Should F2 become the default for renaming?

[fenix_productions]

I wonder if anyone actually uses the Function Toolbar?

You would be surprised to see how many "mouse people" use that

[Balderstrom]

Hey! I am resemble that remark!

Of course it's an AutoHotkey'ed tripped out Logitech MX-518

That puts CTRL,SHIFT,DELETE at my mousy fingertips (and other keys depending on the current active window/program).

[petermad]

2Balderstrom

Shift+F2 also has an odd function that I haven't noticed before --> "select all in both panes".

Default action for Shift+F2 is Compare Directories (cm_CompareDirs) - a very useful command, which also exists in an extended version: cm_CompareDirsWithSubdirs

[Balderstrom]

@ petermad oh, hehehe: well when the directories are nothing at all alike, it looked like select all in both panes

Yes, I have cm_CompareDirs on my IconBar... had missed the cm_CompareDirsWithSubdirs though - thanks.

[Zamolxis]

Hi All,

Sorry to not read through all 9 pages of comments, to see all arguments listed and check if Christian took a decision on this or not yet. But I see the poll results and the comments on the first page, which probably pretty much give the main arguments for one option or another. I'll add my support for the change, with some comments on those posts:

For information you can use the left shift + click on the F6 move button to do the rename.
Or even a simple click on the file like in the explorer.

L-Shift + Click on F6 button is probably more annoying than Shift+F6 (for a keyboard user like me): right hand now has to use the mouse, and not for just a click, but now I also have to go to that F6 button. As I work with 22"+ screens, that may mean I'll have to move the mouse on a distance that may be longer than the size of my mouse pad, if my pointer was somewhere close to the upper corners of the screen. With screens getting bigger and bigger, I believe applications should avoid developing frequently used buttons all around their interface. Personally, the TC bottom buttons served me only as Info-reminders for very useful functions of my F-keys, in my first months of TC usage.

By "simple click" I guess you refer to the 2nd L-click. The problem with that, is that it can accidentally turn into a double-click. I had that happening a few times for some files which were opened by default by an image editor. Oh, the horror - I had to wait like minutes, until the application opened, loading all its extensions & stuff. What would be useful, instead of a 2nd L-click, would be a LClick+Hold (I actually ran into this thread browsing the forum to see if that was already suggested).

If Christian we go down that road then a whole list of shortcuts must be changed. F5 for refreshing and not for copying and so on...

TC is a completely deferent and completely customizable (to some extend) tool so why bother?...

For this reason:

I voted YES and I think it would be better for the beginners (many stop using TC a few minutes after trying it for stupid reasons like this one)

I know several tech-oriented guys (working in hardware and software support), who rejected TC because they mastered all secrets of Explorer, while TC made them uncomfortable, partly also because of the different hotkeys.

We shouldn't copy all hotkeys from Explorer, but it doesn't hurt to analyze sometimes which are the most needed functions, and "sacrifice" tradition for practicality.

I guess it depends on the user. I happen to need/use Rename quite frequently. And it was very annoying when I had to use the Click+wait+Click method, until I discovered the possibility to customize it. Strangely, I went intuitively for F2, even though I didn't know it was used in Explorer as well. I guess I went for it, after testing that "nothing" happens if I press it (I didn't know about its Refresh function, and I guess there was nothing to refresh), so I thought it was an unused key. It's only from this thread that I first found out what F2 is default for.

But while very much used in internet applications, Refresh is a function rarely needed in a file manager (again, depends on the user maybe). We don't need to move it to F5 - Copy is too frequently used to be changed, plus the bottom button will always remind the user what it stands for, to not confuse it with F5 in other applications. But we have other options:
- keep it F2, but only if no file is selected (e.g.: if we are on the root line, so we can click there or press Home, then F2)
- change it to a key combination of F2 and Shift, Ctrl or Alt (if not already used)
- if not already used, it could also be a combination of F5 and Shift, Ctrl or Alt

[TCFan404]

My opinion is that a 1 key refresh is great, I don't care which key is it as long as it exists, I can adapt, F11 & F12 has no use AFAIK, and F10 and F9 are kinda of the same as 'ALT' key in Windows.

[ThiefMaster]

F2 renaming and F5 refreshing would be great - it's pretty much the default on Windows systems.. not only in Explorer.
For example, all browsers etc. also use F5 to refresh.

[Robert Borkowski]

I don't care for F2 (only use Ctrl+R) as long as F5 is for copying.

[chrizoo]

F2 renaming and F5 refreshing would be great - it's pretty much the default on Windows systems.. not only in Explorer.
For example, all browsers etc. also use F5 to refresh.

agreed.
F2: renaming
F5: reload

this is standard Windows behaviour.

[HolgerK]

<Ctrl+R> to refresh a view is also a standard Window hotkey.

Regards
Holger

[chrizoo]

<Ctrl+R> to refresh a view is also a standard Window hotkey.

yes, partially. But on quite a few applications CTRL+R is also the hotkey for REMOVE (i.e. delete). Example given: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mp3tag

Therefore CTRL+R contributes to confusion IMO.

(But as keys are configurable, the whole question is a non-issue anyway).

[Nxqd3051990]

I agree on F2: rename , F5: refresh

I do know people use totalcmd like the old and legend move.
But the standard is just fine

[HolgerK]

And F4 to edit the path?
Come-on guys!
This poll is about changing the default key for one single function and not about a complete different hotkey layout.

Regards
Holger

[Balderstrom]

What would likely be useful is a new type of Master-Hotkey, for the many related commands that get invoked when using modifier keys (Shift,Ctrl,Alt).

e.g. if F5 was internally assigned MasterHotkey status for Copy. Then if you assigned another key as the MasterHotkey Copy all the related Modifier key functions would get automatically assigned.

Off the top of my head, it's primarily the Function keys that are grouped as such.

I don't agree with changing the default, but if my proposed MasterHotkey was utilized it would make it very easy to repurpose any of the F-Keys or others.

[chrizoo]

Balderstrom, can you explain this by way of an example? Sounds interesting, but I'm not sure I understood what you meant.