idea Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

TS4 — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 00:52:53 GMT

Custom accelerators for specific commands have finally been implemented, and that's lovely, but what's still appears to be missing is accelerator keys on specific commands accessed from right-click menus. The fact that menus are really only navigable by mouse slows down a number of common actions, particularly for people with certain accessibility issues.

In ArcMap 10.X, right-clicking on "Layers" in the table of contents brought up a menu like the following. Every option has a single letter in the command underlined, and when the right-click menu was on screen pressing that letter on the keyboard would activate the command, eliminating the need to drive the mouse and click on the command.

By memorising commonly-used accelerator keys, it was then possible to very rapidly get to specific options, particularly "Properties" (right-click + "I"), which could be useful at times for fiddling around with coordinate systems. Nearly every item in the list has some sort of accelerator key for the command, too.

In contrast, the right-click menus in ArcGIS Pro have almost no accelerators. Here's the right-click menu for "Map" in the Content pane:

While it's possible to assign a keyboard combo in Options to (eg) open Map Properties rapidly, it still doesn't explain the lack of keyboard accelerators on the right-click menu commands. And this is particularly galling in that some of the commands do have underlined accelerators, as can be seen below when the "Labeling" submenu is expanded!

Right-clicking around on various buttons and menus in the software, it seem that at least some of the development groups working on ArcGIS Pro feel that implementing these underlined single-key accelerators is worthwhile. If you right-click on the Big 6 items in Catalog: "Toolboxes" and "Locators" have full support; "Maps" has 1/7; "Databases" has 2/4; "Styles" has 1/8; "Folders" has 2/9.

Ad hoc accessibility isn't better than no accessibility at all; it just amplifies the frustration.

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

AdamHart — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 16:02:53 GMT

Lack of keyboard shortcuts in Pro slows down productivity for me. In ArcMap I could right-click a layer and press "S" the "M" to make this the only selectable layer, or right-click "E" "E" to start editing. Very fast and convenient.

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

MennoNijhuis — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 09:28:13 GMT

This is definitely ones of the top annoyances for me in switching from ArcMap to Pro. I guess I never realised how often I use the the single key accelerators. There's so much more clicking to do now, and it's turning out to be quite a strain on my hands and arms. So, for the physical fitness of your customers, Esri, please do implement this!

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

WilliamGarmer1 — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:49:57 GMT

It's been nearly two years since this comment was posted, and ArcGIS Pro has had at least one interim update in that time (actually, I think it's had several), and still we have no accelerators.

I suspect that the reason why the Labeling submenu (Joins and Relates too) has accelerators is that those menus look like they were copied verbatim from ArcMap. But nobody bothered to add accelerators to any of the entirely new right-click menus. And some menus have partial accelerators - in the Catalog view of the Contents window, if you right-click Databases, one of the three options has an accelerator. Right-click a geodatabase in this view, ONE item on the top-level has an accelerator: Delete. And SOME of the submenus have PARTIAL accelerators: New, and Import. It's ludicrous how choppy this is.

This is basic Windows interface design stuff. Menu accelerators have been around since Windows 3.1 and are one of the most-used, most-useful, parts of a basic user interface in any piece of software.

Missing, incomplete, or awkward stuff like this is why people are still using ArcMap for daily GIS tasks more than five years after the initial release of the product that ESRI wants to replace it. The learning curve going from ArcView 3.2 to ArcGIS 9.0 was far less than the curve from ArcMap 10.x to ArcGIS Pro, because ArcMap 9.0 was a mature, fully-developed product with the features that users needed in a daily-use production tool. Pro is only now, at V2.5, just beginning to reach that point, and it still has numerous holes in it that must be filled before I can stop going back to ArcMap to do stuff in five minutes that take an hour in Pro.

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

CalebGarrett — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 14:42:44 GMT

Going on 3 years now...

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

Stephen_Dsouza — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 08:21:48 GMT

This used to be part of my everyday workflow in ArcMap and it is stifling to not have such useful option. Not sure how difficult it is to implement such a simple functionality considering almost every Windows context menu has these shortcuts.

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

AdamHart2 — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 15:18:03 GMT

In ArcMap I could right-click a layer and perform many number tasks in less than a second. Not available in ArcGIS Pro... 😕

Under Control Panel > Ease of Access settings I have enabled 'Underline access keys when available'.

Esri, when with these be available?

2022 Edition: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

AdamHart2 — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 15:49:04 GMT

This idea originally submitted by TS4 in Sept 2018.

In the Ease of Access Center (Windows) I have the Underline access keys when available. In ArcMap I could fly with these right-click menu single-key accelerators... they are not in ArcPro and it seems like a simple fix. At lease let us customize it without having to know complex programming...

Esri... when will single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro be available???

All that follows is TS4's original post (which shows great examples) and not of my own creation.

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Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

09-03-2018 05:52 PM by TS4

In contrast, the right-click menus in ArcGIS Pro have almost no accelerators. Here's the right-click menu for "Map" in the Content pane:

Ad hoc accessibility isn't better than no accessibility at all; it just amplifies the frustration.

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

AdamHart2 — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 23:09:55 GMT

I am back again!! Hello.

The right-click context menu of the Explore Tool in a map has two underline accelerator keys (Paste and Delete).

How about you guys give me more of those sweet, sweet accelerator keys for other context choices?? Pretty pleeeeease????

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

CarsonG — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:06:24 GMT

Key bindings / shortcut functionality is extremely limited. Please implement key binding as it was in ArcMap

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

CalebGarrett — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:43:21 GMT

Going on 4 years now...come on guys... this is a no-brainer that can't be that hard to implement. Why the wait?

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro - Status changed to: Under Consideration

KoryKramer — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 17:50:01 GMT

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro - Status changed to: In Product Plan

KoryKramer — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 23:28:10 GMT

Shortcut Keys In ArcPro

RXP_GIS — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 20:55:39 GMT

Underline the access key / shortcut key when using ArcPro. For instance, in ArcMap if you right click on a layer in the Table of Contents and press "T" then teh Attribute Table opens. When you right lick on a layer you will see the "T" underlined for 'Open Attribute Table' and that makes it faster and easier to navigate in the application.

Re: Shortcut Keys In ArcPro

Anonymous User — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 20:11:38 GMT

some hot keys are already indicated when you right click a layer in the table of contents:

Re: Shortcut Keys In ArcPro

TimOrmsby — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 19:35:13 GMT

Hi RXP_GIS,

The feature you're requesting is present in ArcGIS Pro 3.1, which is soon to be released.

Tim

Re: Shortcut Keys In ArcPro

RXP_GIS — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 20:56:33 GMT

Thank you @TimOrmsby !! That is great news!! When is the expected release for Pro3.1?

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

KoryKramer — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 00:48:04 GMT

@RXP_GIS we merged your idea with this existing idea that is already planned for ArcGIS Pro 3.1 as mentioned above.

Sneak peek:

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro

TimOrmsby — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 00:24:58 GMT

Hi RXP_GIS,

expected release for 3.1 is around Feb. 23 per Kory Kramer's comment in the ArcGIS Pro Roadmap - July 2022 post.

Tim

Re: Implement right-click menu single-key accelerators in ArcGIS Pro - Status changed to: Implemented

AmeliaBradshaw — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 16:37:34 GMT

This Idea has been implemented in ArcGIS Pro 3.1. Please see the What's New documentation for more new features in Pro 3.1.

The Ideas in ArcGIS Pro 3.1 blog will be wrapped up soon, highlighting all Ideas implemented in this release, including this one. Once complete, I will add the link to this comment.