Re: Widget Button trigger through keypress?

[davidf(at)dfanning.com (David Fanning)]

Oliver Smith (osmith@dera.gov.uk) writes:

> In order to satisfy users of the previous version of the software I'm
> developing, I'd like to be able to trigger a widget button by pressing a
> designated key on the keyboard, whilst retaining the option to press buttons
> with the mouse.
> 
> I know the get_kbrd function can be used to read a character from the
> keyboard, which could be tested in a case statement and then the appropriate
> procedure called; but this seems rather long-winded. Is there a simple way
> to associate a keyboard button with a widget button?

You could probably figure out a way to incorporate
a keyboard event into your widget program with
GET_KBRD, but that will, I predict, be one sick
puppy. I wouldn't be surprised if it had the
intuitive usability characteristics of, say,
the table widget. :-)

You would be better off spending the time convincing
your users of the great NEW features of the program.
Or, if you absolutely need the capability, investigating
JD's neat hack for incorporating keyboard events into
widget programs:

   http://www.dfanning.com/tips/keyboard_events.html

Cheers,

David

-- 
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155