General - Main window shortcuts - shortcuts that work everywhere in FTS - shortcuts to show particular windows - playing notes from PC keyboard - feedback
This help is intended for those who use screen readers to interact with FTS, and also for touch typists or anyone who tends to use the keyboard extensively instead of the mouse. I have tested these shortcuts with Window Eyes and Jaws - two widely used screen readers, also with Microsoft Narrator, the lightweight screen reader that comes with Windows XP and later.
You can use F6 to get back to the main window at any time. F3 to show a list of all visible windows. Ctrl + F1 to show this page of keyboard shortcuts. Many of the controls have tool tip help - they show up as messages that float above the control with helpful information about how to use it. If you use a screen reader and it doesn't read out the tool tips, use Shift + F1 to show a window where you can read the tool tip text (if any) - sometimes with extra help.
Keyboard navigation within a window and between windows follows the recommended methods for Windows. So it is: Ctrl + tab to navigate between visible windows, or Ctrl + shift + tab to navigate in reverse order. Tab and shift tab to navigate through the controls in the current window.
Use the space bar to press a button or select / unselect a check box or radio button.
It's Ctrl + F4 to close the window you are currently working with. Alt + F4 to close FTS itself at any time.
When you are working in text fields with numerical input, you can adjust the numbers using Page Up or Page Down. Use Ctrl + Shift + Page up or down to adjust them up or down in steps of ten at a time, Ctrl + Alt to adjust 100 at a time and Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Page up or down to adjust them in steps of 1000 at a time.
This also works in fields that have many numbers in them - then use Ctrl + Page Up instead of Page Up - navigate to the number you want to change and then use the keyboard shortcut to change just that number. It works with mixed text and numbers too such as the script in the tune script window
You can use these in your main window - the one you get to with F6. Some also work in the keyboard play window, the voices dialog and the non melodic percussion dialog
Alt + letter - Alt + punctuation - Alt + numbers
a = seed as text dialog
b = buttons menu
c = pitch dialog
d = Seed
dialog
e = End recording to waveform audio or Midi
f = files menu
g
= Go to the field that lets you change the Highlighted Part (for windows that
have this field)
- this is the part that the current instrument gets
selected into, and is the one highlighted
in the parts window when
you show it.
h = help menu
i = Record to File dialog
j = Just intonation
retuning with pitch shifts
k = ---- not yet assigned
l = Scale as text dialog
m
= Begin recording to Midi.
n = in menu
o = Out menu
p = play
/ stop button
q= not assigned yet
r = Begin recording to waveform audio
s = go to the Number
of Parts to play text edit box (for windows that have this field)
t = Seed
Options
u = Pause / Continue button
v = voice menu
k = tasks menu
x
= next view
y = ---- not yet assigned
z = previous view
Note - the Parts window is now Ctrl + 9. The old Ctrl + R shortcut has been reassigned to Begin recording to Waveform Audio - this is so that the begin and end recording shortcuts can differ from each other, which makes them easier to use.
Used to jump to one of the main lists in the main window - depends on the task.
1 = go to scale drop list (also Alt + left brace { )
2 = go to arpeggios drop list
(also Alt + right brace { )
3 = go to Fractal tunes drop list - or whatever the main
drop list is (also Alt +
at
@ )
4 = go to Musical seeds, keyboard Sustain Pedal, or the Play
notes from droplists,
for tasks that have one of those (also Alt + tilda ~)
Window Eyes users may prefer to use the punctuation (next section) while Jaws users may find the numbers work better.
In the Rhythm Player task the numbers are used to set up one of the most used time signatures.
1 = 1/4
2 = 2/4
3 = 3/4
4 = 4/4
6 = 6/8
9 = 9/8
. period = Synchronise Arpeggio check box - check or uncheck
; semicolon
=
Play scale
' single quote = play seed
# number = play arpeggio
}
right brace = go to scale drop list (also Alt + 1 )
{ left brace = go to arpeggios drop list (also
Alt + 2 )
@ at = go to Fractal tunes drop list - or whatever the main drop
list is (also Alt + 3 )
~
tilda = go to Musical seed drop list, or select the keyboard Sustain Pedal, for tasjs
that have these drop lists (also Alt + 4)
\ back slash = Options for play
scale, arpeggio or seed Dialog
: colon = Volume edit field - Set Focus,
and changes graphic to edit field if necessary
? question = tempo or time for
one note of fractal tune - set focus
]
right bracket = show arpeggio as steps - check or uncheck
[ left bracket
= show scale as steps - check or uncheck
, comma = Go to
Tune info button
/ forward slash = Change the volume graphic to a text entry
field or vice versa.
Your screen reader may read those out twice if set to read punctuation as the text shows the punctuation symbol, then the word for the symbol.
Various - control key shortcuts - function key shortcuts
If a message asks for the Alt key to be pressed, and the Alt key doesn't work because it takes you to the menu, try the Caps lock physically held down in its place - FTS recognises Caps lock held down as equivalent to Alt in most situations where you are asked to press the Alt key.
Ctrl + P = Play or stop tune (for tasks with a tune to play)
Ctrl + O
= Open the tune
Ctrl + S = Save the tune
Ctrl + shift + Z = Undo fractal tune or midi relaying
changes - you set which of these it does / undoes from Bs | Seed Options | Undo
Changes. It undoes the effect of whatever change you made recently, e.g. your
choice of scale, or arpeggio, number of parts in play, or whatever you have
changed.
Ctrl + shift + Y = Redo
You can often use Ctrl + Z or Ctrl + Y in place of Ctrl + shift + Z or Y if you have the keyboard focus set to a button, check box, or other control that doesn't have its own redo / undo function. But you need to press the shift key as well when working with text fields - that's because then you can use Ctrl + Z or Y to undo or redo your changes to the text in the field, and the Ctrl + shift + Z or Y to undo or redo your changes globally in FTS. The text fields in FTS currently have only one level of redo / undo. FTS as a whole can have as many levels of undo as you care to set though the more you set the more memory is needed for them all.
Ctrl + F4 = close the current window in FTS (all except main window which
requires Alt + F4 to close the app).
F1 = help.
Shift + F1 = context
sensitive help for the particular control if it has any. This brings up the
tool tip for the control - if it has one - and the tool tip extra help too if
it has any.
Ctrl + F1 = Show this page of keyboard shortcuts for FTs.
F2 = Show the Organise Windows window. You can use this to show
any window, to reset all the settings individually for any of the windows, and
to save the ettings individually for any of the windows in FTS.
Ctrl + F2
= make a new seed from the music keyboard
F3 = Show menu of the currently
visible FTS windows sorted by category. This gives a quick way to navigate to
any of them in one step
Shift + F3 = Show a menu of all the FTS windows sorted
by category
Ctrl + F3 = Show menu of all the FTS windows sorted by whatever
method you choose for the Organise Windows drop list.
Ctrl + Shift + F3 =
menu of visible windows sorted by the method you choose for the Organise Windows
drop list.
F4 = Remember the current layout of app the windows.
After you do this, every time FTS starts up it will show all those
windows again automatically.
F5 - randomise tune (tune smithying tasks only)
F6
= Go to the main FTS window
Ctrl + F6 = close all the FTS windows except
the main window
Shift + F6 = minimise all except main window
Alt + F6
= restore all minimised windows.
F8 = Hide main window
SHIFT + F8 = Hide main window and close all other windows except the one you are using at the moment..
F9 = add notes in text format.
SHIFT + F9 = add notes to current window, .doc format. It will show up in Word or Wordpad or whatever program you have that handles this type. The first time it makes a new document then after that it will take you back to your previous notes for that window.
F11
= switch off all notes and stop tune
F12 = silence tune or midi playing but
don't stop the tune - switches off all notes in play so can also use this if
you get stuck notes when playing from keyboard for ex.
Each window has a number which is shown in the title bar. You can use Ctrl + the number to show the window. So for instance, Ctrl + 9 brings up the Parts window. Ctrl + 77 brings up the seed as text window. When the number has more than one digit, you keep the control key held down until you have typed all the digits, then release it and then the window will appear. However rather than keep the control key held down all the time like that, you can also use Ctrl + enter, then type in the number then type enter. So to show the Midi Out options window for instance, which is Ctrl + 48, you can also use Ctrl + enter then 48 then enter. You can use the backspace key to erase a number if you type a different one from the one you intended. Use Escape if you decide you don't want to show the window after all.
Some windows have special short Ctrl shortcuts of a single letter, or a letter and a number. Here are the ones assigned so far:
Control key plus
K = show the window that lets you play notes from the PC keyboard.
K1
= PC keyboard keys what to show, sustain and controller
K2 = notes to play
for PC keyboard keys
K3 = chords for PC keyboard keys
D
= show the square / diamond keyboard.
N = change the instrument to play.
T
= Scale And Arpeggio as Text window
All the windows also have short names. You can find out the name from the Organise windows window. Navigate to the window you want to know about then type F2 and the organise windows window will appear. You will find its title selected in the drop list there, and you can read its short name at the end.
So you can also bring up the window by typing its name. For instance Ctrl + enter then Parts then enter brings up the Parts window, or alternatively type Parts with the Ctrl key held down. You only need to type as much of the name as is needed to distinguish it from the other windows. For instance, G is enough to show the Go to tune times window. AL is enough to show the Alphabet Seeds window.
As an alternative to Ctrl + Enter, use Ctrl + Shift - then keep the control key held down. So, using some more examples, Ctrl + Shift + P shows the parts window and Ctrl + Shift + PI shows the pitch of the 1/1 window. Ctrl + Shift + OS shows the oscilloscope window - this includes an option to play the waveform as pitch glissandi to give an idea of the shape of the wave so may be particularly useful for those using screen readers as it gives you a way to "see" the waveform by listening to the undulations in pitch.
The special Ctrl single letter shortcuts have priority. So, you need to use Ctrl + shift to choose the window name in the case of ambiguity. So for instance, Ctrl + P plays the tune, so you need to use Ctrl + Shift + P to show the parts window. Ctrl + N shows the voices menu and Ctrl + shift + N shows the non melodic percussion menu. But Ctrl + G so far isn't assigned to anything so you can use it interchangeably with Ctrl + Shift + G - for now at least, until it gets assigned some other function.
You can see a complete list of the window names here:
Note these names may change before the release.
When you want to play notes from the keyboard in FTS, if you use a screen reader then you will want to disable the typing echo that speaks the words as you type. Jaws users can do this using Jaws key + 2 on the numbers row, then choose none from the available options. The Jaws key is Insert, or Caps lock for laptop users.
If your screen reader doesn't have a typing echo adjustment shortcut like this, you may need to close the screen reader temporarily or get it to sleep while you type the notes and re-awake it when you need it again.
Be sure to let me know if you find anything that doesn't work or if you have any comments or suggestions for improvements.