2.4.2 Custom Chorded Keys

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Currently built-inbuilt-in CTRL shortcut keys have used up all numbers and letters on the keyboard. To support more shortcuts, a Chorded Key combination is introduced from Origin 2025b.

If you hold CTRL key and press the prefix key ”\”, Origin will wait for the second key of chord (tell from the status bar at the bottom) and a message box will then appear showing you a list of chord keys that are pre-defined. You can choose the desired second key to execute the action you want.

Chord key.gif

During the waiting mode for the second key, if you mouse-click somewhere, it will quit waiting.

Add and Customize the Chorded Keys

Both the prefix key and the second key can be changed in the Key Chords dialog.

To open the Key Chords dialog:

  • Select menu Preferences: Key Chords...
Key Chords Dialog.png

Context

Determine the window type(s) available for the current shortcut. If you hunt a menu item available for all window type, the Context will auto-set to Any. If not, Context will set to the active window type.

  • Any
If the menu item you hunt is available for all window types, e.g. Window: Cascade, the Context should be Any. If the menu belongs to multiple window types rather than all types, e.g. Edit: Set Export Margin... (available for both Graph and Layout window types), the Context will set to the active window type.

Prefix

The default prefix key is backslash “\” and it can be changed to the following,

Slash (/) Prefix Keys Default Slash.png Backslash (\) Prefix Keys Default Backslash.png
Backspace Prefix Keys Default Backspace.png Key 1 (!) Prefix Keys Default Key1.png
Semicolon (;) Prefix Keys Default Semicolon.png Apostrophe (') Prefix Keys Default Apostrophe.png
Comma (,) Prefix Keys Default Comma.png Period (.) Prefix Keys Default Period.png

Besides this dialog, you can also edit the file KeyChords.ini in the User Files Folder.

The 2nd key

The second key can then be any other key on the keyboard, including arrow keys, Enter, SPACE, Delete keys, etc. Origin is shipped with a set of pre-defined keys which can be found in the list box of the Key Chords dialog.

They all can be edit, delete, and you can also add new keys.

Key Chords Dialog List Box.png
  • Menu ID
    To find a menu command ID:
    Press CTRL+SHIFT and select the desired menu option. The menu ID (and script, if applicable) is typed to the Script window, but not executed. If source code exists for the menu option (LabTalk or Origin C), the Code Builder will open with the source file.
    It can be 0 if the action is run by LabTalk script.<.li>
  • Action
    Explanation text of the shortcut. If the shortcut triggers a menu/button, the text will tell the menu item or toolbar button. Otherwise, the text will show the LabTalk command (show the first line if multiple) the shortcut runs or the effect the shortcut causes.
  • Context
    When Context is set to All, all defined chorded keys will be listed. Context column will then be shown to the last to tell you the available window types for the shortcuts.


Right click on a list item or blank area will bring up a list of context menus

On menu item On blank area
Item right click menu.png Blank right click menu.png
Hunt Choose a menu or toolbar button to set shortcut for it.

The menu ID and Action description will be returned to the Key Chords dialog. Press Esc key to exit the hunting mode. See Add a new chorded key for details.

Edit 2nd Key Extended… Double-clicking on the 2 Key cell or right-clicking on it and select Edit 2 Key Extended context menu to open a small Select 2nd Key dialog box.

Enter or select the 2nd key from the drop-down list.

Add LabTalk Command
/
Edit LabTalk Command 		Add a shortcut for LabTalk Command(s). The command will show in Action column. If multiple command lines, only first line will be shown.
Key Chords Add LT Comand.gif

Right click on a LabTalk command shortcut and select Edit LabTalk Command to modify the scripts.

Add

Add a new key chord. See below section for details.

Add a new chorded key

  1. Press CTRL key and click the desired menu item or toolbar button to open the Key Chords dialog. The corresponding Menu ID and Action description are auto-added to the dialog list. And the 2nd key cell is in in-place edit mode waiting you to enter a 2nd chorded key for the shortcut.
  2. Select menu Preferences: Key Chords or press Ctrl+Alt+K to open the Key Chords dialog.
    • Right click blank area inside the list box and select Hunt. The dialog will be hidden allowing you to choose a menu item or a toolbar button to add shortcut for. Once done, it will return to the Key Chords dialog and the selected Menu ID and Action text will be auto-added to the list box. You can then enter the 2nd key directly in the 2nd key column.
    • Click Add button. The dialog will be hidden allowing you to choose a menu item or a toolbar button to add shortcut for. Once done, it will return to the Key Chords dialog and the Menu ID and Action text will be auto-added to the list box. Type the 2nd key directly in the 2nd Key cell to complete the shortcut defination.
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