Keyboard Shortcut request for arrows
 

I would love to be able to emulate arrow keystrokes using the keyboard.

Sometimes this is called emacs
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emacs[/url]
although I've never used the text editor.

Basically, I would like to be able to hold the ctrl key down with my left hand
and hit the following keys with my right hand to arrow:
left arrow = j
down arrow = k
right arrow = l
up arrow = i

Any movement saved from moving my hand to the number pad is a movement saved. (or something like that)

If OmniFocus does develop these shortcuts...
I use the DVORAK layout, and would need the position of the key mapped to different letters.

For me, those same keys on QWERTY, are these keys in DVORAK:
left arrow = h
down arrow = t
right arrow = n
up arrow = c

Launchbar has the mapping mentioned above, and is one reason why I love that application!

You can write a simple applescript that emulates the press of the key.
Like:
[code]
tell application "OmniFocus" to activate
tell application "System Events"
tell process "OmniFocus"
keystroke (ASCII character 28) -- left arrow key
end tell
end tell
[/code]


Then, map it to the sortcut of your choice (ctrl j, ctrl k...) with the launcher of your choice: Launchbar, QuickSilver...
QuickSilver lets you restrict a trigger to the applications you want.

Unless I misunderstood your request, this has nothing to do in OmniFocus.

[QUOTE=SpiralOcean;25774]I would love to be able to emulate arrow keystrokes using the keyboard.

Sometimes this is called emacs
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emacs[/url]
although I've never used the text editor.

Basically, I would like to be able to hold the ctrl key down with my left hand
and hit the following keys with my right hand to arrow:
left arrow = j
down arrow = k
right arrow = l
up arrow = i
[/QUOTE]

Actually, that's not emacs. It's vi plus a control key. OmniFocus, like other Omni apps (and like Apple's default text object, it seems), already has emacs keybindings. Control-p moves to the previous line, Control-n to the next line, Control-b moves the text cursor backward, Control-f moves the text cursor forward, etc.

Ahh... thanks for clearing that up.

Does that make any sense when looked at the keyboard?
pnbf? It's all over the place?

[QUOTE=Lutin;25780]You can write a simple applescript that emulates the press of the key.
Like:
[code]
tell application "OmniFocus" to activate
tell application "System Events"
tell process "OmniFocus"
keystroke (ASCII character 28) -- left arrow key
end tell
end tell
[/code]


Then, map it to the sortcut of your choice (ctrl j, ctrl k...) with the launcher of your choice: Launchbar, QuickSilver...
QuickSilver lets you restrict a trigger to the applications you want.

Unless I misunderstood your request, this has nothing to do in OmniFocus.[/QUOTE]

Excellent! Thanks for the script. Although it would be slow... if I launch it using launchbar, at least the keyboard shortcut is dynamic. Might not be that bad... I could probably get it to arrow down two times for when I am doing my review or especially when completing items... complete and move down one.

As for whether it belongs in OF... well... that's debatable. They already have keyboard shortcuts in the app... whether or not mapping the arrow keys to shortcuts belongs in OF is in the grey zone.

Thanks for the response.

i feel having arrows where the letters are will just confuse people. moving your hand down a few inches to the real arrow keys is totally fine.

[QUOTE=SpiralOcean;25894]Ahh... thanks for clearing that up.

Does that make any sense when looked at the keyboard?
pnbf? It's all over the place?[/QUOTE]

It's not spatial, it's a text mnemonic. davisre gave the mnemonic in his post: previous, next, backward, forward.

Ahh... mnemonic. Makes sense for remembering. I'm more of a visual person, remembering the places of the key. And placement is more efficient in my opinion.

As for the confusing people comment... the arrow keys are still there for those who would be confused. For those not confused, it's a help when doing repetitive tasks.

[QUOTE=SpiralOcean;25774]I would like to be able to hold the ctrl key down with my left hand
and hit the following keys with my right hand to arrow:
left arrow = j
down arrow = k
right arrow = l
up arrow = i[/QUOTE]

Shortcuts like this (and many, many more) are extremely easy to create with QuicKeys. QuicKeys allows many different *types* of shortcuts. This one would be a "Type Keystroke" shortcut.

I add custom shortcuts to practically every app I use. You can also tell QuicKeys whether a shortcut is just for one app, certain apps, or for all apps. I've used it for nearly 15 years and can't live without it.

[QUOTE=soundsgoodtome;26095]Shortcuts like this (and many, many more) are extremely easy to create with QuicKeys. QuicKeys allows many different *types* of shortcuts. This one would be a "Type Keystroke" shortcut.

I add custom shortcuts to practically every app I use. You can also tell QuicKeys whether a shortcut is just for one app, certain apps, or for all apps. I've used it for nearly 15 years and can't live without it.[/QUOTE]

I'll give that a try. I used to use Quickeys... sorta. The main problem I had with it was memorizing my own keyboard shortcuts.

When LaunchBar came out there was an alternative for a program that would remember the keyselection that I used most. And it would show me results as I typed. Quicksilver is the same.

But in this case... Quickeys may be the only thing out there that can do this.

Thank you for the suggestion.