IWBNI there was a keyboard shortcut (e.g. the Enter key) that could be used to perform a predefined operation on a selected object.

This could be implemented by adding a menu item called Operation Options to the Edit menu. This menu item would display a new dialog box called Operation Options that could contain the following controls:

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Operation Options Dialog Box
 

Tool	Operation Applied to Selected Object
Expression	( ) Display Text/Shape Expression Designer Dialog Box ( ) Display Note-attached/Measure-attached Expression Assignment Dialog Box ( ) Perform Script...
Tuplet	( ) Display Tuplet Definition Dialog Box ( ) Perform Script...
Articulation	( ) Display Articulation Designer Dialog Box ( ) Perform Script...
Slur Tool	( ) Perform Script...
Crescendo Tool	( ) Perform Script...

[ ] Disable All Scripts
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The table provided here contains a partial list of the tools with which this functionality could be used.

If a given tool is selected and a given object is selected, the operation specified in this table would be performed on the selected object when the Enter key is pressed. For example, suppose the expression tool has been selected and the handle of a given expression has been selected (i.e. the handle of the expression is black). Further, suppose that the radio button Display Note-attached/Measure-attached Expression Assignment Dialog Box is selected in the Operation Applied to Selected Object column of the Expression row of the operation table. When the Enter key is pressed the Note-attached (or Measure-attached) Expression Assignment dialog box would be displayed automatically. (Note: As it is now, the Text (or Shape) Expression Designer dialog box would be displayed when the Enter key is pressed in this case.)

Also, one could specify a script of commands that are to be applied to a selected object of a given type by selecting the radio button Perform Script in the Operation Applied to Selected Object column for the appropriate tool. When selected, this control would display a new dialog box called Edit Script that would be similar to the Edit Text dialog box and could be used to specify a script (i.e. a sequence of text commands). For example, a script could be used to specify that the left and right tuplet hooks should be set to -24. In this case, the command might be "LH=-24;RH=-24" where LH and RH are abbreviations for the text boxes Left Hook and Right Hook on the Tuplet Definition dialog box. Examples of other possible commands for tuplets would be:
 

Command	Meaning
NT=Ratio;	Set the Number list box in the Display section of the Tuplet Definition dialog box to Ratio. (Here NT is an abbreviation for number type.)
SL=0;	Set the Slope text box in the Position section of the Tuplet Definition dialog box to 0.
OTDDB;	Open the Tuplet Definition dialog box.

Scripts could be saved to, or loaded from, text files by using the Edit Script dialog box.

The checkbox Disable All Scripts could be selected to have no scripts executed when the Enter key is pressed for a selected object to prevent one from accidentally and unknowingly making substantial changes to objects. If Disable All Scripts is selected, the Enter key would function as it does in the current version of Finale. For example, if a text expression handle is selected, the Enter key would display the Text Expression Designer dialog box for the selected expression.

Created: June 4, 2000
Last Updated: June 4, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b