Navigating the Browser with Keys Only - Mac

Quentin Black

• August 01, 2021 09:59

I'm searching for a way to put the keyboard focus on the Browser without using the mouse.

For example, after entering a keyword in the Keywords tab, I'd like to be able to navigate to the thumbnail above the one selected in the Browser using a couple of keystrokes rather than having to move to the mouse, click on the thumbnail and go back to the keyboard. I know I can use Cmd-Left/Right to go left or right in the Browser without losing input focus in a Tool Tab but Cmd-Up/Down doesn't work.  (I'm on a Mac.)

I expect there to be a keystroke combination to move the focus (in the computer input sense) to the Browser generally from the previous control group or scroll area which would allow "normal" Browser cursor input - up/down as well as left-right - thereafter.  However, I can't find it.  The Tab key moves you to the next control in the current Tool Tab, if that's where the curent focus is (expected behaviour), so I hoped that a Tab combination keystroke might be the secret. Ctrl-Tab doesn't do anything and Cmd-Tab and Opt-Tab are system-wide combinations of course. Any ideas?

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  Permanently deleted user

  • August 01, 2021 20:40
  • Edited

  It doesn't change the keyboard focus, but with the keywords entry field selected and the browser open cmd-right arrow and cmd-left arrow will change the selected image.  If you want to remove the focus from the keyword entry field use the Escape key.

  Edit: Doesn't have to be the browser window.  If a single image is in the viewer after entering keywords cmd-right arrow will move to the next image.

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  Quentin Black

  • August 02, 2021 11:52

  Sure, I've got that bit.  In my second paragraph: "I know I can use Cmd-Left/Right..."  And regarding Escape, in this case it certainly stops the Keyword text box being the first responder (in Mac Cocoa speak) but the first responder now is the tool tab itself or other hidden control (nothing is visible).  If you press Tab you'll likely highlight the Tool Selector bar which is the first clue you get as to where you now are in the key view loop. 

  However, when the Browser (it's a UI scroll area) has proper focus, you can also use Up and Down cursor keys in Grid mode and extend a selection with Shift, for example. These keys only work when the Browser has focus and this fact has caused me months of bemusement while I got to grips with CO.  For example, when you're actively working with Tool Tabs and the like the Browser in Grid mode is usually unresponsive to Up and Down.  All you get is a beep.  Take your hands off the keyboard, click the mouse on the Grid and only then is the Browser fully functional as per the documentation.

  I have resorted to a rather hacky way using an Applescript to place the focus on the Browser using a single keystroke: in my case, Ctrl-B.  I'll post the script on the Scripting forum.  One great thing about scripts is that they can be mapped to a keystroke in System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts.

  The only aim here was to avoid having to continually use the mouse to make the Browser work as it's documented to work.

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