InfoEdit field shortcut key

[Padanges]

Hi,
shortcut-key for getting into Quick Info Fields Edit mode is F4. Pressing the key forces you to view PDF View tab. I find it rahter annoying - is there any other key combination for getting into PDF View tab's InfoEdit field (which sets focus on entries), that is, without leaving PDF View grid layout? I was unable to find the way to map this functionality using Edit>Preferences>Shortcuts menu.


Thanks in advance.

[RTT]

No, there isn't. But I suppose the F4 invoke functionality may be changed to give the focus to the InfoEdit tool, instead of forcing the quick view edit mode, if the previewer pane is open or the viewer is already in the quick info edit view mode. I'm going to make some tests.
If you have a different idea, please let me know.

[Padanges]

I would suggest to make such shortcut key mappings:
F2 - sets focus on "PDF Info" "ScanGrid" Layout last selected entry. If the Focus is already on "PDF Info" tab - hitting F2 enters the File Name Renaming Mode.
F3 - enters into "PDF View" mode. By pressing Ctrl+F3 you get into "Iamges" mode, which is pretty much a "PDF View" but without document's text - which is why it would be intuitive to go under the same "f3".
F4 - sets focus on "InfoEdit" subtab's first Info Field entry and enter's into Editing. This way it would mimic File Renaming, which would be very handy and intuitive. Then by pressing Ctrl+F4 you could get into "PDF View" "InfoEdit" - which would be like an additional setup for info editing. Also, It would be nice to be able to "lock" DB entry field title in the "InfoEdit" so that it would become the "first" which gets focus for editing - it would speed-up editing using only keyboard and you would not have to change the Column order (making it the first) each time you wanted to enter some specific field for editing. For example, by clicking the Column title in the "InfoEdit" tool, you would make it "underlined" - that is, pinned for being the first editing focus entry.
F5 - refreshes "DiskTee". How the hell do you activate that Refresh button which you get when the folder content changes? Without using Folder Monitors you could just manually "refresh the view" and F5 is usually mapped for that.


Regards.

[Padanges]

One more thing - it would be very nice if "Quick Info Fields Edit" tool (which has "Edit History", "File" tabs) would not force you change focus onto the "PDF View" and it would start with focus on "File" tab (File tab function is awesome!), instead of "Edit History" tab.
Perhaps, by placing an additional icon (besides the icons for "Extract Document Images"/"Quick View"/"Quick Info Fields Edit") for the Document Tree tool (which has "DiskTree" at so called, in the documentation, "Zone 1") you could show/hide tree view tool when it gets hidden by "Quick Info Fields Edit" tabs ("File", "Edit History")?

[Padanges]

If I'm correct, it seems that if no Custom Fields are present in the ScanGrid Layout then InfoEdit tool is hidden in the PDF Info mode. So actually it is "Custom Field InfoEdit"?

[RTT]

I would suggest to make such shortcut key mappings:
F2 - sets focus on "PDF Info" "ScanGrid" Layout last selected entry. If the Focus is already on "PDF Info" tab - hitting F2 enters the File Name Renaming Mode.
F3 - enters into "PDF View" mode. By pressing Ctrl+F3 you get into "Iamges" mode, which is pretty much a "PDF View" but without document's text - which is why it would be intuitive to go under the same "f3".
F4 - sets focus on "InfoEdit" subtab's first Info Field entry and enter's into Editing. This way it would mimic File Renaming, which would be very handy and intuitive. Then by pressing Ctrl+F4 you could get into "PDF View" "InfoEdit" - which would be like an additional setup for info editing.

Looks nice. I'm going to make some tests to check if it is feasible. One of the big problems of this specific functionality shortcuts is that the PDF readers steal the focus from the main application and there is no easy way to handle this (at least I've not found a good one) and this shortcuts workflow gets easily broken when the reader is loaded with a new file.

Also, It would be nice to be able to "lock" DB entry field title in the "InfoEdit" so that it would become the "first" which gets focus for editing - it would speed-up editing using only keyboard and you would not have to change the Column order (making it the first) each time you wanted to enter some specific field for editing. For example, by clicking the Column title in the "InfoEdit" tool, you would make it "underlined" - that is, pinned for being the first editing focus entry.

Interesting! Usually getting focus on the last focused field is preferable, but this is also a good idea.

F5 - refreshes "DiskTee". How the hell do you activate that Refresh button which you get when the folder content changes? Without using Folder Monitors you could just manually "refresh the view" and F5 is usually mapped for that.

That functionality is indeed using folder monitors. Nice to know something changed, but without automatically refreshing the tree/grid that potentially could interfere with something the user may be doing.
And hitting F5, while the DiskTree has the focus, already refreshes the folders tree and re-scan the selected folder.

[RTT]

One more thing - it would be very nice if "Quick Info Fields Edit" tool (which has "Edit History", "File" tabs) would not force you change focus onto the "PDF View" and it would start with focus on "File" tab (File tab function is awesome!), instead of "Edit History" tab.
Perhaps, by placing an additional icon (besides the icons for "Extract Document Images"/"Quick View"/"Quick Info Fields Edit") for the Document Tree tool (which has "DiskTree" at so called, in the documentation, "Zone 1") you could show/hide tree view tool when it gets hidden by "Quick Info Fields Edit" tabs ("File", "Edit History")?

I really prefer to do the metadata edit from the PDF View quick info edit mode, instead of from the grid view. And if indeed I need to have the grid visible, the PDF View can be undocked and placed at one side (or in another monitor, on multi monitor systems).
But I'm going to check if these quick info edit tools can also be placed as you suggest.

[RTT]

If I'm correct, it seems that if no Custom Fields are present in the ScanGrid Layout then InfoEdit tool is hidden in the PDF Info mode. So actually it is "Custom Field InfoEdit"?

I can have a grid layout with only standard fields and the InfoEdit tool is still visible, as long the layout includes, at least, an editable field when the "hide invisible fields from the rest of the interface" option is also selected. With what fields list are you getting this erroneous behavior?

[Padanges]

Looks nice. I'm going to make some tests to check if it is feasible.

Any idea when it would be possible to check the updated workflow with these changes? My Trial version time is running down and I still have some features to test, check reactions to DB changes, verify couple bugs, and to code some ideas for tools.

That functionality is indeed using folder monitors. Nice to know something changed, but without automatically refreshing the tree/grid that potentially could interfere with something the user may be doing. And hitting F5, while the DiskTree has the focus, already refreshes the folders tree and re-scan the selected folder.

Well, to set focus on DiskTree you have to select it and that requires you to drag the mouse... But once you are near the selected folder it is enough to re-click it and the refresh function kicks-in so there not much of a use for a shortcut which requires mouse where the mouse use can do the job. Without the Focus F5 shoots you up to the Images mode. Hence, it would be handy if F5 would refresh the "DiskTee".

I really prefer to do the metadata edit from the PDF View quick info edit mode, instead of from the grid view. And if indeed I need to have the grid visible, the PDF View can be undocked and placed at one side (or in another monitor, on multi monitor systems).

That's fine. Then it would be enough to have an option to control this behaviour (or at least to remap this new behaviour under ctrl+F4) because there are PDF Views (depeds on file size, doc structure, and, for example, vector elements) which take Some time to load the document and that forced delay Really interferes with one's Info Editing workflow.

I can have a grid layout with only standard fields and the InfoEdit tool is still visible, as long the layout includes, at least, an editable field when the "hide invisible fields from the rest of the interface" option is also selected. With what fields list are you getting this erroneous behavior?

To get the trick: create a new Grid Layout with let's say Filename and Size, then check "hide invisible fields from the rest of the interface" and restart PDFe.
Now that you have mentioned "hide invisible fields from the rest of the interface" option, I get the idea why it happens so. This could be considered as a minor bug, I guess, from the new user's perspective.

[Padanges]

One of the big problems of this specific functionality shortcuts is that the PDF readers steal the focus from the main application and there is no easy way to handle this (at least I've not found a good one) and this shortcuts workflow gets easily broken when the reader is loaded with a new file.

As far as I have tested, ctrl+up or ctrl+down always works and does not get forwarded to Internal PDF Reader - so everything should be OK using that scheme. But I guess you can always steal (back) focus by making a false ALT keypress (and cancelling it) which is handled by PDFe.

[RTT]

Any idea when it would be possible to check the updated workflow with these changes? My Trial version time is running down and I still have some features to test, check reactions to DB changes, verify couple bugs, and to code some ideas for tools.

No idea right now. Still some things to do.
If you propose any type of collaboration, that adds value to the project and I agree to accept, I will be pleased to offer you a free license. Just email me and let me know.

Well, to set focus on DiskTree you have to select it and that requires you to drag the mouse... But once you are near the selected folder it is enough to re-click it and the refresh function kicks-in so there not much of a use for a shortcut which requires mouse where the mouse use can do the job. Without the Focus F5 shoots you up to the Images mode. Hence, it would be handy if F5 would refresh the "DiskTee".

It also refreshes the tree, don't just initiate a new scan. But yea, the F5 should be global to the PDFInfo tab. I just added it later, and the F5 was already taken by the extract images so decided to not mess with it.

I can have a grid layout with only standard fields and the InfoEdit tool is still visible, as long the layout includes, at least, an editable field when the "hide invisible fields from the rest of the interface" option is also selected. With what fields list are you getting this erroneous behavior?

To get the trick: create a new Grid Layout with let's say Filename and Size, then check "hide invisible fields from the rest of the interface" and restart PDFe.
Now that you have mentioned "hide invisible fields from the rest of the interface" option, I get the idea why it happens so. This could be considered as a minor bug, I guess, from the new user's perspective.

Instead of hidden it can be set disabled, when there are not editable fields. Maybe with a text line message stating that fact?

[RTT]

One of the big problems of this specific functionality shortcuts is that the PDF readers steal the focus from the main application and there is no easy way to handle this (at least I've not found a good one) and this shortcuts workflow gets easily broken when the reader is loaded with a new file.

As far as I have tested, ctrl+up or ctrl+down always works and does not get forwarded to Internal PDF Reader - so everything should be OK using that scheme. But I guess you can always steal (back) focus by making a false ALT keypress (and cancelling it) which is handled by PDFe.

These specific shortcuts are being delivered by a global keyboard hook. It's the only way I know to work it when these ActiveX embedded controls are focused and also process the same hotkeys. I suppose a globally hooked shortcut to get the focus back to PDFE is also a possibility.
Does the ALT keypress trick you propose really gets the focus back to PDFE, or I'm missing something? The main menu appears to get the focus but in reality PDFE is still not accepting any other keys. At least in Windows 10. I've not tested in other Win versions.

[Padanges]

If you propose any type of collaboration, that adds value to the project and I agree to accept

I believe we are collaborating already but I will check if there's anything of greater value I could offer.

I just added it later, and the F5 was already taken by the extract images so decided to not mess with it.

Well, then you could give us an option to remap it using shortcut preferences.

Instead of hidden it can be set disabled, when there are not editable fields. Maybe with a text line message stating that fact?

I think it's a minor issue which gets in a way only once you start exploring PDFe properties but seeing it disabled instead of trying to figure out why it disappeared would be a better choice, in my opinion.

Does the ALT keypress trick you propose really gets the focus back to PDFE, or I'm missing something?

Actually, both the internal viewer and PDFe starts responding after the ALT keypress. But it is still ambiguous how it responds because I've noticed couple times other reactions. So I guess it doesn't help much.
Have you tried to disable the viewer control while it is loading (set component property to disabled), then on click or a timer to enable it so it would get back as focusable? This might work. Maybe it is possible to do the same trick with each keypress, so that you could capture them with PDFe?

[RTT]

Actually, both the internal viewer and PDFe starts responding after the ALT keypress. But it is still ambiguous how it responds because I've noticed couple times other reactions. So I guess it doesn't help much.

I've now added some code to get focus back to PDFE when the main menu gets active, so the ALT key can now reliably be used to do that. Still not the best solution.

Have you tried to disable the viewer control while it is loading (set component property to disabled), then on click or a timer to enable it so it would get back as focusable? This might work. Maybe it is possible to do the same trick with each keypress, so that you could capture them with PDFe?

The problem is that the user might indeed want to get the reader focused, just after document is loaded, so it can changes pages, etc.
The alt key trick is working now, and leaving the mouse pointer over the grid worked since ever. Probably a globally hooked hotkey, specific to get the focus back to PDFE, is the way to go. The alt key trick needs two clicks, one to get the focus and another to exit the menu and get back the focus to the previously focused control.