Quickeys to control DP movie functions

[Tripi]

It's upgrade week in my studio, and I installed a new large format tv for my scoring work. It's a ways behind and above my desk, and the picture looks great, but the context menu is unreadable from where I sit. I could probably move the movie window to my main monitor every time I wanted to set movie, set movie start time, import audio....... but that's not very efficient. Had this great idea today to make a 'softkeys' menu in Quickeys to control all of the main movie window functions I use. Set it up, and it works great: control+V brings up a menu on my main monitor of all of the movie window functions. Problem is, when I select one, QK just hands there until I switch to QK... then it starts. I tried to build a 'change to QK' function at the beginning of it, but it's not very graceful. Has anyone else tried using these types of menus in DP? Is there some secret to getting them to work right?

thanks!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Off the top of my head, the first thing I'd check is the "focus" of the QK command and make sure it is correctly set to either the specific app its bring used in or to multiple apps as needed. It may require adding a step to switch apps, depending on what it is set to do and where (including mouse locations if you are using that feature.

[Shooshie]

Tripi, why use the SoftKeys feature? Are you just trying to avoid and preserve your limited DP key bindings?

If that's the case, try using sticky-key triggers instead. That opens up unlimited keyboard commands (literally, as far as I can tell), without touching the ones you assign to DP.

Instead of one command, you do two. For example, you come up with some easy modifier key cluster, like CONTROL-OPTION-COMMAND, and then find a key to go with it that DP doesn't use. My main trigger is CONTROL-OPTION-COMMAND-C, which is easily done with the left hand. That fires the first trigger, which appears on the screen while it waits for the 2nd trigger. It'll wait for up to about 5 seconds, then fades away. But you can type your 2nd command anytime during that 5 seconds, or as many 2nd triggers as you want during that 5 seconds. I try out color schemes quickly by running 8 or ten of them while that first trigger is waiting.

Your second trigger can be anything, anywhere on the keyboard, because now you're out of DP territory, and nothing you use will interfere with DP in any way. Maybe you might want to use the entire Numeric Keypad for a slew of video commands. CONTROL-OPTION-COMMAND-C starts it, then any key on the keypad finishes it. You can keep the CONTROL-OPTION-COMMAND down or release it. Either way. After you do the "C" command, the sky is the limit. Then you can even add a 3rd trigger if you run out of keyboard.

I have so many commands that I had to start using cheat-sheets to remember some of them. I can look at the cheat sheet for a moment and remember all of them for a particular area of change, such as Step Record, or Track Color Palette, or Window Sets, or any other area that can use a lot of commands.

You just create two triggers for a QuicKey shortcut, and then you join them by clicking the little blue square with a + sign in it.

Or if you just want to use the SoftKeys, then forget everything I just said.
The main difference is that the sticky keys work without having to go to QuicKeys first. I think that's what you want.

Shooshie

[Tripi]

I thought about that route Shooshie, but the softkeys gives you a menu on the screen to see your options. They all work by triggering another QK command, since DP's support for key commands in the movie window is non-existent. I like being able to see the commands and the key that operates them. Guess I'll just tuff it out... or wait for Startly to update QK (ha!!!).

[Shooshie]

or wait for Startly to update QK (ha!!!).

Bring plenty of food and water...

[FMiguelez]

I learnt everything I know about QuicKeys from you, Tripi, so currently I'm not sure how to do what you want.

I'll make some tests and let you know if I come up with something useful.

[Tripi]

Thanks FM!

I guess I should be asking the question that gets to the root of this issue: Why are DP's key commands so lacking? There are so many key commands for useless things, but not a single one for the movie window menu? I'm sure it wouldn't require a total rewrite of the software to be able to use a command for "set movie start time".