Constraining proportions on a windows tablet

[copyguy]

First Im new to this and I did try a search. Recently purchased a Surface Laptop Studio. I needed  a new laptop and this one with the ability to fold flat over the keyboard and use as a tablet is perfect. This is my first tablet though.  Basic question ... When I'm in tablet mode, folded flat over the keyboard,  when drawing a shape I cant figure out how to constrain proportions without popping the screen up and reaching in to try and hit the shift key, very cumbersome. There doesn't seem to be a way to program my surface pen to use one of the buttons as a shift key. Sorry if this is a silly question for the pros, am I missing something simple, or is constraining without shift impossible?  Forgot to add I am using V2 of all the Affinity Apps.

Thanks, Mark

[- S -]

If it's not possible to program the pen buttons and there isn't a way to use some sort of on-screen Surface menu, then I guess using an on-screen keyboard may work better than trying to use the physical keyboard (or a Bluetooth keyboard).

There are two different on-screen keyboards built into Windows.

1) The "Touch keyboard", that is activated in Tablet mode; or [Right-click Windows Taskbar > Show Touch Keyboard button].

2) The "On-screen keyboard", that can be found by searching the Windows Start menu.

While the "Touch keyboard" does have various different layout options, the "On-screen keyboard" should resize to a smaller size, so it doesn't take up as much screen space.  They are both floating.

 

If you're unable to find a better solution than using an on-screen keyboard, then I guess you could give feedback to Microsoft, as it seems like a bit of an omission for a tablet device.  Alternatively, you may get more success trying to get Microsoft to include some sort of Modifier Keys floating menu feature in Microsoft PowerToys.  One of the developers for PowerToys was recently asking for PowerToys suggestions on Mastodon.

Lastly, you could give feedback in the Feedback section here for Serif to consider including on-screen Modifier Key buttons somewhere – such as in the Affinity Tools/Toolbar/Panel – like Adobe's Modifier Keys palette.

 

[copyguy]

Thank you so much. I forgot to mention I had tried the touch screen key board and it did not work. But I did not know about the on screen keyboard (new to tablets), and that did the trick. I appreciate the very quick feed back!

Mark