Help! I broke DMD!

[Controls Guy]

Wire-drawing keystroke shortcuts like Ctrl-Down-Arrow aren't working for me today.   Arrow keys do move the focus point, but Ctrl-Arrow doesn't draw.

Not sure if there's some place to turn hotkeys off and somehow that was done, but I can't find a setting anywhere and I was never aware they even could be turned off.  Can't find anything in the online or printed help about any way to turn that on or off.   Can't be my keyboard as I'm using an external with my laptop and tried the internal one as well with no difference.   Other use of Ctrl key in other programs still works.

[franji1]

In Edit mode?  Ctrl+E?

[Controls Guy]

Yup!   Just checked again to be sure.

[franji1]

There is no mechanism to turn that off (other than leaving Edit mode).

Do you have a strange keyboard?  Is the Ctrl Key broken (Ctrl+E takes you in/out of Edit mode, for example)?

Does your laptop have separate arrow keys or are they integrated into the keypad or JKLIM keys or ?

[franji1]

Make sure Windows hasn't hijacked them.  Try running an older version of Designer (don't bother installing one, but if you have one installed) - is THAT broken too?

[Controls Guy]

There is no mechanism to turn that off (other than leaving Edit mode).

Do you have a strange keyboard?  Is the Ctrl Key broken (Ctrl+E takes you in/out of Edit mode, for example)?

Yeah, my external, which I use probably 98% of the time and where I first noticed the issue, is a DAS Keyboard mechanical (Cherry blues iirc).  Yep, Ctrl-E toggles Edit mode.   Used the same model for maybe 12 years or so, replaced at least once.

Does your laptop have separate arrow keys or are they integrated into the keypad or JKLIM keys or ?

Nope,  Dell Precision 7540.   Dedicated Ctrl keys.

[Controls Guy]

Make sure Windows hasn't hijacked them.  Try running an older version of Designer (don't bother installing one, but if you have one installed) - is THAT broken too?

Sorry, no older versions installed, but Ctrl works in both DMD (Edit mode toggle) and other stuff, so I doubt it.

[Controls Guy]

Works fine today.   Course, there was a full moon over the weekend, that probably had something to do with it....   [shrug]

[franji1]

Works fine today.   Course, there was a full moon over the weekend, that probably had something to do with it....   [shrug]

Ha!

[Controls Guy]

Crud, today it broke again.   Still works to toggle Edit mode.

UPDATE: OK, additional detail to report -- works to extend wires UP, and insert blank rows, but not down (even if there is an empty row).    Editor, Mouse tab in ladder section on maintain empty row vs. do not add has no impact.   In either setting, Ctrl-Up works, Ctrl-Down does not, but Ctrl and Down Arrow both work individually.

[Greg]

Crud, today it broke again.   Still works to toggle Edit mode.

UPDATE: OK, additional detail to report -- works to extend wires UP, and insert blank rows, but not down (even if there is an empty row).    Editor, Mouse tab in ladder section on maintain empty row vs. do not add has no impact.   In either setting, Ctrl-Up works, Ctrl-Down does not, but Ctrl and Down Arrow both work individually.

I know this was some time ago. However, another customer reported this exact same behavior today via Automation Direct techs. We have not figured out what might be causing it. However, I can tell you, when I have the PC desktop app version of YouTube Music Player running, that app hijacks the Shift-Ctrl-Down and Shift-Ctrl-Up functions (Do-more delete down wire, delete up wire) for its volume control. So, perhaps there is an app running that is hijacking the Ctrl-Down for something?

I know Microsoft Excel uses it, and Microsoft Word, and most text editors, but, of course, these apps do not hijack it... instead when those apps have focus, the quick-key works. But I understand why YouTube Music Player hijacks it. You want to be able to change the volume of your player regardless of whatever else you are doing.

I'll post again if I discover, in this particular customer's case, what caused it.

[franji1]

To figure out what app is trapping a hot key, I found this:

https://superuser.com/questions/11308/how-can-i-determine-which-process-owns-a-hotkey-in-windows

After launching Designer in Edit Mode (ready to take a Ctrl+Arrow hotkey), then do the steps.

As mentioned in the "Answer", I would also do the following

Step 7. I would also check Keyboard in Message Group (you will only be hitting 1 keystroke).

Not sure if this is good or not good to do before step 9:
Click on Designer Ladder View and do Step 9 in Designer and hit the "bad" wire keystroke there.  Proceed from there

[Controls Guy]

OK thank you!  "Unfortunately", it doesn't seem to be breaking lately, but when/if it does I'll do that.