SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible - Matt Lombard [36]
I generally do not advocate trying to standardize a hotkey scheme across multiple users, unless the users all agree to it. The underlying reason for writing this section is that everyone remembers things differently in the first place.
Any command that I use more than a few times an hour is worth assigning to a hotkey. I like to use alliteration when assigning keys to help with my faulty memory. The most frequently used commands are assigned single-letter hotkeys, and the less frequently used commands are assigned combinations. Thus, Tools Options is linked to O, Measure to M, Select Vertex to Shift+V, and Curve Projected to Ctrl+J (Ctrl+P is the Windows standard for the Print command). Other people like to group keys into easy-to-reach combinations; this is why the Q, W, A, S, Z, and X keys are often assigned first for right-handed mouse users.
Organizing hotkeys
Hotkeys are assigned and organized in the Keyboard dialog box (Tools⇒Customize⇒Keyboard), as shown in Figure 2.36. This interface enables you to see all the hotkeys (called shortcuts in the list) easily. If you try to enter an existing hotkey, SolidWorks issues a prompt, telling you that the key is assigned to another command and its name. The prompt asks you whether you want to clear the other instance of the hotkey and make the new one active. You can also print out or copy to the Clipboard a list of only commands that use hotkeys.
Because the list of commands is so long, a Search function is available, and a drop-down arrow makes only the commands from a selected menu visible. The list of commands is organized by menu name, and the menus are listed as they occur in the interface. Fortunately, on the Keyboard tab, SolidWorks enables you to sort, using the column headers to list the menus, commands, or hotkeys in alphabetical order, simply by clicking the column header. This is a highly usable interface, one of my favorite interface changes in the last several releases.
Hotkeys for menu items are listed on the right side of the regular drop-down menus. These serve more as a learning aid than interface elements. Figure 2.37 shows a drop-down menu with hotkey combinations on it.
FIGURE 2.36
The Keyboard dialog box (Tools⇒Customize⇒Keyboard) and the mouse gesture donut
FIGURE 2.37
Drop-down menus contain reminders of the hotkey combinations.
Using mouse gestures
You can customize and use a mouse gesture interface, shown in the second image of Figure 2.37. To make the interface appear, just drag the RMB slightly, about 14 inch. Once you get used to the interface, a drag of about 34 inch in a single motion will activate the commands.
Note
I have found that this interface works best when you have memorized the commands available at various positions around the donut. You can set it to use four or eight divisions. Accuracy is more difficult with the larger number of divisions.
You can establish the donut in four or eight segments; it comes set to four by default. You can also do the customization in the Customize dialog box (Tools⇒Customize) using the Mouse Gestures tab. The advantage of this interface is that it is very easy to invoke. I like the way you can use the default setup to control views. The mouse moving in a particular direction is easily associated with a view direction, so it should be easy to remember.
Mouse gestures will probably not replace hotkeys or the “S” toolbar, but they do add effective quick access for a few functions.
Using the keyboard
Moving between the mouse and the keyboard can be bothersome and time-consuming. In addition to the hotkey approach, you can use another keyboard method to save time. Many users become adept at using the Alt-key combinations to invoke menu items. Most menu items in Windows applications contain a single underlined letter.
To access a top-level menu, you can hold down the Alt key and press the underlined letter for that menu, and then just press an