User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

I'm looking for a way to define a few shortcuts for editing ops that I use a lot but for which Pro Tools offers no pre-defined shortcut.. Pro Tools doesn't seem to offer a way to define my own shortcuts.

Is there something I'm missing in Pro Tools? Is there a reliable 3rd-party package that lets me define keyboard macros that can be used with Pro Tools.

If it helps, I want to use Ctrl+Alt+V, requiring both hands, through a shortcut I want to define that will use only one finger. It would even be nice to be able to override a Pro Tools pre-defined shortcut that I never use, but this is probably asking too much.

Any one have any help here?

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

Use AutoHotkey.

"t" in the above example will be your newly assignable key to that specific command. Change it to taste. Hope that helps.

Shane

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

Thanks. I'll try it out shortly.

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

Another option for 2-hand shortcuts : get a programmable extra keyboard (I use the Expertkeys EK-128) and assign those shortcuts to a single button.

The code given is the "seed" example to assign commands, that are menue items only, to a self-defined shortcut.
Like all the "cut/copy/clear / all/pan/plugin" -commands.
The hard thing is to know, which shortcuts are already taken by PT itself. Took me 3 days to make a list ... .

You can override the PT shortcuts. But overriding single key commands like "q" will result in not being able to use the letter "q" when naming a clip/track.

The use of a 2nd keyboard and Shans advice for me on Autohotkey (still thankfull) lead to an absolute massive workflow boost.

There are not much shortcuts left, that are easy on the fingers and not used by PT. But with a 2nd keyboard, that does not matter, as a single button will fire the commands.

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

Use...

• ~

...in front of your hotkey. When the hotkey fires, its key's native function will not be blocked. You'll then be able to use single characters in text fields such as naming clips etc:

There are also multiple ways to setup your custom hotkeys to toggle on/off, thus allowing quick access to the native PT shortcut commands. Hope that helps. :-)

Shane

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

Like the following, I learned :
+Esc::
suspend
return

And that is also a single button on the extra keyboard.

A million thanks again to you, god of Autohotkey !

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

Hi, how would one enter a three control button (say windows/ctrl/shift) and a letter key combo?

Also, is there any version of autohotkey out there that provides a simple graphical user interface say like the way one can create custom hotkeys on mac?

Trying to learn all this on my windows 7 laptop to see if it suits, before investing in a larger win 10 system.

Cheers and thanks.

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

AHK is Windows only.

Due to how Avid messes around with certain keys, shortcuts that involve the Alt and Win key within Pro Tools will not work. Fortunately, there is more ways than 1 to perform most functions.

AHK has great documentation if you want to learn how to stack modifiers.

If you want a UI in AHK, you have to build it. They are surprsingly easy to do, but that is the only option.

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

i realise AHK is windows only, thanks.. so you are saying that i can't use ctrl/alt/cmd(or win in windows) plus spacebar to turn on scrolling, for example, like I do now in mac through my system preferences custom shortcuts?

Or do you mean single shortcuts with the alt or win key won't work, but combinations are fine?

This is really good to know up front, thanks.

Re: User-defined keyboard shortcuts
 

The problem is if you try and access any "native" Pro Tools shortcut that involves alt or win, from any sort of a macro or programming standpoint. To turn off pre roll for instance is alt+k. You could not re program the shortcut from the standard alt+k to cntrl + k for instance. The alt key in the process would be ignored in the trigger. You would have to program the shortcut to toggle the shortcut via the menu in Pro Tools.