming language (Lisp). There's autocomplete, so I can just press "L" <space/enter> to start drawing a line. Buttons, keyboard shortcuts and mouse actions are just pre-bound to some of these functions. You can't ever have enough buttons for every function because there are so many of them, just like Free Pascal has thousands of functions that could never be shown all at once on screen.

AutoCAD's text/console-based nature also makes it easy to repeat a command or to automate actions via a script.

[jamie]

I believe I'll make a script generator for these commands, supply some of the basics and allow the user to add some more etc.

I can make it simply with a column editor for each single letter cmd and all the possible items that follow afterwards.

 This is one of the reasons I don't like using AutoCAD, the little bit that I use it because I need a reference cheat chard with me at the desk to work with it.

 I hate it some much that I resist and never try to remember how to do it fluidly.

 Jamie

[zamtmn]

I'm copying the autocad interface to zcad because I think it's very good for cad programs. But some people really don't like command line, for them I added the option to disable the command line, and key shortcuts that only work with the command line turned off.

[jamie]

I think I will do something similar in the status bar below, I can capture the key-strokes and use a cell in the status bar.

[zamtmn]

I also think that such programs should have an object inspector to edit the properties of selected entities