Key-press... how do I use F4 without it jumping to preview?

Lycos · **Posted:** March 9th, 2005, 9:48 am

Hi All,

A very basic puzzle that has me stumped and I cannot find any other messages relating to it:

How can I get Opus Pro 4.5 to recognize the Key-Press trigger "F4" without it starting to preview the publication? (The same also for F5 always page-previewing.)

Thanks in anticipation,

Sentosa · **Posted:** March 9th, 2005, 11:10 am

You might have discovered a bug. I'm sure that people more knowledgeable than I am, will put me straight on this.

Initially, I thought the obvious place to go was to use this sequence with your object:

Action > Triggers > Advanced > Key Press

While I've successfully used the Key Press before, when I tried to apply F4 to the trigger, it would not stick. In fact none of the function keys would stick.

Next step, the Help Files. This is what I found:

Quote:

Add the Key Press trigger to your Actions Organiser, as described in Creating and Editing Actions
. The Key Press tab will automatically appear when you add the trigger.

2. Use the Any Key option when you want any key on your keyboard to act as the trigger.

Note:
The only exceptions to the any key rule are: the Esc key (which is reserved to exit a publication), the F10 key and the Windows key (which are reserved for other operations).

This specifically states that you can't use the F10 key with the Any Key options, but it is not clear whether this exclusion applies the the use of Specific Keys.

Quote:

3. Use the Specific Key = option when you want to specify the key on the keyboard that the user must press to act as the trigger. Press the actual key (or combination of keys) that you want to use as the trigger. The keys you press are shown in the edit box. This will activate the Use Modifiers panel – see next point.

4. Tick the Shift, Ctrl or Alt boxes in the Use Modifiers panel if the user is required to hold down these keys as they press the key you have entered in the Key Pressed= option. To select one or more modifier, tick the checkbox beside the name. To cancel the selection, click again, so that it is no longer ticked.
Notes:

In most cases you will ignore the Modifier tab and move straight to step 5 below.
You cannot use the Alt modifier with function (F1 etc) keys.

I read this as at least an implication that the function keys, other than in combination with Alt, and perhaps the F10 key, can be used with the Key Press trigger.

This response doesn't help you, but perhaps it raises issues that someone at DW can clarify.

demofred · **Posted:** March 9th, 2005, 1:42 pm

After testing, I can confirm that you can't select F4 or F5 because they immediately force OPUS into running the Pub either from the beginning or from the test Page.

I've used F1 successfully before. When you press F1, the OPUS Help screen pops up, but it does register "F1" in the selection window, so when you actually Publish your presentation, F1 won't run the OPUS Help. Possibly that same "registering the keystroke" idea could be incorporated as a fix. Currently, OPUS does NOT select F4 or F5. Otherwise, on the Advanced Key Press window only, we need the DW programmer to disable F4 & F5. I can't see another workaround (unless a Scripting genius knows a way).

FYI, I tested ALL the F (function) keys, and was able to select F10, even though Ray says the instructions say you can't...

Sentosa · **Posted:** March 9th, 2005, 2:22 pm

Hi Fred

Your results are interesting.

When I tried, I selected each function key, with and without Ctrl and Shift, and absolutely nothing worked.

Tell me, what magic spell do you cast before you begin work?

Paul · **Posted:** March 9th, 2005, 8:22 pm

Hi all,
Detect the F4 key with script -- that way you don't have to press F4 inside the Opus authoring environment.
see attached sample.
Paul

Dave Emberton · **Posted:** March 9th, 2005, 9:27 pm

We'll look at it, but...

Bring up the actions view, press F4, and yes it does preview and doesn't register F4. But if you leave the preview open, then press ALT+TAB you can get back to the actions view, and this time F4 and F5 will work and will be recorded. You'll have to go back and exit the preview, and then preview again before it'll have an effect. Phew. :lol:

Lycos · **Posted:** March 9th, 2005, 10:45 pm

Thanks, the last posts suggestion works fine and is easy to do too, I can now continue on my project.

Thanks to all you others for your efforts as well. (...I see a fellow Kiwi in here -small world eh!) Its times like this that make me appreciate the net and forums that work as they should! :wink:

Cheers again,

Digital Workshop

Key-press... how do I use F4 without it jumping to preview?

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