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DOWN FOR SOME TIPS, EXAMPLES,
AND EXAMPLES FOR ADVANCED USERS.
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Assigning a macro, feature, program, or string
of keystrokes to a key or key combination (i.e., a "shortcut"
or "hot key")
You can customize your keyboard so
that pressing the <Alt>, <Ctrl>, or
<Shift> key (or any combination of these) plus
a number or a letter (e.g., <Ctrl+1>, <Alt+Shift+m>),
will -
- play a macro, or
- use a WordPerfect feature,
or
- start a program, or
- send a string of keystrokes to WordPerfect
or your current document.
These keys are often called "shortcut
keys" or "hot keys," and their assignments are
stored in a keyboard definition. This is a small internal
area of the program you can access from the Tools menu.
You can have several keyboard definitions
on your system: WordPerfect ships with several default
definitions, but you can create custom definitions to
suit your everyday needs or for special purposes.
Before you begin ...
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... please note:
- There are many WordPerfect features
(e.g., inserting the current file's path and name) or WordPerfect
functions that you may find useful candidates to assign to a
key or key combination. (See Step #3 below for information on
locating the list of these features.) While many are pre-assigned
to menus, toolbars, or keys, many of them are not.
- You may find that some of these features
or functions are more useful when they are assigned to a toolbar
since their button icons might make them easier to locate. If
so, see Part 1 of this series of
web pages. You can, however, assign them to new or existing menus
as explained in Part 3.
- To directly play a specific macro using
a desired combination of keys -- in contrast to playing a macro
by choosing one from a list with the standard <Alt+F10>
keys or with Tools, Macro, Play -- you should first ensure the
macro exists on your system. (This might seem obvious, but sometimes
macros are moved or removed by others.) If it does not, you will
need to create your macro first -- either by recording it (with
<Ctrl+F10 or Tools, Macro, Record), downloading
it from a site such as this one, copying
the code from somewhere, or by writing
the code for it, or by a combination of these methods -- and
then save it in either your Default or Supplemental macros folder
(which are specified in Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro).
- For a list of navigation and text selection keys that are used in WordPerftect's Windows (CUA) and
DOS keyboard definitions -- the former is the "standard"
or "default" keyboard used by the program -- you can
read (left-click) or download (right-click, then Save Target
As) "CUA-DOS.pdf,"
a small Adobe PDF file. Normally, you will not want to assign
other things to these default keys unless you really need to
use them for a special purpose; if you do, it is always a good
idea to do so with a copy of the keyboard definition, as explained
below.
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How to do it
STEP 1
- Click on Tools, Settings, Customize.
- Click the "Keyboards" tab in the
Customize Settings window, then select either the default keyboard
definition for your version of WordPerfect (e.g., <WPWin Keyboard>)
or another keyboard definition (e.g., <WPDOS 6.1 Keyboard>).
- Then, do one of the following things.
- Either click Create to create a new keyboard
(based on the definition you just selected);
- or click
Copy to make a copy of the keyboard (choosing the
desired keyboard in "Select keyboards to copy") and
save it under a different name;
- or click
Edit to edit the existing keyboard.
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IMPORTANT: You
might feel more comfortable with this process by customizing
a new keyboard definition or a copy of the current
or default keyboard definition -- the first two alternatives
above -- and leave your existing default or customized keyboards
alone. In fact, this is recommended unless you are certain
that you want to modify the existing default or custom keyboard.
It makes it much easier to restore things if you do not like
the changes you have made. |
- If you choose to Create a new keyboard definition
or Copy an existing one, be sure to select it after you've
modified it. You can do this by returning to the Customize Settings
window with Tools, Settings, Customize. The keyboard definition
you choose will remain in effect until you change it.
Tip:
If you right-click the status bar -- the very bottom edge of
the WordPerfect window -- you can then click Settings and check
the box, "Keyboards." This will put a small icon on
the status bar to let you quickly access the keyboard definition
of your choice. [This works in WP8 and later, and may work in
earlier versions.]
STEP 2
- The Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box will now
be open. Choose the key or key combination you want to change
(reassign) in the left-hand "Choose a shortcut key"
window. (You may have to scroll down a bit.) Choose an available
letter or number combination -- perhaps Y+Alt or 3+Ctrl. In this
example, the assigned macro (or feature or keystrokes) will play
when you press <Alt+Y> or <Ctrl+3>.
- Make a note so you'll remember which keys
are being reassigned. (WordPerfect
11+ users can click the Print Report button to print a list of
current shortcut key assignments.)
Tips:
- The checkbox at the bottom, "Allow assignment of character keys," will bring up a list of ordinary character
keys (A, B, C, a, b, c), punctuation marks, and extended characters.
Normally, you will have little use for this list (except perhaps
to assign a "quick save" macro to the period [full
stop] key; see here
for this trick), but certain infrequently used keys could be
used to play a macro, such as the ` key (next to the 1 key).
These might be best used to play a "two keypress" macro
so that you still have use of the key for normal text entry.
See the Advanced User section below.
- You might also want to enable the "Shortcut key appears on menu" checkbox so that you'll see it in on WordPerfect's
Insert menu.
STEP 3
- Either click on the Remove Assignment
button if the key already has an assignment;
- or select
the type of new assignment from the right-hand side of the dialog box, the area
that shows four tabs: Features, Keystrokes, Programs, or Macros.
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For features, under the
Features tab, scroll down in the Feature categories drop list
to choose the appropriate cateogory, such as File, Edit, View,
Insert, Format, etc. In the lower "Assign a feature"
list, choose the feature you want to assign to the keystroke
or combination, and click on Assign Feature to Key. [You might
find some features you didn't know about by scrolling through
the list and trying them out in a test document.] |
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For keystrokes, under the
Keystrokes tab, in the "Type the text to be inserted..."
pane, enter the keystrokes, characters, or symbols you need,
like this:
- For keys such as <Alt>, use
{Alt}. Other examples: {Ctrl}, {Shift}, {Space}, and {Tab}.
- For combinations such as <Alt+F>,
use {Alt+F}.
- For text strings such as "the,"
enter them directly, or if this does not work, use {t}{h}{e}.
- For accented characters (diacritical marks),
use the numeric keypad and enter the proper code found
in the Windows Character Map (under Start, Programs, Accessories,
System Tools, Character Map).
- For example, to enter an é in the
Keystroke field, put the cursor in the field an type <Alt+0233>
on the numeric keypad. (The leading zero is required.)
- Charles Rossiter (Corel C_Tech) writes: "For
example, I use Alt+e for e-acute, Ctrl+Shift+E for E-grave, Alt+a
for a-umlaut, Alt+Shift+O for O-umlaut, Alt+Shift+C for C-cedilla,
etc. There is no conflict with other Alt-key shortcuts (e.g.,
Alt+a for T_a_ble): Alt+a gives a-umlaut [i.e., press and hold
the Alt key, then press a]; Alt,a gives T_a_ble (i.e., press
and release the Alt key, then press a)."
- For symbols, press <Ctrl+W>,
select the symbol, then click Insert and Close on the Symbols
dialog.
- When done, click "Assign Keystrokes
to Key."
Notes
- There may be a limit to the number of characters
(including the left and right braces) that you can enter into
this dialog window.
- WordPerfect X3 (and possibly
later versions): Using WordPerfect
X3 (build 13.0.0.565, perhaps in earlier and later builds, too)
in Windows XP and Windows Vista means you can use only text strings
and/or WP symbols in the Keystrokes pane. Script commands (i.e.,
{Alt}, {Space}, etc.) are ignored under Windows Vista. Consider
using other methods of inserting boilerplate.
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For programs, click the
Programs tab, then the Assign Program to Key button. Locate and
choose the exectuable program to play. |
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For macros, click the
Macros tab, then click "Assign Macro to Key..." and
select the desired macro from those listed in your macros folder.
This will assign it to the shortcut key combination.
If you get a message, "Save macro with
full path?" you most likely will want to answer "No."
WordPerfect will then use the path to the default and
supplemental macros folders specified in Tools, Settings,
Files, Merge/Macro. If you answer "Yes" you can specify
a path to a any other folder; however, if you do so the paths
specified in Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro will not be
used for that macro.
Then click OK.
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STEP 4
- Close all dialogs with Close or OK.
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Tips
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For macros, features, programs,
and keystrokes:
You can use "reserved" keys such
as <Alt+T> (which normally accesses the Tools menu). But
if you do, the macro (or feature or program or keystrokes) will
play instead of the Tools menu opening. However, you can still
get at the reserved keys: If you press Alt, release it, and then
press T (i.e., press the keys in sequence, not simultaneously),
the Tools menu will open.
For macros only:
If customizing your keyboard is not an option,
you may want to use an old WP trick to play a macro: Give the
macro a name such as ctrlx.wcm or ctrlsftx.wcm,
where "x" is a keyboard letter from A to Z or
a number from 0-9. WordPerfect recognizes macro filenames that
use "Ctrl" and "CtrlSft" (notice there's
no "hi" in "Sft") in the filename as special.
So, for example, if you press <Ctrl+J> or <Ctrl+Shft+J>
the macro named CtrlJ.wcm or CtrlSftJ.wcm will play. This assumes,
of course, that the macro exists in the default macros folder,
which is specified in Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro.
Notes
If the <Ctrl+(key)> combination you
want to use as a macro filename has already been assigned in
the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog, then that keyboard assignment
will take precedence over any macro on disk with the same filename
as the key combination.
For example, in WP10 and later versions, <Ctrl+1>
normally inserts single spacing, and <Ctrl+2> inserts double
spacing -- neither of which might be obvious when you press these
keys. In this case, a macro on disk named Ctrl1.wcm will not
play automatically when you press <Ctrl+1>, since these
keys have already been assigned. However ...
You can verify if the combination is in use
by opening the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog (see above steps); you
may be able to change the current control-key assignment or remove
it altogether to allow the named macro to play.
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Examples
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Example #1 - Starting and
Outline
Suppose you want to bring up the Outline feature
quickly, using the keyboard instead of clicking on Insert, Outline/Bullets,
OK. In the old DOS keyboard, for example, "Outline Body
Text" was assigned to <Ctrl+T>, but you can assign
this feature to any unassigned keystroke combination. Here's
how.
- Click on Tools, Settings, Customize, then
the Keyboards tab. Select the keyboard you want to edit (e.g.,
<WPWin 9>), then click on Edit to bring up the Keyboard
Shortcuts dialog. [As mentioned above under step 1, some users
may feel more comfortable with customizing a new keyboard or
a copy of the current keyboard definition, and leave their default
keyboard alone.]
- In the left pane, scroll down to an available
key combo that you want to use (e.g., O+Alt) and select it with
your mouse.
- On the right side of the dialog, use Feature
Categories to select the Insert category, then in the lower pane
select Outline Body Text.
- Click on Assign Feature to Key, and also
(optionally) enable the "Shortcut key appears on menu"
checkbox so that you'll see in in WP's Insert menu.
- Click on OK, then Close (twice).
Now, when you press <Alt+O> the outline
should start. Press <Alt+O> again when you want it to stop.
If you want to use a key combo to start an
outline item with a new number (e.g., "1") you could
assign "Outline Number Set..." to, say <Alt+Shift+O).
Example #2 - Deleting words
the way Microsoft Word deletes them
Microsoft Word allows you to press <Ctrl+Backspace>
to delete the previous word, even if there's a space after the
word. In WordPerfect, this key combination works only if there
is no space.
Here is a way to delete the previous word
or delete the next word in WordPerfect -- even if there
are spaces adjacent to the word -- with a key combination:
- Click on Tools, Settings, Customize. Select
the keyboard to edit under the Keyboards tab, then click the
Edit button. The Keyboard Shortcuts dialog appears.
- In the left pane, choose a shortcut key for
the "delete the previous word" feature (such as <Left+Ctrl+Alt>).
- Under the Features tab on the right side
of the dialog, in the Feature categories list, select the Edit
category. Scroll down in the "Assign..." list to "Delete
Word Begin" and select it. Then click on Assign Feature
to Key.
- Repeat the process for the "delete the
next word" feature, using <Right+Ctrl+Alt> and "Delete
Word." (Not "Delete Word End," since that just
deletes remaining letters in the current word.)
- Click OK when you are finished, then Close.
When you press one of these key conbinations
(e.g., <Ctrl+Alt+LeftArrow>) repeatedly, you can delete
consecutive words at the cursor location (assuming there are
no format or other codes present).
[Thanks to Wolfgang Deiminger for posting
this tip in the public Corel newsgroup.]
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Advanced users
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"Double-key" or
"double-strike" macros are macros
that are played by two consecutive presses of an alphanumeric
key, and can be constructed using the following format. They
can be useful to quickly play a favorite macro or one that must
be played multiple times to process some text.
You should note, however, that most alphanumeric
keys are not very good candidates to use to play a macro
this way, since there are many letters and numbers that might
appear twice in a particular word or number. You could use upper
case (by pressing the <Shift> key), but some might find
this awkward. The best cadidates probably are the ` key, the
= key, and the backslash or backstroke key (\). (You can
also use the <Insert> key if you reassign
the Typeover function to another key combination.) |
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Example:
Suppose you want to use the ` key (to
the left of the 1 key on most keyboards) to play a macro that
(1) deletes all multiple spaces at the cursor location
and (2) replaces them with a tab -- but you also want to use
this key to type a ` character when needed. The structure
below will do the job. Save it in your macros folder, then assign
it to the ` key using the procedure described above. (The
` key is located just above the left brace ( { ) in the shortcut
list when you check the "Allow assignment of character keys"
checkbox.).
Thereafter, pressing the ` key once will
type a ` character, as usual. Pressing it twice consecutively
will cause the first ` characer to be "seen" by
the macro on the left of the cursor, whereupon it will delete
it and play the working part of the macro (i.e., convert the
spaces to a tab) instead of simply typing another ` character.
// Macro begins here -
If (?LeftChar="`") // if a ` character
is on the left -
DeleteCharPrevious
// - delete the character
//
The "working" part of the macro begins here -
vCount:=0 // - initialize
a counter
// While the
left character is a space, move to the left -
While
(?LeftChar=" ")
PosCharPrevious
Endwhile
SelectMode
(On!) // - start selecting text
//
While the right character is a space, move right -
While
(?RightChar=" ")
PosCharNext
vCount:=vCount+1
// - increment counter
Endwhile
// If there's more than one
space, delete all of them -
If (vCount>1)
SelectDelete
Tab //
- then insert a Left Tab
Else
SelectMode
(Off!) // - turn select mode off
Endif
// The "working"
part of the macro ends here
Else
Type
("`") // - type a ` character
Endif
Quit
// Macro ends here
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Notes
You can directly download this macro as 2Key-S2T.zip. It also contains
optional code to search for all multiple spaces and replace them
with tabs; you can use this code as a standalone macro.
You can create "triple-strike" or
even "quadruple-strike" macros by having the macro
assigned to the alphanumeric key check the number of instances
of that character that appear to the left of the last instance.
If (for a triple-strike macro) the character appears two times,
then the third press of the key would cause the two characters
to be deleted and the macro to execute other commands. This approach
increases the number of ordinary alphanumeric keys that might
make good candidates to use to play such a macro. See "Make a key do 'double duty'..."
for examples.
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Barry MacDonnell's