Keyboard shortcuts for non-menu items

[w_yne_t_ylor]

So we can add keyboard shortcuts for everything in menus but support is touchy out-with menus. For example, we can add a shortcut key for text styles, but not Publisher table formats (from what I can see).

Then there are buttons, for example the Unpin button on the pinning pane.

I do a lot of work importing existing documents and making sure that, for example, the pinning pane is always visible for the sake of a single button I use regularly is tiresome. I also use the Elgato Stream Deck which can be assigned to such keyboard shortcuts and it would be amazing to use that, but without keyboard shortcuts for these I can't find a way.

It would be AMAZING if the keyboard shortcut functionality could be extended to more areas (across all 3 apps), especially for those of us who find using a mouse difficult.

[loukash]

1 hour ago, w_yne_t_ylor said:

I also use the Elgato Stream Deck which can be assigned to such keyboard shortcuts and it would be amazing to use that, but without keyboard shortcuts for these I can't find a way.

On Mac it is possible to targed certain UI elements via AppleScript's System Events which is a system wide scripting layer connected to the MacOS accessibility features.

Unfortunately, Affinity apps use many non-standard UI elements, so it's often a "hit or miss" because some elements that are visible and clickable to user are invisible to the system. Still, many such elements can also be accessed and clicked by calculating display coordinates relative to window bounds.

Setting these things up is not exactly trivial but possible. If it's something that can save you from thousands of annoyingly repetitive movements and clicks, it may be worth to invest a few hours to set it up.

Such macros can be executed per keyboard shortcuts via Automator as a MacOS Service plugin, or via 3rd party utilities like Keyboard Maestro (which offers additional nifty tools apart from just AppleScript programming).

Here a few examples I've posted recently:

 

[w_yne_t_ylor]

Thanks for this, @loukash!

I did consider going down the Applescript route but it really does feel hacky, as you suggest.

I'll look at your examples as they may inspire me to go for it anyway :0)

Thanks again for taking the time to reply, I'll let you know if I go for it!