Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work (Read 6543 times) previous topic - next topic

Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

I've been using Noteworthy Composer for a while, and up until recently it was working great.  However, now a few shortcuts (such as shift right/left to select text, control right/left to skip to the end/beginning of a bar, control shift up/down to transpose) are not functioning, and instead just move my cursor (and deselect any notes I've selected using using the mouse, if I had any selected).  Other shortcuts (such as control backspace, control enter, shift up/down) still work.  The problems only seem to manifest for this program (shift right/left still work in text-editing programs for selecting text), and even after uninstalling and reinstalling NWC, the problems still persist.

Could anyone suggest any potential cause of this problem, or potential solution?  It'd be much appreciated; I'm at a complete loss.

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #1 –
>instead just move my cursor (and deselect any notes I've selected

This implies that shift is working in some capacity, since it is changing your selection. Some ideas:

- Perhaps you have a display driver issue that is not showing you the screen inversion properly for the selected notes.

- Perhaps some other key is stuck.

What happens when you use Ctrl+Left/Right? What happens when you use Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right? What happens when you use Ctrl+Up/Down? What happens when you use Ctrl+Shift+Up/Down?



Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #2 –
If I try any of those, it acts as though none of the keys except the arrow was pressed.  If I press just right/left when notes are selected, it just deselects them.  If I press shift right/left, control shift right/left, it just deselects them--acts exactly the same as if I just pressed right/left.  If I press those shortcuts when nothing is selected, the cursor moves right/left.  Control or control-shift up/down moves the cursor up/down whether or not notes are selected, and deselects any notes that are selected.  Just as if I pressed up/down.  Somehow shift up/down works though...

I guess some other key being stuck is a likely possibility.  How would I test for that?

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #3 –
Quote from: maxwellsdemon –
I guess some other key being stuck is a likely possibility.  How would I test for that?
Quote from: Lawrie Pardy –
... press and release each <Shift>, <Ctrl> and <Alt> key at least twice without pressing any other keys.
I.E.
<Left-Shift>, <Left-Shift>, <Right-Shift>, <Right-Shift>,
<Left-Ctrl>, <Left-Ctrl>, <Right-Ctrl>, <Right-Ctrl>,
<Left-Alt>, <Left-Alt>, <Right-Alt>, <Right-Alt>
...
Registered user since 1996

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #4 –
Ctrl+Up/Down should move the insertion point by an octave. Ctrl+Shift+Up/Down should move a selection of notes up or down. Shift+Up/Down controls the stem directions, but does so via a menu/keyboard accelerator. The Left/Right keys are interpreted directly in the editor as keystrokes, rather than menu accelerators. I would recommend you be precise in your testing, so you know exactly which keys are not functioning correctly.

From what you describe, it sounds very much like your Shift key is not functioning correctly (perhaps bouncing when pressed, causing multiple triggers), or some other software is stealing the Shift key presses.

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #5 –
I would also recommend that you check your Accessibility settings in the Windows Control Panel relating to your keyboard.

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #6 –
I suspect the accessibility settings. It sounds as though Sticky Keys might be on. This can be triggered accidentally (in XP, and probably other OS's as well) by holding the shift key down too long. You can check the settings in the Control Panel (click on "accessibility options").

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #7 –
Well, I tried some things.  I tried another keyboard, with no success.  I tried another computer entirely, with success.  (However, that other computer doesn't currently have midi playback 'cuz of the OS, but that's something else I'll work on some other time.)  Stickykeys and the other options in accessibility are off.  The thing that Rick G. gave me didn't do anything.

Control up/down doesn't move the cursor an octave, just to the next line/space on the staff.  Just as though I was not pressing control at all.

Are the shortcuts for moving octaves, for transposing, and for highlighting menu accelerators?  The stem-direction shortcut works, but those other ones don't, which is what really puzzles me.  I'd think either they'd all work or they'd all not work.

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #8 –
If you tried another keyboard on this computer and you get the same result, then this tends to indicate software based interference.

The stem direction tools are different, since the keystrokes have a corollary  in the menu. If the Ctrl+Up/Down arrow keys do not work either, then this further indicates that you have software on the system that is interfering with the "GetKeyState" function of Windows. The Accessibility features (and similar software) are exactly the kind of thing that engages in this kind of interference. A buggy key logger might also cause this kind of thing.

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #9 –
....and now it begins to sound like malware. Is your spyware protection up to date? (Spyware would be more likely to cause these symptoms than a virus would.)

Re: Some keyboard shortcuts do not work

Reply #10 –
The bit about keyloggers was helpful advice.  I went to update my spyware info, but then remembered I actually have an anti-keylogger, so I looked at its list, and it apparently had identified Noteworthy Composer as a hooker (probably because it uses getkeystate).  I've had the anti-keylogger for a long time, so I dunno why it suddenly disabled NWC, but I just enabled it and now it works fine.  Problem solved.

Thanks very much for the help.