Keyboard shortcut for Menu items?

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Gilberto Rey
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Finale Version: FINALE 27.3
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Post by Gilberto Rey » Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:13 am

I know there is, and I frequently use it, a keyboard shortcut for the "Selection Tool" in the menu (former train , now the arrow): it is "Esc".
I use the "Articulation Tool" and "Expression Tool" all the time in my workflow and often find myself going back and forth between them. It's annoying to have let go of the keyboard, grab the mouse, locate the cursor and then the buttons in the menu to activate/click the tool... arghhh...

Now, are there keyboard shortcuts for the menu buttons other than for the "Selection Tool"? Have I missed something? And if not, why? I have tried to create one (shortcut) in Finale Script, alas to no vain. (Either it is not possible, or I did something wrong... the last option is very likely though)! :D

Would it be possible in Finale Lua or RGP Lua?
Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.
Gilberto
Last edited by Gilberto Rey on Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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N Grossingink
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Post by N Grossingink » Sat Aug 06, 2022 12:48 pm

If you want to go to the Articulation Tool, double click on any existing articulation with the Selection Tool and you'll be taken there. To switch to the Expression Tool, double click an existing expression. Most items in a score respond this way - clefs, keys, chords, text, measures, etc., etc.

On the Macintosh, you can program menu shortcuts using a keyboard shortcut utility in the OS Preferences. Could it be Windows has similar capabilities? Or maybe a third party add-on?
N. Grossingink
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Gilberto Rey
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Post by Gilberto Rey » Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:08 pm

Thank you. I know this and use it every day... But that brings up either the Articulation/Expression designer or Articulation/Expression Selection windows. I would want to be able to have my hands on the keyboard, type a shortcut and add an articulation via one of my many meta tools. And Your kind suggestion is not working if I am in, for instance, the Text tool.
As described in my OP, I don't want to leave the keyboard in the first place to click the mouse...

Gilberto
Finale 27.3
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“Life is a disease: sexually transmitted, and invariably fatal.”
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heinzfan
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Post by heinzfan » Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:44 pm

In Windows you can program a tool shortcut by Shift+the desired trigger key+clicking the desired Tool icon. I've programmed my 2-5 F (function) keys for the tools I use most often when entering music. In use, I can press F2 for the Smart Shape tool, F3 for the Expression tool, etc. In programming the Smart Shape you can pre-select the shape you want to default to before you program the macro.
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Perotinus
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Post by Perotinus » Sat Aug 06, 2022 2:25 pm

Also see the TG Tools Menu shortcuts under the plug-ins menu. That allows you to go into the menus and submenus of the program. Also, you're not limited just to the function keys.
Perotinus

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Gilberto Rey
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Post by Gilberto Rey » Sun Aug 07, 2022 6:10 am

YAY! Thank you heinzfan and Perotinus! And I even used TG-tools earlier to program F4 - F7 to select Layers! It was years ago and I had forgotten where and how I did it. Getting old(er), I guess.
Thanks guys!
Finale 27.3
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“Life is a disease: sexually transmitted, and invariably fatal.”
- Neil Gaiman -

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