Key Contexts | Boris FX

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‌Key Contexts

SynthEyes allows keys to have different functions in different places; they are context-dependent. The contexts include:

 The main window/menu

 The camera view

 Any perspective view

 Any 3-D viewport

 Any command panel

There is a separate context for each command panel.

In each context, there is a different set of applicable operations, for example, the perspective window has different navigation modes, whereas trackers can only be created in the camera window. When you select a context on the keyboard manager panel, only the available operations in that context will be listed.

Here comes the tricky part: when you hit any key, several different contexts might apply. SynthEyes checks the different contexts in a particular order, and the first context that provides an action for that key is the context and action that is applied. In order, SynthEyes checks

 The selected command panel context

 The context of the window in which the key was struck

 The main window/menu context

 The context of the camera window for the active tracker host, if it is visible, even if the cursor was not in the camera window.

This is a bit complex but should allow you to produce many useful effects. Note that the 4 th rule does have an “action at a distance” flavor that might surprise you on occasion, though it is generally useful.

You may notice that some operations appear in the main context and the camera, viewport, or perspective contexts. This is because the operation appears on the main menu and the corresponding right-click menu. Generally you will want the main context.

Keys in the command-panel contexts can only be executed when that command- panel is open. You cannot access a button on the solver panel when the tracker panel is open, say. The solver panel’s context is not active, so the key will not even be detected,

the solver panel functionality is unavailable when it isn’t open, and changing settings on hidden panels makes for tricky user interfaces (though there are some actions that basically do this).

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