Discuss Scratch

dertermenter
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

More people are familiar with CTRL Y as a redo keyboard shortcut and it is the shortcut that comes up when you look up what the redo shortcut is.

The current is CTRL SHIFT Z which is a bit more complex

Last edited by dertermenter (Dec. 8, 2021 17:08:41)

7salad3salad
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

Theres a redo shortcut?!?!
I agree, if CTRL + Y is more familiar and standard than CTRL + SHIFT + Z then we should change it.

Last edited by 7salad3salad (Dec. 8, 2021 15:42:23)

Za-Chary
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

I think it's debatable on whether CTRL + Y or CTRL + SHIFT + Z is more “standard” for keyboards. It's probably a debate that has no clear answer. I've used CTRL + SHIFT + Z for as long as I remember, on Scratch and elsewhere. It always seems to work. I don't think I ever remember using CTRL + Y, and I might have forgotten that such a shortcut exists until I was reminded yesterday in another forum post.

(By that, I mean I used Command + Shift + Z, since I'm on a Mac. When searching up the keyboard shortcut for redo on Google, the first thing that shows up is Command + Shift + Z.)

In fact, on a Mac, Command + Y already does something — it's a keyboard shortcut for opening up my browser history. So maybe this should be device-specific? Leave Command + Shift + Z for Mac users, and allow other users (Windows? Linux?) to use CTRL + Y.

In addition, however, I would argue that CTRL + SHIFT + Z is better because it's more convenient to use. The buttons are closer together than with CTRL + Y, and so I can more easily perform a redo with one hand, with my hand in the same position, using mostly the same fingers. If the keyboard shortcut for redo were changed to Command + Y, I would either have to use two hands to do that, or use one hand but move it in a somewhat awkward position and use a different finger to press that Command key.

Is that a silly reason? It might be. It could be a matter of “Just get used to it.” But I think sharing my perspective is useful. I really like Command + Shift + Z and would not like it to be changed.
dertermenter
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

ThroughTheHourglass wrote:

Za-Chary wrote:

In fact, on a Mac, Command + Y already does something — it's a keyboard shortcut for opening up my browser history. So maybe this should be device-specific? Leave Command + Shift + Z for Mac users, and allow other users (Windows? Linux?) to use CTRL + Y.
On Macs, Cmd+Shift+Z is redo, on Windows Ctrl+Y is redo, and on L*nux it's both.
interesting.. is it even possible in JavaScript to detect your operating system?

Za-Chary wrote:

In addition, however, I would argue that CTRL + SHIFT + Z is better because it's more convenient to use. The buttons are closer together than with CTRL + Y, and so I can more easily perform a redo with one hand, with my hand in the same position, using mostly the same fingers. If the keyboard shortcut for redo were changed to Command + Y, I would either have to use two hands to do that, or use one hand but move it in a somewhat awkward .
I think what people are more familiar with is more important than being a bit more efficient, and I disagree it is quicker as you have to click 3 buttons, not 2. This also makes it more obscure. A feature is better than an invisible one to most, even if it causes more problems for the developers.

Last edited by dertermenter (Dec. 8, 2021 17:08:05)

7salad3salad
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

If its possible to detect OSes, then we should have it dependant on that.
Za-Chary
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

dertermenter wrote:

I think what people are more familiar with is more important than being a bit more efficient, and I disagree it is quicker as you have to click 3 buttons, not 2.
That is precisely what makes the debate of which shortcut is better unanswerable. Is it more efficient to push 2 buttons instead of 3? Or is it more efficient to keep your hand in approximately the same area? I imagine everyone would disagree with this…

Nevertheless, the fact that Command + Y brings up the browser history on a Mac makes it impractical to assign this shortcut as the redo function. I noticed that you changed the suggestion “for Windows users” as a result. A good change for sure!
LokiBlaster
Scratcher
100+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

It possible we can use something similar to Alt+C, its only used in the IE11 and outdated versions of Edge.
dhuls
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

dertermenter wrote:

is it even possible in JavaScript to detect your operating system?
Yes, if you want to parse this
dertermenter
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

ThroughTheHourglass wrote:

dertermenter wrote:

ThroughTheHourglass wrote:

On Macs, Cmd+Shift+Z is redo, on Windows Ctrl+Y is redo, and on L*nux it's both.
interesting.. is it even possible in JavaScript to detect your operating system?
Yes, in fact that is how the Download Page automatically selects what OS you're using.
Right - if scratch has done this before they can do it again.
dertermenter
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

bump
dertermenter
Scratcher
1000+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

bump
EatNYeet
Scratcher
500+ posts

Change the "redo" keyboard shortcut for windows users

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure whether this sort of change would really benefit people. There's such a large amount of other programs or websites that a user may need to use, and inconsistency in the redo shortcut is almost expected to be honest. (In fact, that's actually why I never really became more familiar with one shortcut over the other.)

I think the best thing to do as far as the redo shortcut goes would be to allow for both versions, so that way those who are used to a specific shortcut can use that shortcut, but those who don't really have a preference could just use either one that they feel like using.

Powered by DjangoBB