Keyboard Preferences

In the Sequence Editor, you can use the keyboard to make changes to a sequence; there are several built-in functions that can be performed by striking certain keys.  For example, you can turn the currently selected cell (or cells) on by hitting the "N" key.  However, you can also change these behaviors - change what keys perform what functions.  You can even make a single key perform multiple functions - for example, you could set up the "N" key to expand the selection to the right by three cells and down by two cells, and then turn the entire (newly expanded) selection on.

To control the behaviors of the keys, select Keyboard Preferences from the Preferences submenu of the Edit menu.  Doing so will open the Keyboard Preferences dialog:

The Keyboard Preferences dialog

The Keyboard Preferences dialog has several sections:

Active Keyboard Map

The "Active Keyboard Map" section allows you to choose which keyboard map should currently be used.  You can choose to use the default keyboard map for the current version of software, to use the default keyboard map from a specific (perhaps earlier) version of software, or to use a custom keyboard map that you have defined.

Use the Default Keyboard Map

Choosing this option will cause the Sequence Editor to use its default keyboard map.  Moreover, if you have this option selected, and later upgrade to a new version of software which has a different default keyboard map, the Sequence Editor will then use that new default keyboard map.

Use the Keyboard Map from a Particular Version

Choosing this option will cause the Sequence Editor to use the default keyboard map from some specific version of the software.  Moreover, if you have this option selected, and later upgrade to a new version of software which has a different default keyboard map, the Sequence Editor will then continue to use the default map from the specific version that you have selected.

Use a Custom Keyboard Map

Choosing this option will cause the Sequence Editor to use a keyboard map that you yourself have defined.  Moreover, if you have this option selected, and later upgrade to a new version of software which has a different default keyboard map, the Sequence Editor will then continue to use the custom map that you have selected.

Your custom keyboard maps are automatically saved to your "KeyMaps" directory (in your Light-O-Rama data directory).  If you would like to share one of your custom maps with another user, you can simply give them a copy of that map's file.  When they place it into their own "KeyMaps" directory, it will be available for them as a custom keyboard map.

Note that this option is not available until you have defined at least one custom keyboard map, which you can do through either "Duplicate Map" or "New Empty Map".

Maps

The "Maps" section allows you to create new custom keyboard maps (either duplicating the current map or else creating an empty map), or to remove maps that you have previously created.

Duplicate Map

Using this button, you can create a new custom keyboard map which uses the exact same key mappings as the currently selected map does.  You can then modify the key mappings as you desire, using "New Key", "Edit Key", or "Remove Key".

The new map will show up in the dropdown list under "Use a Custom Keyboard Map", and in fact will automatically be selected when you create it.

New Empty Map

Using this button, you can create a new custom keyboard map which does not contain any key mappings at all - that is, no key will cause anything to happen when you press it.  You can then add keys to it via "New Key", and later edit or remove them via "Edit Key" or "Remove Key".

The new map will show up in the dropdown list under "Use a Custom Keyboard Map", and in fact will automatically be selected when you create it.

Remove Map

If you have currently selected a custom keyboard map (via "Use a Custom Keyboard Map"), pressing this key will delete the map.

Note that if there is a chance that you will want to use the custom keyboard map again in the future, you should not remove it.  Instead, simply switch to using a different custom map, or to a default map, leaving the map in the "Use a Custom Keyboard Map" list, thus enabling you to switch back to it when you desire.  If you remove it, you will not be able to switch back to it in the future.

Keys

If you have specified that a custom keyboard map should be used (via "Use a Custom Keyboard Map"), then the "Keys" section allows you to add new keys to it, edit existing keys within it, and remove existing keys from it.

New Key

This button (which is available only when a custom keyboard map has been selected, via "Use a Custom Keyboard Map") opens up the New Key Mapping dialog, which allows you to choose a key and set its operation or operations:

The New Key Mapping dialog

To use the New Key Mapping dialog, press the key that you want to use (and, if you want, the Alt, Ctrl, and/or Shift keys), and then select the operation that you want it to perform from the dropdown list:

The New Key Mapping dialog, having selected a key and an operation

In the above example, Alt-Shift-F7 has been mapped to "Move Right" - that is, to move the selection to the right one cell.

You can use the green "+" button to assign multiple operations to a single key.  They will be executed in the order that you list them.  In the following example, Alt-Shift-F7 has been mapped to "Move Right, Move Down, Apply Shimmer".  That is, the selection will be moved one square to the right, then one square down, and then the Shimmer tool will be applied to the new selection.

The New Key Mapping dialog, having selected a key and multiple operations

When multiple operations have been selected, you can delete any of them via the red "X" button next to it.

Edit Key

This button allows you to change the operation or operations that are in use for a certain key.  It is available only when a custom keyboard map has been selected (via "Use a Custom Keyboard Map") and a particular key mapping from that map has been selected (by clicking on it in the list of key mappings at the bottom of the Keyboard Preferences dialog).

Pressing the button brings up the Edit Key Mapping dialog:

The Edit Key Mapping dialog

The Edit Key Mapping dialog can be used similarly to the New Key Mapping dialog, except that only the operations can be changed (or added to or removed from), not the key itself.

Remove Key

This button allows you to remove a certain key from the current keyboard map.  It is available only when a custom keyboard map has been selected (via "Use a Custom Keyboard Map") and a particular key mapping from that map has been selected (by clicking on it in the list of key mappings at the bottom of the Keyboard Preferences dialog).

Sort By

This section allows you to sort the list either by key (so that, for example, an entry for the A key comes before an entry for the B key) or by operation (so that, for example, an entry for the "Apply Fade Down" operation comes before an entry for the "Copy Timing" operation).  This sorting applies not only to the list as displayed on the screen, but also to the results of the Copy and Print buttons.

Operations

The following operations can be assigned to keys (in a custom keyboard map):

Copy

This button allows you to copy the list of keys and operations to your Windows text clipboard, so that you could (for example) paste it into a text document in Notepad.  The list will be sorted as you specified in the "Sort By" section.

Print

This button allows you to print the list of keys and operations.  The list will be sorted as you specified in the "Sort By" section.