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    Menu Access Keys on All Menu Items

    I use a macro recorder/player to add custom commands to IrfanView. These are a lot easier to craft when the menu items have an associated "menu access key" (MSDN terminology). Most of the menu items already have these keys, but a few (like Add Canvas) do not.

    Also, I noticed that the menu access keys that are defined are only active (and underlined) when a menu is selected with the keyboard and not when selected with the mouse. I'm used to them being there all the time. Not important, but there are advantages to following common UI conventions.

    To clarify the terminology, I mean a letter you can type when the menu is displayed that will activate that item. These are usually indicated by underlining the letter. For example, to display the negative of an image, you can type "Alt+I" followed by "t". I don't mean the "accelerator keys" like Ctrl+C for copy.

    #2
    They look the same to me either way, the same underlinings are there.
    Its: Belongs to "It"
    It's: Shortened form of "It is"
    ---------------------
    Lose: Fail to keep
    Loose: Not tight

    ---------------------
    Plurals do not require apostrophes

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      #3
      Confirmed. IMO this is a bug, so I am moving it to the Bug Reports forum. When new items were added to the menus, they were not given access keys, which is an oversight by the program's author. All menu items and dialogue controls should have access keys for users with disabilities (or no mouse). It requires careful thought by the programmer to choose memorable access keys, and the translations also need to have different keys defined. Users may be upset when access keys are changed, but this is usually necessary when adding new items to menus that were not available in earlier versions.

      On the Image menu, for example, a is the access key for Sharpen. It would be better to use that for Add Canvas… and to use S for Sharpen. Note that its shortcut key is Shift S — which is clearly inconsistent.

      Another minor defect is that menu items should all be in Title Case. For example, on the Image menu we can see "Decrease Color Depth… but Auto adjust colors (with no access key).
      Attached Files
      Last edited by Bhikkhu Pesala; 25.08.2008, 06:42 AM.
      Before you post ... Edit your profile • IrfanView 4.62 • Windows 10 Home 19045.2486

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        #4
        I agree that all software programs should remain functional without the mouse connected. This situation may happen if you're working with several computers. It is possible to use Up and Down keys, but it's slower (especially considering that keypress repeat delay is reset if you connect keyboard to a live system).

        Originally posted by cwb3106 View Post
        Also, I noticed that the menu access keys that are defined are only active (and underlined) when a menu is selected with the keyboard and not when selected with the mouse. I'm used to them being there all the time.
        Ain't this a Windows problem? The NT OS allows you to choose between these 2 possibilities, and shortcuts off is the default choice.

        Screenshot

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          #5
          Added to Project List as Bug/Issue 63
          Before you post ... Edit your profile • IrfanView 4.62 • Windows 10 Home 19045.2486

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            #6
            Thanks Bhikkhu Pesala for escalating this. I didn't view this as a bug since the program is fully functional without this feature, just imperfectly adhering to convention.

            J7n is correct that if the "hide" option is selected in the appearance panel, then all programs (well, all conforming programs) behave as IrfanView does. However, I don't have that option selected. To see the difference, uncheck the box and compare Notepad and IrfanView behavior. Notepad will show the underlines whether the menu is selected with the mouse or keyboard; IrfanView only when selected with the keyboard. Don't use a Microsoft Office program for this comparison as they don't honor this appearance setting.

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