Key Commands in use...

When editing a module, is there any way to see a list of the keyboard commands that one has used?

When adding new features to layers and such, it would be HIGHLY useful to know what’s been “taken” so as not to duplicate it, and create havoc in module operation.

Is there a way, short of going through all your folders, prototypes, layers, etc. to investigate??

Nope.

Best bet: use pen and paper to keep track what you have done

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Stiglr via messages
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Subject: [messages] [Module Design] Key Commands in use…

When editing a module, is there any way to see a list of the keyboard
commands that one has used?

When adding new features to layers and such, it would be HIGHLY useful
to know what’s been “taken” so as not to duplicate it, and create havoc
in module operation.

Is there a way, short of going through all your folders, prototypes,
layers, etc. to investigate??


Read this topic online here:
https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/key-commands-in-use/7468/1

This is why Named Keystrokes are so great. No need to worry about duplication. I personally use “old fashioned” key combos very sparingly, and only for a handful of things that players will conceivably want to do very often with the keyboard instead of the right-click context menu.

Hmmm, maybe you’ll have to enlighten me about those…

I’ve since solved this conundrum the “old fashioned” way (going into the module and looking at all the pieces’ menus) but, in assigning new feature keystrokes (for Layers as my primary example) I’ve been working under the assumption that I had to both name them (so that they appear in a menu on the side of the pieces in game) and give them key combo equivalents. Are you saying that all you need to do is fill in the name in one of the spaces to give the command a discrete, case-sensitive name et voila!, it works without a key combo to go with it???

Also, how would that work in game, when the object is to select a piece and then “do the keystroke” to invoke the feature without having to mouse-navigate a menu or sub-menu? Where would you enter a name?

Oh, and by the way, thanks to all who are responding. I TRULY appreciate the help…

Sorry, I didn’t provide enough detail. Named keystrokes were implemented to alleviate the headaches associated with all the somersaults you had to do previously when you have lots of commands and are running out of combinations to bind them to: Ctrl-C, Ctrl-Alt-C, Alt-C, Ctrl-Shift-C, etc.

You fill in the Command name (i.e., the human readable portion) normally, but in the place where you’d normally enter a key combo, you just start typing a word or phrase instead. VASSAL generates a unique “keystroke” behind the scenes, with the result being something that can never be inadvertently triggered by the user solely with the keyboard. The command presents itself normally in a right-click context menu, but the place where you’d normally see the keystroke is blank.

Here is a screenshot from one of my modules showing a piece with commands bound to traditional key combos as well as named keystrokes.

Named keystrokes help you avoid binding multiple things to the same keystroke because you can make the “keystroke” indicative of what it does: TakeDmg as opposed to Ctrl-D, for example. This also helps keep your memory straight when using Triggers that fire off long sequences of other things, because you can read them logically instead of a series of incomprehensible Ctrl-this, Alt-that, Ctrl-Alt-whatever that you have to jump back and forth to remember what those things actually do.

That makes it much clearer, Joel, and thank you!! And the logic behind it is very sound.

I’ll be making a pass through my features to reflect this; I also would love the editor to take the whole spectre of duplicated and confused keystrokes out of the equation!!!