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Strange 'Use Once' Mapkeys

JosephLord
1-Newbie

Strange 'Use Once' Mapkeys

Hi There, I'm not a big user of mapkeys, but I have some set-up to colour my models different colors. If I want a part to be red, i run the 'RED' mapkey ect. I set up a new one which rotates the model to standard oreientation, change to wireframe then save as a JPEG into a folder. I want to do lots of screen shots of all our parts for a manual. After I set-up the mapkey, I can open a new part, run the mapkey, and it works (saves a JPEG to my folder). When I open the next part, I select Tools>Mapkeys, but when i select 'mapkeys' the drop down menu disapears and the mapkey diolouge box does not appear. I have to close down then restart ProE, and I can run the mapkey on the first part I open, but I can't do it on any more parts I open. Any ideas? I have experienced this on another mapkey I tried to setup previously.
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20 REPLIES 20

"Joseph Lord" wrote:

Hi There, I'm not a big user of mapkeys, but I have some set-up to colour my models different colors. If I want a part to be red, i run the 'RED' mapkey ect. I set up a new one which rotates the model to standard oreientation, change to wireframe then save as a JPEG into a folder. I want to do lots of screen shots of all our parts for a manual. After I set-up the mapkey, I can open a new part, run the mapkey, and it works (saves a JPEG to my folder). When I open the next part, I select Tools>Mapkeys, but when i select 'mapkeys' the drop down menu disapears and the mapkey diolouge box does not appear. I have to close down then restart ProE, and I can run the mapkey on the first part I open, but I can't do it on any more parts I open. Any ideas? I have experienced this on another mapkey I tried to setup previously.

Are you pressing save after you make a map key, if you don't save, that might cause a problem.

I have saved the mapkey, because it is there when I open ProE and I can use it on the first part. I have also erased parts from memory before opening the next part, and also tried without erasing parts from memory before opening the next part. If I try to use the mapkey a second time on the first part I open the same thing happens, no mapkeys box apears... Seriously, it is a 'use once' mapkey. I have tried the other mapkeys I have setup for coloring parts and I can use them to my hearts content, on the same part, then on new parts I open.
CBenner
5-Regular Member
(To:JosephLord)

I have seen similar things. We have at least one mapkey, which we use for creating parameters on a CSYS, that will only work after you have manually created the parameters on the first CSYS.... from that point on the mapkey works on all others in that model. Open a new model and you have to do the first one manually again. This has been true with WF4 and WF5. Just weird.
Chris Benner
Autodesk ® Expert Elite

After your part is open, try creating two map keys, the first one to rotate and change to wireframe, then another one that saves to file. When you open the second part it should already be rotated and changed to wireframe. All you would need to do is pick the second map key and save it to file. maybe that will work.....maybe not...

Joseph Map keys are tied to config pro file, under tools => options, pick current session then the open folder, and see of your map key(s) show up, they need to be there, then press apply to activate them. Pretty confusing, but I did get your map key sequence to work. Going from part to part the map key(s) were active. I see what you mean about them disappearing after it was used once. hope it helps......very confusing to say the least. Rick

Back to map keys, once you set your working directory and pick a part to open, then go to tools => map key, pick new, pick some key strokes that will define it, name it, record, end, OK, then save. You can save in two different places, "config.pro, or current_session.pro". Then press run and it will execute. Close the file, pick a new file, go to tools, pick map key, and the map key drop down disappears. But the key strokes that define it are active, press them and you will see it run. The confusion is the map key drop down under tools disappearing on the second part. If you close pro/e and reopen in the same directory that you saved the map keys in, and the map keys that you created and saved are not there in tools => map keys, go to the config pro file, pick current session, check the box 'from file' open the folder, and the two config.pro or current_session.pro files will be there, pick the file that you saved the map key to, and the map key(s) will show up in current session,press apply to activate, and they will show in tools => map key. Confusion is the map key disappearing under tools when you try to run it on the second part, use the key strokes that defined it.......and everything should work like a charm. Make sure map keys are active(look at the little green star),needs to be solid in the current session of the config.pro file. Rick

Hi There, I have 11 mapkeys which I have set under 'F' numbers, ie F1 to color my part red, F2 to color my part green etc. which I think were defaults when i first started to create mapkeys. I didn't actually realise that you can run the mapkey by pressing these buttons! My screenshot mapkey is under F11, and it works everytime when I press F11 so my problem is solved, thanks! Just one thing, as i am going to run out of 'F' numbers, can you set any other key to run a mapkey, ie press 'a' will run a mapkey? I take it you just put 'a' under 'Key sequence' when you create the mapkey, and do you need the '$' symbol in front of it?
CBenner
5-Regular Member
(To:JosephLord)

Any sequence of keys can be set to run a mapkey. The $ is only needed for the "F" keys. I try to use combinations that are easy to remember what they execute. For example: "ze" zooms out to full screen.... a throwback to my AutoCad days when "ze" was Zoom, Extents.
Chris Benner
Autodesk ® Expert Elite

Joseph, Adding just a little more to what Chris had to say: 1. For very frequently needed functions, use one-letter mapkeys. 2. For those "speed keys" pick easy access, namely the lower corners of the keyboard. 3. However, don't use too many one-letter mapkeys because you will exhaust your possibilities. (If you use "a", you can't use "aa" because the system will never see the second "a"; it will always run "a".) 4. In addition to two-letter mapkeys that "make sense" as Chris recommends, I like to use either the same letter twice, or adjacent letters, e.g. "aa" or "as". 5. It is possible to nest mapkeys, and if you are using "utility" mapkeys that are only used nested you can use arcane names like "/003". This you probably will never need to do. For example, in my own case, "Z" (lower left corner) does Regenerate, "." (lower right corner) does Save/Delete Old Versions, "X" is repaint, "C" is File/Open, etc. Mapkeys are great! They can really boost productivity and introduce you to the "feeling of flying". David

You can assign icons to map keys and place them in the tool bars. Right click a tool bar and go to commands, scroll down to map key, and you will see a yellow smiley(default) you can drag and drop in the tool bar. There are about 50 different icons you can pick for the map key, the yellow smiley is the default, you can also place the name with it. I like the ultra ubber laziness of just picking on an icon to run a map key myself.

Yes, I should have mentioned the extra kick of icons for mapkeys. For example, here are mine to initiate Family Table work and Parameter definition.
GrahameWard
5-Regular Member
(To:DavidButz)

"Joseph Lord" wrote:

Just one thing, as i am going to run out of 'F' numbers, can you set any other key to run a mapkey, ie press 'a' will run a mapkey? I take it you just put 'a' under 'Key sequence' when you create the mapkey, and do you need the '$' symbol in front of it?

Yep, mnemonics / acronyms are the way to go (with doubles if you only really wanted a single letter). Some of ours: zr = Zoom Reset (zoom extents) ss = Save cd = Change working Directory ii = activate Insert mode rp = Revolve, cut, use Previous sketching planes vv = View/display settings/Visibilities um = Update Mass parameter sn = Sheet Next (they work in drawings too) sp = Sheet Previous We also have: F3 = print on A3 paper F4 = print on A4 paper

Quick Comment: since you can use other keys besides the letters in your mapkeys (`,~,<, etc.) plus the F-keys, you have more than 26X26+10=686 possibilities if you restrict yourself to two-letter Mapkeys. Should be enough.

Hi There Thanks for all the replys, I might start using mapkeys a bit more now! Just another question, a lot of people use two letter abreviations for mapkeys, and I was thinking of changing my mapkeys from 'F' numbers to aberviations, such as 'jp' for JPEG screenshot. This is currently under F11, and when i go to 'modify' in mapkeys, the 'Key Sequence' box is greyed out so I can't change what keys activate this mapkey. Do I have to redo the mapkey again but entering 'jp' in key sequence?

Easiest thing to do is go into the config.pro file where your makpeys are stored and change MAPKEY $F11 to MAPKEY jp.
GrahameWard
5-Regular Member
(To:DavidButz)

"David Butz" wrote:

Easiest thing to do is go into the config.pro file where your makpeys are stored and change MAPKEY $F11 to MAPKEY jp.

HI, most probably you are saving mapkeys on what place that could be wrong. See where is your config file, just copy from there & paste to "Program files/Pro-e wildfire4.0/text" folder & then close pro-e & open again. I think now mapkey will work. no need to set mapkey it will be automatic. bye.....

@Joseph Lord I Don't think u can edit the key sequence it is better to edit new one this is an good idea

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