Adding a rename keyboard shortcut

[SanjitRaman]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

• it would be useful to have a keyboard shortcut to rename a component.

Describe the solution you'd like
Click on a component, hit F2 and type in the new name.

Describe alternatives you've considered

• any other keyboard shortcut would also be nice.

[tomcl]

Are you sure this is needed given that clicking on a component will by default open properties from which the component can be renamed? Maybe I am not understanding?

[SanjitRaman]

That seems fair, however, F2 is pretty common across different software so as a user I kind of expected it to work.

[tomcl]

OK. F2 common for renaming? We do not currently using functions keys as shortcuts. I am happy to use them if they will work reliably cross-platform? In which case we could have that as a shortcut.

I suspect there are many other convenience UI features on Issie that are higher priority - but we do not always think of them. So please also post here anything else. I will keep this issue open for discussion with the idea that at some point in the Summer we review shortcuts.

PS - the worst part of the Issie UI - the waveform simulator wave selector - has now been redone thanks to this year's 3rd year HLP cohort. It is (I think) great. And those annoying greyed out parts of waveforms now have nice tooltips. Try v5.9.3

[SanjitRaman]

ok, so I just finished making 64-bit register bank, and the only sane way to do it was with some python scripting. I nosied into the format of DGM files, and ended up writing some scripts:

• autoconnect_by_index_matching.py
• autoconnect_by_y.py
• rename.py for labels
• sort_by_y.py for renaming components into numerical order.

I suppose some cleaned-up/generalisable version of these features would be very useful.

[SanjitRaman]

with regards to the F2 shortcut, I think I noticed that sometimes the properties tab doesn't automatically show up when you copy-paste a component. This is still on v5.3.1

• also when you create a new ROM (for example) and finish the setup menu, the properties tab doesn't show up. Is this intentional for convenience of adding multiple components? Then F2 makes sense here.

[SanjitRaman]

another user thing I noticed on v5.3.1:

• when you press sheets and then click on the main schematic area, I think I would expect the menu to disappear on an "off-click", it works for the project menu, but not the sheets menu.

[tomcl]

Well, v5.9.3 we have a prototype version of module-level parameters. one that is fully implemented we will then add for loops.

That will be nice for things like register banks. But having a really nice Ui for for loops is challenging - I think it will be an FYP next year.

Re properties tab and otehr annoying UI issues above - when somone (maybe me) is feeling strong enough they/I will look at the top-level UI state and try to rationalise what is open when.

And maybe get ctrl/click to work to drag the schematic sheet - I feel that is a high priority issue for user convenience.

[SanjitRaman]

shortcut request

• upon filling out the parameters e.g. input name and width, ENTER should place the component. Right now, enter just disappears the data one has just entered.

[tomcl]

For consideration this summer

[LH-and-FPGA]

Currently, issie has following keyboard shortcuts, I want to make sure there are no further change needed before I start:

Essential Shortcuts

File & Edit Operations:

• Save: Ctrl+S (Win/Linux) / Cmd+S (Mac)
• Copy: Ctrl+C / Cmd+C
• Paste: Ctrl+V / Cmd+V
• Select All: Ctrl+A / Cmd+A
• Undo: Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z
• Redo: Ctrl+Y / Cmd+Y
• Delete: Delete key
• Cancel: Escape

View Control:

• Fit to Window: Ctrl+W / Cmd+W
• Zoom In: Alt+Up or Ctrl+Mouse Wheel Up
• Zoom Out: Alt+Down or Ctrl+Mouse Wheel Down

Component Manipulation:

• Rotate Clockwise: Ctrl+Right Arrow
• Rotate Counter-clockwise: Ctrl+Left Arrow
• Flip Vertical: Ctrl+Up Arrow
• Flip Horizontal: Ctrl+Down Arrow
• Move Ports: Ctrl+Drag (on custom components)

Special Modes

Modifier Keys:

• Ctrl/Cmd Hold: Enables port movement and multi-selection
• Shift Hold: Enables canvas panning and additive selection
• Space: Disabled to prevent page scrolling

Context-Specific:

• WaveSim: Number keys (0-9) change multiplier, Arrow keys navigate
• Code Editor: Has its own key handling when active

Platform Notes

• Windows/Linux use Ctrl, macOS uses Cmd (Meta)
• Some shortcuts have manual implementations to ensure they work across
  platforms
• Browser zoom (Ctrl+Shift+Plus/Minus) is discouraged - use Issie's
  built-in zoom instead