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Ideas [2014/10/16 06:27]
peternlewis created
Ideas [2016/07/10 23:41]
peternlewis Keyboard shortcut “Guide” creation by Bob Rutledge
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     Highlight Oval at MOUSEX(),​MOUSEY(),​200,​100     Highlight Oval at MOUSEX(),​MOUSEY(),​200,​100
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 +==== Keyboard shortcut “Guide” creation by Bob Rutledge ​ ====
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 +During a recent CMUG General Meeting demo of Keyboard Maestro, I showed a couple of shortcut key “guides”. The guides are placed adjacent to the keyboard function keys to provide a visual reminder of what shortcuts were available. In this article I will give a general method for producing the guides using Apple Pages.
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 +1. Measure the width of the line of function keys on your particular keyboard. For instance, my wireless keyboard measures 11 inches and my portable’s keyboard measures 9.25 inches . (The extended keyboard will be discussed later.)
 +2. Count the number of function keys (should be 12) and add two (esc & eject keys.)
 +3. Open a new Pages file in landscape orientation with minimal borders.
 +4. Insert a table equal in width to the keyboard measurement and divided into 14 equal cells.
 
In this example, 4 rows have been used so that the command [⌘], option [⌥] and shift [⇧] modifier keys can be used with the 12 function keys. One could add a forth row for the control [∧] modifier key and even more for double or triple modifiers. However, too many rows can become bulky and confusing. Most folks will likely be happy with two to four rows.

 +
 +{{ :​keyboard-guide.png?​nolink |}}
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 +4. Select the entire table and format the text centered in the cells both horizontally and vertically. Chose a small but readable text size and font. Helvetica 10 pt works for me.
 +6. Select the entire table and set the cell height to a minimal size. This keeps the guide as small as possible.
 +7. Next, one might wish to copy and paste several tables beneath the first for future modification or for different machines.
 +8. Lastly, type short notations into the appropriate cells to complete your personalized guide.
 +
 +If one has an extended keyboard (almost 16 inches wide), a guide can be created in two or three sections to accommodate the navigation and numerical pad sections. However, the same general steps would be used.
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 +Guides can be printed onto full sheet adhesive labels or attached with double sided tape or adhesive spray. Depending upon the height, one might attach the guide to the keyboard itself. (On my portable, the guide is adhered to the hinge surface.) In some cases, an angled display stand with flat legs to be slid under a keyboard may need to be constructed. (Such is the case with my Mac’s extended keyboard.) Even a creased and bent piece of heavy cardboard my suffice. However its mounted, the guide should serve as a quick visual reference and free your mind to remember things other than all those shortcuts.
  
Ideas.txt · Last modified: 2023/10/10 02:24 by peternlewis